Are you aware of what your old acquaintances are up to these days? Perhaps you actively engage with their updates on social media, or maybe you think maintaining contact with them is a waste of energy. After all, why bother when you already have a close-knit circle of friends who support you through thick and thin and offer valuable advice? However, where do we get fresh information and innovative ideas if not from new people with diverse routines and perspectives? But it's not always necessary to seek out new connections—sometimes, it's worth reaching out to old acquaintances.

How often do we think about our former classmates? It seems that they are of no use to us today. Lorenzo Fertitta, son of casino magnate Frank Fertitta Jr., thought so too. He didn't resist following in his father's business footsteps until he met his former classmate Dana White. Lorenzo didn't know him well at school and never thought their conversation that day would change his and Dana's lives. Dana shared that he opened a gym to train fighters in the UFC. Lorenzo became interested in the topic and White's enthusiasm for mixed martial arts.

The meeting of two former classmates happened when the UFC needed saving. Mixed martial arts gained a reputation as "human cockfighting" due to the words of Senator John McCain. He also spearheaded increased regulation. The question of the disappearance of this sport became relevant.

Lorenzo recruited his brothers and bought the UFC for $2 million, risking investing in an already sinking ship. Together, they began reviving the sport’s reputation, adding new rules and weight classes, which received approval from the commission. Fertitta invested over 40 million, and the business began to rise from its knees. After launching a reality show about aspiring wrestlers and reaching the peak of business in 2016, partners Fertitta and White sold the UFC for $4 billion, setting a record for sports deals.

The history of a global brand with a turnover of billions of dollars began with two boys in the same school class who did not want to have anything to do with each other. If not for an unexpected meeting, their names would not have entered the history of the UFC. Does it motivate you to connect with old acquaintances?