Friend of our site


MMA Headlines


UFC HP


Bleacher Report


MMA Fighting


MMA Torch


MMA Weekly


Sherdog (News)


Sherdog (Articles)


Liver Kick


MMA Junkie


MMA Mania


MMA Ratings


Rating Fights


Yahoo MMA Blog


MMA Betting


Search this site



Latest Articles


News Corner


MMA Rising


Audio Corner


Oddscast


Sherdog Radio


Video Corner


Fight Hub


Special thanks to...

Link Rolodex

Site Index


To access our list of posting topics and archives, click here.

Friend of our site


Buy and sell MMA photos at MMA Prints

Site feedback


Fox Sports: "Zach Arnold's Fight Opinion site is one of the best spots on the Web for thought-provoking MMA pieces."

« | Home | »

A samping of feedback from UFC fans on Dana White’s YouTube rant

By Zach Arnold | April 3, 2009

Print Friendly and PDF

I am posting this because I have been building up our presence on social networking sites to try to expand our reach to a new set of MMA fans. In other words, broaden the base.

When the Dana White YouTube issue broke, I figured that the sentiments would be somewhat in favor of Dana for what he said or didn’t say. What I didn’t expect was that amongst most casual MMA/UFC fans, the support for Dana would be as vociferous as it was/is and how much heat is being dished towards Loretta Hunt. Out of the hundreds of comments I’ve gotten on this story, I would say the split is about 80/20 in favor of Dana — and not just in favor of him, but a real personal backlash towards Loretta Hunt, ‘the media’, and a complete dismissal of the issue she brought up in the first place (UFC allegedly not credentialing certain agents/managers backstage at events — a claim that Dave Meltzer is now publicly saying Loretta may not be so wrong about after all).

One other observational note — I’ve noticed that the most vociferous supporters of Dana on this story have been women, not men.

Here is a sampling of some of the reaction I’ve received on this story:

Shannon Martin

I personally think anyone who talks shit about Dana white after everything he has done for the ufc is a peice of SHIT!!!There would be no ufc if it wasn’t for him!!

Glenn Williamson

so dana… tell us how you really feel? wouldnt have it been great if she was actually sitting right there in the room with him?

Suzy Cooper

I love Dana with my whole heart but I don’t think the entire world needs to always know what is on his mind… I hate the media for that very matter. I hate the fact that he is always saying something to piss everyone off! I hate the fact that the media feeds off his every word like sucker fish at the bottom of a scummy lake. It goes both ways in my book. He should keep his thoughts reserved and spare all of us fighters the grief of what we do for a living and spare the MMA World ridicule from outsiders who don’t understand our sport! MMA is the center for debate all around the world, not just here in America… I once heard from a wise person that stupid people say shit and wise people keep their mouths shut! Don’t fall into snares where people lure you in and be the bigger boy and walk away!

John Gifford

While I’m normally all for White’s outspokenness, there are times he needs to think before he speaks.

Name redacted (female)

Dana is human, if someone pissed me off that bad I would “speak” on it too. I saw the video and you know what, I think he has balls of steel to fight off publicity that are false. He has the right to say what he thinks, at least he isn’t afraid to say it. Everyone has opinions, good for you Dana for saying what is on your mind. People may not agree with it, and I am sure Loretta’s feelings are hurt. Im sure it was in the heat of the moment, will he regret it later? Who knows. At least he has the balls to say what is on his mind and defend his organization. On a positive note, Loretta Hunt’s name will be in the thoughts of many for a while to come. Publicity is publicity, good or bad, she got her name out there more. ultimately it won’t damage her career, people will take notice on what she writes for a while now. As for Dana, he is a cool cat and has emotions like everyone else.

James Breazeale

Dana White is the man Loretta Hunt is the bad person here shes the one who was talkin shit, all im sayin is Loretta Hunt got what she deserved.

Ryan Valdez

gotta be honest here guys, dana did what anyone would do if someone was publicizing shit that wasnt true or mad you look like an ass when your not! i think if you want to isolate things, dana is a hot head, dana can be a dick and talk lot like a tailor trash punk… BUT he made the UFC what it is and is a AMAZING business man, he has to be a dick to push down doors and get what the company needs, thats why he is not fired lol dont you guys get that lol you ever work with a big douche who is GREAT at his job and they wont fire him cause of it? they make a show like that called “HOUSE” hahaha, if you want to shit talk a BIG company with a dick at the head of it, better put your GLOVES ON and bring the FACTS!!! DING DING! stop being pussies people.

