PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Anyone driving past the Irish pub Setter on the Presque Isle on Friday likely took twice in the red Ferrari in the yard.
But words travel fast, and as more and more people discover that the sports car doesn’t belong to Ultimate Fight Championship boss, Dana White, the restaurant quickly fills with hopefuls of a photo or glimpse of the famous sports franchise owner.
Mixed martial arts is a total contact sport in which athletes use a variety of fighting skills and techniques from a combination of other combat sports. White’s success with the world organization helped increase the popularity of the sport in Maine, as competitors in the state saw activity here and elsewhere.
White, a 1987 Hermon High School graduate with a home in the Orient, has led the UFC mixed martial arts organization since 2001. The sport got a boost in 2016 when White presented his online reality show “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” to Bangor, Five local fighters led.
White, who visited Presque Isle with a group of about 12 people, took time to take pictures and greet people. He even ventured into the kitchen (after asking permission) to thank the staff for his meal, according to bar owner Debbie Justin.
Gustin, who was unaware of White’s presence in the crowded restaurant until her grandson excitedly told her, said that White and his group were in Orostock County for an impromptu visit.
“He said he didn’t go to The County and he thought it was time,” Justin said on Tuesday. “He said he would come back because she was so beautiful and the people were so friendly.”
Employee Spring Kearney waited at the White Group. All of them were polite and kind as they enjoyed their meal, Wyatt was happy to join the pictures and chat with the people.
“He was very generous and very generous. People would come from the street just to have their picture taken with him,” Kearney said. “He immediately went back to the kitchen and got a picture with the kitchen staff.”
White remembered that she had sirloin tips.
White’s efforts helped the UFC transition from a cash-strapped company in the early 2000s to a multi-billion dollar MMA organization in 2020, according to Sportskeeda.
She said that Justin isn’t usually given the rage of a celebrity, but is just happy to see people enjoying each other and sharing food and conversation. But White’s visit was a bright spot for the pub, which will resume its usual Monday-Saturday schedule next week after being closed for three out of seven days during the winter.
“He complimented everything here,” she said, “and it was so sweet of him to do it.”