UFC CEO Dana White aided in Ksenia Karelina’s recent release from a Russian prison.
Dana White and the UFC enjoyed another eventful weekend at UFC Kansas City, featuring a welterweight headliner between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates. In a back-and-forth battle, and despite a late rally from Prates, Garry walked away with a unanimous decision win to bounce back from his first career loss.
Months into 2025, and approaching what will be a star-studded summer season, White and the UFC have a lot of momentum. In an era when the UFC is in desperate needs of new, fresh stars, the roster is delivering in a big way.
In addition to his UFC responsibilities, White played a massive role in securing a Los Angeles resident’s release from a Russian prison after more than a year behind bars.
Dana White used longtime friendship with U.S. President to free Russian prisoner
33-year-old ballerina Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American, was serving a 12-year maximum security sentence in Russia after donating $50 to a pro-Ukraine charity. She was arrested in February 2024 while traveling to Russia to visit her parents.
White and U.S. President Donald Trump have a long-standing friendship, and the UFC headman used their relationship to jumpstart securing Karelina’s freedom.
During the UFC Kansas City post-fight press conference, White explained his role in organizing Karelina’s freedom and return to the United States.
“When we had the fight in Australia in Sydney, I got a call from a friend of mine who asked if he could come by my hotel room and talk to me,” White said. “He told me the story and then asked if I would go to the president, because I guess they’ve been working for a year with the old administration, trying to get her released and couldn’t get it done.
“So they asked if I would talk to Trump and I said ‘Of course’. So I called [Trump] and he said ‘yeah, let me see what I can do’. And literally in three weeks, he had her out…she FaceTimed me two days ago, what an incredible, sweet, positive human being she is. President Trump and [Russian President Vladimir Putin], give them both credit for getting her out.”
Karelina and her boyfriend, boxer Chris van Heerden, shared a touching moment as she returned to the United States. You can watch footage of her return below.
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Dana White hints UFC 317 will be headlined by a massive title fight
White and the UFC are weeks away from their annual International Fight Week card in Las Vegas, and as of this writing, a main event for UFC 317 has yet to be announced. A middleweight title clash between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev was originally targeted for UFC 317, before the bout was postponed due to an alleged du Plessis injury.
Du Plessis later dismissed rumors of an injury and hinted at a looming fight announcement. Chimaev is still the most likely opponent for his next title defense, after the undefeated star finished Robert Whittaker in October.
In the meantime, White smiled at the post-fight press conference when asked about a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria headliner for UFC 317. Makhachev and his team have strayed from granting Topuria an immediate title shot following the former featherweight champ’s move up in weight.
Topuria recently announced he’s begun a training camp for his UFC return, making the timing for a UFC 317 return more likely. But as of this writing, nothing has been formally announced for Topuria’s lightweight comeback, despite a viral leak hinting at a showdown with Charles Oliveira.
The UFC also announced UFC 318 featuring a BMF clash between Max Holloway and the retiring Dustin Poirier in New Orleans in July.