Stefanie

I don’t think it’s particularly fair to attack him for what he said during a heated rant. Perhaps the rant itself may have been out of place and unnecessary but I have heard plenty of decent people have similar things come out of their mouths in the heat of the moment. Someone is taking this and running with it because in this day and age the slightest politcally incorrect comment is fuel for a media wildfire backlash because they have nothing better to do.

Derek

He said what he felt so therefore i don’t feel he need say more on the subject.

Here is Sherdog’s official media statement in response to everything that has happened in the past 72 hours.

Jason Bent has an article on this story, bringing everything home full-circle.

Dana White knows that the UFC fighters are scared of him. There are abused children who fear spilling Daddy’s bourbon less than there are fighters who are willing to even raise an eyebrow at Dana White. Jon Fitch knows all about this, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if Fitch was brought in and forced to kiss Dana’s bare ass in much the same way that Randy Marsh had to kiss Jesse Jackson’s on an episode of ‘South Park.’

Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 64 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

64 Responses to “A samping of feedback from UFC fans on Dana White’s YouTube rant”

  1. Chuck says:

    Why are people making Dana White the victim here? I think some of these people need to get their head’s checked. Could you really say Dana White had the balls to say how he felt? Would he have said all of what he said to Loretta Hunt’s face? Or how about the shit he said about John Fitch? I highly doubt it.

  2. Ivan Trembow says:

    I love how some people are saying that Loretta Hunt’s story is untrue as using that as justification for Dana White’s outburst, as if the story being false would justify the offensive things that he said about her. It also doesn’t help their cause that even the UFC’s own editorial content partners (ie, Dave Meltzer) are reporting that what Hunt reported actually is true (ie, there WERE managers who were banned from being backstage).

  3. Jose says:

    The issue she brought up? That Dana and the other owners decided to do what they wanted with the company they own? They decided to restrict access at THEIR events? THEIR business? How dare they do what they want with their business.

    Fact is, they can run the UFC however they see fit. If the fighters don’t like it, don’t sign with them. Don’t resign with them. Revolt and don’t do business with them. Go elsewhere.

    Writers don’t like it? Criticize it all you want, but if you attack someone expecting them to just roll over and do business the way you think it should be run, then you’re in for a rude awakening. If you attack, expect one in return. Go start up your own promotion and run it if you really feel that they are doing the fighters wrong. See if the fighters ditch them and join you. I doubt it, but try it anyways. After all, some writers think they know best and know how an organization should be doing business, expanding their future, and continue success.

  4. Ivan Trembow says:

    “Fact is, they can run the UFC however they see fit.”

    That’s right, and the media can report on how they are running it. That’s what Loretta Hunt did. That’s not “attacking someone.” That’s called writing a news story. That does not justify calling her a “stupid bitch” and all of the other things that he called her.

  5. spacedog says:

    “Fact is, they can run the UFC however they see fit. If the fighters don’t like it, don’t sign with them”

    Again so many posters has no clue about the law and business practice. You can’t do just anything you want because you own the company. There are a slew of laws, entire fucking libraries full of laws and court decisions that restrict what a company and its representatives can do.

    One over the top example would be to require all female employees to go topless at work. As much as you all would like to think you can do anything you want if its your company, there are limitations.

    Denying employees (fighters) legal representation and advice (managers) when attempting to negotiate contracts might well fall into that category.

    Without knowing the exact details we can’t judge if Dana and Co. are breaking the law, but the current meme that he can do what ever he wants because he is part owner of the company is simply wrong, both legally and morally.

  6. Zach Arnold says:

    Why am I having flashbacks from my days covering the PRIDE scandal in terms of the abuse I got for writing about it? Feels awfully similar.

  7. frankp316 says:

    Here’s the bottom line. If Dana White and UFC want to be a major league sport, he can’t rant like that anymore. Of course faithful fans like it but it portrays him as bush league. NASCAR is a good comparison because it’s a privately owned company. If NASCAR president Mike Helton ranted like that, he would be fired. Dana won’t be fired but he needs to be more careful or he will be fired. This was not good for UFC and if it’s not good for UFC, it’s not good for MMA.

