Dana White shuts down absurd question about ‘toxic masculinity’ from CBS host who can’t define it

UFC President Dana White defended his company, masculinity, and free speech in an interview on “60 Minutes.”

CBS’ Jon Wertheim asked White about everything from his relationship with President Donald Trump to the company’s financial history, but it was the fight promoter’s defense of his audience that served as a popular clip that circulated online.

‘How can somebody be too masculine? Is that a possibility?’

The host referred to White describing the ongoing “wussification of America,” which White quickly corrected.

“I think I said ‘p***ification,’ but yeah,” White clarified.

This transitioned into Wertheim citing an apparent “cultural movement” dominated by males.

“It’s a lot of guys. I mean, they call it ‘the manosphere,’ you’re one of the leaders,” he told White.

The UFC president retorted, saying that his audience was definitely male-dominated and masculine, too: “Eighteen- to 34-year-old males and growing,” White stated. “We’re global. We are definitely, unapologetically masculine.”

Wertheim, though, questioned White with the liberal trope that successful male environments and activities are in danger of becoming too masculine. “Can this bubble over to too much? When you hear toxic masculinity?” Wertheim asked.

“Haha, what’s that mean?” White asked back.

The host had no answer. “You tell me,” Wertheim replied.

Flabbergasted, White continued, “You just said it! What’s the definition of toxic? How can somebody be too masculine? Is that a possibility? Can you be too masculine? … No.”

“The answer is hell no,” White said.

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White’s positions on many topics — and the 13-minute segment as a whole — were seemingly presented as an anomaly; an obscure, niche subset of sports that “60 Minutes” viewers may be blissfully unaware of. Among these topics was White’s view of free speech, which he unapologetically defended.

In response to being asked if there were any scenario where a fighter’s speech would get them into trouble with the company, White replied, “I’m a big believer in free speech, and unfortunately, probably the most important speech to protect is hate speech.”

“I hate it,” White said about cancel culture. “I don’t like trying to destroy people’s lives over doing something dumb.”

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(L-R) Canelo Alvarez, Dana White, and Terence Crawford on stage during Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 22, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

In July, the UFC agreed to host an event at the White House in 2026, which was just one of the connecting points in Wertheim’s presentation of White’s relationship with President Trump.

The two talked about the early days of the UFC and its struggles when Trump was the only person who was willing to host an event at his venue, the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

“It was so bad at one point,” White said about the company’s finances. He said UFC owners Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta had even called him to say they could not keep the company going under the circumstances. However, White revealed he got a call the very next day that said, “F**k it, let’s keep going.”

Regarding his conversations with Trump, White said they are fairly simple.

“We don’t talk politics … we talk about goofy guy stuff that all guys talk about,” White explained. “We talk about ‘Rocky’ movies, we talk about fights that have happened.”

While much of the segment presented White and the sport as alien, some 20 years after its success boomed, CBS will soon have to come to terms with its popularity. In July, parent company Paramount acquired the rights to UFC broadcasts for $7.7 billion over seven years, per CNBC.

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