  8. Jeremy (not that Jeremy) says:

    I’m working and it’s soccer season so I haven’t really been paying attention, but I’m fully opposed to the kind of bigotry displayed by Dana in his earlier statement, and I think that this has been a huge clusterfuck in terms of how it was dealt with.

    Saying crazy or stupid shit is par for the course and IMHO part of the job when you’re running UFC, but there are things that are way over the line, and this is one of them that I’ll call if it seems serious in comment threads or anywhere else.

    Dana, you done fucked up, and you need to actually apologize. A real paper letter to Sherdog would go a long way. A rambling non-apology video doesn’t.

  9. d says:

    Honestly, I’m kind of shocked to see what could pass for youtube comments on this of all sites

  10. Andreas says:

    A major problem with Dana that doesn’t get enough attention is that all this controversy surrounding him takes attention away from Zuffa itself. All the negative press is focused on Dana, while Lorenzo seems like the good guy, when in reality he is every bit the ruthless businessman that Dana is, just soft-spoken. It’s too bad that an online rant gets more reactions than the actual exploitation of fighters that goes on all the time.

  11. 45 huddle says:

    Jeremy,

    So if somebody calls somebody else a fag or faggott, they are a biggot?

    Dan Savage, a popular sex columnist, throws around the word fag or faggot a lot, and he is 100% gay himself. Is he a bigot? Does he hate gays?

    Heck, I recommend anybody here getting offended by Dana White’s comments to listen to a few of The Savage Love Podcasts. Wait until a homosexual calls up and Dan Savage disagrees with them. If you were offended by Dana White, then you will certainly be offended by Savage. His comments are 10 times more “bigoted” then anything White has said.

    People just love to get their panties into a bunch here in the MMA.

  12. Jey says:

    The thing I find depressing about all this is that people completely miss the point. It’s not about the word faggot, it’s about the un-criticizable nature of the UFC.

    All the artile was was a completely justified analysis of the UFC’s pick and choose policy when it comes to managers. I doubt most people criticizing Loretta have even read the article and if they have read it, they certainly haven’t understood the point of it.

    Anyway, the mong nature of most fans is depressing at the best of times so you just have to sigh and get on with it.

  13. Anders says:

    Stephen Quadros said something that during a Pride broadcast that i think explains this situation extremy well.

    In Japan mma is a not only a blue collar sport, but a white collar, it’s across the board. But in the united states it’s still majority a blue collar sport only.

    Hence, the response from the “fans” online is not surprising.

  14. Rollo the Cat says:

    “In Japan mma is a not only a blue collar sport, but a white collar, it’s across the board. But in the united states it’s still majority a blue collar sport only.”

    If you have the demographic data to support this, lets’s see it. Otherwise it is just thinly veiled bogotry on your part.

    The whole thing is ridiculous. There is an issue here with managers having access to the fighters and the whining of some sensitive little pussies, professional victims, takes us away from what is important. The truth or falsity of Hunt’s article as well as whether it really eevn matters is what is important.

  15. Zach Arnold says:

    The money in terms of advertising revenue and ticket prices in Japan clearly was aimed at blue collar, white collar, and yakuza. Long before UFC was charging $500 a ticket, PRIDE and K-1 were selling for $300 and $1,000 – some certainly yakuza seats, but many business types went to both MMA and pro-wrestling shows.

    Just look at New Japan and All Japan in the 90s and see all the white collar types on TV during the Summer tapings. Virtually entire crowds at buildings like Korakuen where white-collar-and-tie audiences.

  16. Scott R. says:

    This story is why I am fascinated with the journalism/blog aspect of MMA.

    I should preface this by saying I have a degree in journalism. This does not make me an expert by any means, but I studied the subject for four years in college, so I like to think I know what I’m talking about (even though I chose a different career path).

    Dana is obviously in the wrong. His comments were completely unacceptable. However, I think this issue goes deeper than right or wrong as far as the MMA blog community is concerned.

    One of the things that fascinates me about the MMA blog media is how the majority is anti-Dana White. Anybody who covers the UFC with the perceived slightest bit of favortism (Iole, Meltzer, MMA Junkie) is seen as being in the UFC’s backpocket. On the flip side, the Dana supporters (mostly fans) view the anti-Dana stuff being written constantly and see it nothing more as jealous bloggers seizing the opportunity to bash a guy who puts out a product they enjoy.

    I’m not saying the MMA blog media shouldn’t write negative articles about Dana White to appease UFC fans. This story, as well as the Fitch/AKA saga, should be reported. I just believe the MMA blog media does not do itself any favors when they write lengthy “articles” bashing White because he put a boring yet succesful fighter on the undercard of a PPV.

    Anybody can start a blog, which is a blessing and a curse for MMA. We need strong MMA blogs because of how primitive mainstream media coverage is. Unfortunately, for every good MMA blogger there 10 others who post irrational opionion pieces and nothing else. Since all bloggers are grouped together, this hurts everyone’s credibility. In this instance, Dana screwed up and the MMA blog media (including the anti-Dana sect) jumped on him, causing the pro-Dana side to feel the need to defend him like they always do from the “haters”.

  17. robthom says:

    Lorettas article may or may not be accurate. We need more info to come to light to support or discount its legitimacy IMO.
    UFC uncredentialed a bunch of websites a few years ago which was kinda sh!tty, but they did appear to have at least one legit reason for it. And the websites still get their coverage to this day. They just have to buy a ticket now apparently.
    This sounds like a may be a similarly awkward and possibly even unfortunate arrangement, but hopefully similarly adaptable.

    I didn’t have a problem with Lorettas article and I thought Danas reaction was way out of proportion. But now I’m finding the reaction to danas other F-word to be getting way out of proportion also.
    I’m tired of hearing about, lets all us drama queens get over it IMO.

  18. Fluyid says:

    Scott R,

    Many in what you’re referring to as the “blog media” have first-hand experience with a side of Dana White and the UFC that a lot of people simply don’t care to know about or don’t believe really exists. I am definitely not part of any media, blog or otherwise, but I have been around long enough to have seen the UFC people shit on the media on several occassions and in more ways than one.

    I always think back to the press conference I was at where Dana very sincerely stated that Sherdog.com and others like Sherdog were what kept MMA and, specifically, the UFC, going during the darkest times. He specifically pointed out Sherdog.com.

    And where is Sherdog.com now with relation to the UFC, now that the UFC no longer needs them?

    The negative vibes sent Zuffa’s way are all earned.

    That leads us to asking a big, “So what?” Good question. I don’t know. Why do people keep waiting for cosmic justice to kick in and for Dana and co. to get what they deserve?

    Heck if I know. I do know that I sort of have the same wish that some type of justice prevails for how shitty they have treated people.

  19. 45 Huddle says:

    “I always think back to the press conference I was at where Dana very sincerely stated that Sherdog.com and others like Sherdog were what kept MMA and, specifically, the UFC, going during the darkest times. He specifically pointed out Sherdog.com.

    And where is Sherdog.com now with relation to the UFC, now that the UFC no longer needs them?”

    And this is basically the overall theme. The hardcore fans and “journalists”… The one’s who have been there since the beginning…. Somehow feel like they should still be included as the sport blew up.

    It’s kind of a “We helped keep you alive, now pay us back.” type of attitude. But Zuffa has not done that. It has not paid the fans back. And I think they are justified. They tried to please these fans from UFC 30 to UFC 50, and they lost their shirts. ANd even then, no matter what they did, those fans crapped on Zuffa and praised everything Pride did.

    I’ve been here since nearly the beginning. And I don’t think Zuffa owes me anything. A lot of other people like me don’t share this same thinking.

    And honestly, if I was Zuffa, I wouldn’t care about the bloggers and MMA websites either. Most have shown to be pretty bad when it comes to reporting.

    I have said this before, and I will say it again. It takes a special kind of stupid to put so much time and energy into something you just complain about all the time.

    It’s sad when somebody like me, who enjoys the biggest organization in the world, is constantly bashed for telling people I enjoy their product.

  20. robthom says:

    “And where is Sherdog.com now with relation to the UFC, now that the UFC no longer needs them?
    The negative vibes sent Zuffa’s way are all earned.”

    I cant remember exactly how it happened, but I seem to recall that all the websites got banned for a short period because of the finals leak. Sherdog then made the situation worse by writing a series of scathing articles and calling for mmamedia blackouts and boycotts or something like that where other sites like insidefighting played it cool and MMAweekly was on the fence.

    And sherdog did seem to carry a anti-ufc slant in their articles for about a year afterwards. But that was when there was still pride to hang their hat on. Post pride they suddenly went neutral again.

    So theres probably still lingering bad feelings on both sides between those guys, but its a chicken and egg thing. Neither are more or less to blame IMO.

  21. 45 Huddle says:

    One last thing…. Take for example a website like Bloody Elbow. In the last two days, they have multiple posts bashing or finding fault with the UFC.

    Yet an important news item like UFC Fight Night and TUF 9 Premiere getting good ratings isn’t even discussed.

    Are you kidding me? And they complain about not getting credentials for UFC live events?

    TUF 9 did the best it has done since Season 4. That is big news. Yet nothing.

    And where is Sherdog.com with this news? They recently had an article talking about how much the TUF Series stinks. And yet they can’t counter that and talk about the ratings being up?

    This is just an example, but it showcases how one sided these websites are. I don’t blame Zuffa for not wanting to have them included. All they would do is give one sided bashings anyways.

  22. 45 Huddle says:

    FOR ALL THE HATERS

    Ken Pavia was named in the Sherdog article, and it said:

    “Ken Pavia is one agent recently denied access by the UFC. He spoke on the record in the article about why managers should be allowed backstage and why they should not have to apply as cornermen to be there.”

    Ken Pavia made this comment on The Underground

    “More accuartely I was not given a managers pass. I was given tickets to the event by the UFC for the event where the polcy was changed. In subsequent events I have either been given corner passes or fighter tickets.

    I was not denied acces to the event. Those are the accurate facts and I havent seen them distorted by anyone other then posters on the UG.”

    So much for the UFC banning these guys from the back.

  23. Grape Knee High says:

    “In Japan mma is a not only a blue collar sport, but a white collar, it’s across the board. But in the united states it’s still majority a blue collar sport only.”

    If you have the demographic data to support this, lets’s see it. Otherwise it is just thinly veiled bogotry on your part.

    Or maybe thinly veiled denial on yours. Do you really need statistics to know that MMA in the US does not have a high brow audience?

  24. Big Bill Bob says:

    It was obviously Ken Pavia all along. That sniveling twerp wants his hand in every cookie jar possible, hence why you hear alot of his fighters come out and openly bash him.

    Claiming to be an established sports agent from stick and ball sports only to have zero background information about past clientel represented. And then to claim beign bored with it and retiring, to come to MMA for something he enjoys. More like nobody wanted his slick greasy self representing them and was forced to work in a new sport with few real agency companies participating.

    Guess i’m beign moderated. So much for freedom of speech ala Dana White.

  25. 45 Huddle says:

    Many guys who train BJJ are white collar. And many of them are MMA fans.

  26. Todd Martin says:

    I hate this story. I don’t want to join in with the many people who have an ax to grind against Dana and UFC (not including you in this Zach) nor do I have any interest in defending what was clearly wrong behavior on Dana’s part. Things are too polarized.

    “In Japan mma is a not only a blue collar sport, but a white collar, it’s across the board. But in the united states it’s still majority a blue collar sport only. Hence, the response from the “fans” online is not surprising.”

    “Do you really need statistics to know that MMA in the US does not have a high brow audience?”

    Like the statistics for what people pay to attend UFC live events? Awful lot of money for a bunch of rednecks.

    My feeling, based on both attending scores of MMA events and being day to day in white collar environments and discussing MMA is that the UFC audience at the very least has a substantial young white collar audience. I think the people who say otherwise are projecting their own beliefs as far as what a white collar audience is “supposed to act like” with a heavy influence from watching Pride shows. Japanese white collar folks and American white collar folks have some cultural differences.

    “‘More accuartely I was not given a managers pass. I was given tickets to the event by the UFC for the event where the polcy was changed. In subsequent events I have either been given corner passes or fighter tickets. I was not denied acces to the event. Those are the accurate facts and I havent seen them distorted by anyone other then posters on the UG.’ So much for the UFC banning these guys from the back.”

    This is such horrendous logic and reading comprehension. Pavia said he got fighter tickets and that he wasn’t denied access to the *event*. But the story was about him being denied access *from the back*. Which he was. Is this so hard to grasp?

  27. Chuck says:

    “Many guys who train BJJ are white collar. And many of them are MMA fans.”

    That’s because BJJ schools are traditionally expensive as hell. The Gracies are covetous people. Just take a look at the price of Rickson Gracie seminars and try not to have your eyes bulge out of your head.

    “Like the statistics for what people pay to attend UFC live events? Awful lot of money for a bunch of rednecks.”

    I think those Jeff Foxworthy and Larry The Cable Guy stand-up specials ruined your perspective of what the term “blue collar” means. It doesn’t mean redneck, it means labor jobs. This also goes for firemen, cops, etc. And it doesn’t necessarily mean white-collar guys make more than blue-collar guys. On average they do, but not always. My dad has a blue collar job (corrections officer at a county jail) and he makes more than mane white-collar people. Hell, my dad used to be a white collar worker (salesperson at ADT Security Systems) and I believe he makes more now than when he was at ADT.

  28. Fluyid says:

    “Somehow feel like they should still be included as the sport blew up.”

    I think that there is definitely some of that working.

  29. Ivan Trembow says:

    “I cant remember exactly how it happened, but I seem to recall that all the websites got banned for a short period because of the finals leak.”

    That is how the UFC likes to tell the story, but the TUF 4 finals leak was in 2006. The banning of the MMA media except for obedient sites was a year earlier in 2005.

    Also, to 45 Huddle and anyone else still clinging to the idea that Loretta Hunt’s story had no merit:

    1. That still wouldn’t justify Dana White’s rant against Loretta Hunt.

    2. Even the UFC’s own editorial content partner Dave Meltzer has reported that Hunt’s story was accurate (ie, some managers HAVE indeed been banned from backstage).

  30. Chris says:

    “One last thing…. Take for example a website like Bloody Elbow. In the last two days, they have multiple posts bashing or finding fault with the UFC.

    Yet an important news item like UFC Fight Night and TUF 9 Premiere getting good ratings isn’t even discussed.

    Are you kidding me? And they complain about not getting credentials for UFC live events?”

    Tell me about it. No mention of the new UK television deal UFC has just signed on any of the major sites. UFC put out the press release on the 25th of March.

  31. Fluyid says:

    “That still wouldn’t justify Dana White’s rant against Loretta Hunt.”

    Dana deserves, literally, to have his foul mouth washed out with soap.

    How embarrassing that a guy who is approaching 40 (is he already 40?) and has a wife and kids should act like he did in that video.

  32. 45 Huddle says:

    Todd Martin,

    You said: “This is such horrendous logic and reading comprehension. Pavia said he got fighter tickets and that he wasn’t denied access to the *event*. But the story was about him being denied access *from the back*. Which he was. Is this so hard to grasp?”

    Her entire article was based on the premise that the UFC is trying to wedge themselves between the fighters and their agents.

    Then in the article, she quotes Monte Cox saying it isn’t a big deal. And then Ken Pavia comes out and says he is getting tickets to events and has still had cornerman access.

    Don’t you think if that is the truth, that those facts greatly skew and undermine Loretta Hunt’s premise? It really does. The way her article was written was basically to bash the UFC and to make it seem like they are trying anything to keep fighters away from their agents. Yet come to find out, those same guys are still getting access to the events.

    That’s not poor comprehension on my part. That is Loretta Hunt writing a crappy article.

    You tell me, if she put ALL of the facts into her article, including what Pavia said on the UG…. That she would have gotten even a quarter of the attention she has gotten so far? She wouldn’t have. Because she wrote a one sided garbage article.

  33. brent says:

    45 HUDDLE. i am in agreement for the most part on your stance on this whole issue, except that i did feel dana owed an apology to the gay commmunity, but not so much to ms.hunt, just my opinion. your post at #22 that ken pavia(does any promoter like him?) was not denied access to the event is probably accurate, but that doesn’t prove that he was or wasn’t denied access to the back. that’s what i would like to know. believe me i am not a hater.

  34. 45 Huddle says:

    Well, with the ongoing thread on the UG, he answered like 5 posts but completely ignored CindyO’s which had a direct quote from Dana White. She flat out called him out, and he has completely ignored it.

    That could change, but if he doesn’t answer her and continues to ignore her, then I would say he is full of it about being banned backstage.

  35. Zack says:

    In my opinion, the funniest thing about this whole incident is that everyone is treating this as a “heat of the moment” tirade. This wasn’t like some reporter put a mic in Dana’s face and he said something off the cuff that he regrets. This was a pre-planned blog that was staged. Even after he said all that shit he could’ve edited it out, or not kept that scene. It was well thought out and he wouldn’t be apologizing if not for the backlash.

    The apology was terrible with him smirking the whole time.

    As far as my opinion on the whole thing? Ehhhh, I don’t really care. I just think its hilarious to go through all the effort of shooting, editing, then uploading a video blog, then pretending like it was all some heat of the moment shit. The wanna-be bully tuffguy act is so old.

  36. Todd Martin says:

    45 Hustle, I wasn’t looking to get into the merits of Loretta’s article. If I were, I would have commented more broadly. I was just struck by your post where you took a quote from Pavia that said he was given tickets to the event and concluded “So much for the UFC banning these guys from the back.” Which was just a ridiculous conclusion. If you want to argue that the premise that UFC is trying to divide agents and fighters is bad, fine. That seems to me a perfectly respectable position. But that doesn’t mean that UFC isn’t preventing agents from backstage access, for whatever reason.

  37. Zack says:

    45 Huddle: “I’ve been here since nearly the beginning.”

    LOL yea right. You’re probably one of those kids who claims he watched UFC 3 live when he was 6 years old. If you’re so old school, why do you act like a child on here all the time?

  38. Ivan Trembow says:

    lol at 45 Huddle’s troll-job: Yes, you are right and Loretta Hunt, Dave Meltzer, and Sam Caplan are wrong in what they have reported.

    And you continue to ignore the fact that even if Hunt’s article HAD been completely wrong (which it wasn’t), that still wouldn’t come close to justifying all of the things that he called her.

  39. Dude says:

    Ivan is 100% correct on the media ban. I believe that the first UFC that FCF/MMAWeekly/Sherdog weren’t credentialed for was UFC 55 which would put the timeline somewhere around TUF 2. They were banned for almost a year before Gross leaked the spoilers.

    Two side notes: The other bigger website at the time, Inside Fighting, was not banned. Looking at their current rankings shows you that they’re still shills even though Michael DiSanto appears to be no longer in the picture.

    Also, MMA Weekly is credentialed again.

  40. 45 Huddle says:

    Zack,

    What was your first live UFC?

    Ivan,

    You have called me a troll multiple times over the last few days. Enough is enough. Keep it content oriented.

    Also, I am pointing out that she has really named two sources at this point.

    1. Monte Cox – Who said it wasn’t a big deal whether he was backstage or not.

    2. Ken Pavia – Who has shown that she didn’t report all the facts in a balanced article. Nor is he commenting now on whether he is banned from backstage. He is basically backpeddling.

    So far she is 0 for 2.

    Go read my comments from a few days ago. One of my first comments was that this was a one sided hit piece. That statement continues to be true. Pavia is proof of this.

  41. 45 Huddle says:

    Ivan,

    As for what Sam Caplan has reported:

    “But the big reason why I elected not to cover it was because I didn’t think it was overly newsworthy. The fact that White’s reaction has vastly overshadowed the content of Sherdog’s story is something that I feel supports my claim. Managers and agents aren’t being banned from the backstage area. Instead, they are simply no longer being issued backstage passes. A manager or agent can still get backstage if they are issued a general corner pass.”

    Once again, Hunt’s article is written on the premise that the UFC is trying to put a wedge between the fighter and the athlete. This has been proven false.

    Listen…. If she wrote the article, but also included the fact that agents are getting tickets, still allowed backstage based on the fighters preferences…. THEN I WOULD SAY IT WAS A FAIR AND BALANCED ARTICLE!!

    So far we have Pavia back peddling. Monte Cox saying it isn’t a big deal. And even Sam Caplan saying it’s not a big deal…. What does that tell you?

    Not to mention the tone of the article. Trust me, I know something about tone. My posts typically have a negative tone. I know when somebody is trying to bash. Her article had a tone of bashing. It wasn’t fair and balanced. She cherry picked what she wanted to include in it.

    She’s a grown woman. She wrote a hit piece on the UFC. If she can’t handle some crude language…. Then she is in the wrong sport. It honestly didn’t offend me. The casual fans I have shown it to thought it was funny and great to see a president of the UFC go off like that. And not one person mentioned the faggot comment. Only the hardcores who get their panties in the bunch.

  42. Anders says:

    “If she can’t handle some crude language…. Then she is in the wrong sport. It honestly didn’t offend me. The casual fans I have shown it to thought it was funny and great to see a president of the UFC go off like that. And not one person mentioned the faggot comment.”

    Point proven, thanks Quadros.

  43. David says:

    Dana is both an idiot and an extremely shrewd business man.

  44. Ivan Trembow says:

    45 Huddle, I am starting to think that you are actually a brilliant satirist. You ignore that even the UFC’s own editorial content partner, Dave Meltzer, has reported that some managers were banned from backstage, and then you really hit us with the zingers:

    “Not to mention the tone of the article. Trust me, I know something about tone.”

    lol

    “The casual fans I have shown it to thought it was funny and great to see a president of the UFC go off like that.”

    lol

    “If she can’t handle some crude language… Then she is in the wrong sport.”

    lol

  45. Scott R. says:

    I want to thank Ivan and 45 Huddle for validating my previous post.

    Ivan is a very talented writer. I have enjoyed his blog postings in the past, but it is pretty obvious he doesn’t care for the UFC or Dana White. I am sure he has his reasons, but it affects his credibility. Ivan has a great perspective on this latest situation, but it will fall on a lot deaf ears because of all his previous anti-UFC postings. It’s unfortunate.

    On the other hand, 45 Huddle is defending UFC like he and other UFC fans always do. I have found 45 Huddle to be the voice of reason on many anti-UFC issues in the past, but he is grasping at straws here. It will hurt his credibility on future issues where he needs to be a voice of reason.

  46. Zack says:

    First UFC that I watched live on PPV: UU96. First that I attended live: 49. I’m 29 years old.

  47. 45 Huddle says:

    Ivan,

    Why even post if you are just going to lol and throw insults? I don’t even care if you disagree with me. But either have substance or just stop with the childish insults.

    UFC 30 was my first live UFC. There was only 2 events in the Northeast before this time period. UFC 7, and I was too young at the time. And UFC 28, and I wasn’t able to go.

    It’s funny how I defend Zuffa more then not, and it’s automatically assumed that I am a newer fan.

  48. Black Dog says:

    Dana White can say and think whatever he wants, but in his position, you don’t say shit like that into a video camera where the whole world’s gonna hear it.

    It was stupid and unprofessional; White should have thought about what he wanted to say, and if he wanted to call out Loretta Hunt, then fine. But not like that.

    White and UFC have tried hard over the years to make MMA more accessible to the public, but this outburst makes him (and everyone involved in UFC) look like a bunch of Cro-Mags.

    I don’t know if Hunt and the others White slagged have accepted his apology; if so, then we can move on. Hopefully White will shut up and continue to do his real job.

  49. Grape Knee High says:

    Dana White was wrong, plain and simple, for being a douche-on-wheels. He’s quickly becoming caricature of the boorish, uneducated, loudmouthed American. Do I care, though, deep down? Honestly? Not really.

    Two words as far as why fighters tolerate (and even admire) him: Stockholm Syndrome.

    Re: Blue-collar fans, I get it, everyone here considers themselves white-collar and are offended when anyone might say that the sport is mostly blue-collar. Get over it. A lot of white-collar folk watch NASCAR, too, but that doesn’t change the reality it mostly attracts a blue-collar audience.

  50. Chuck says:

    UU96 and UFC30? PFFFTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!! The both of you are n00bs!!! UFC 5 here! And yes it was live on PPV! I was never at a live UFC show.

    But seriously, Dana White was being completely unprofessional here. Other than in pro wrestling (Vince McMahon specifically) what other profession can the president of a company act like that and get away with it? I am having flashbacks of a commercial for the VGAs of a few years ago with Samuel L. Jackson and Dana White, and he was cursing like a dickwad. Does he really have a fan base per say?

Comments

*
To prove you're a person (not a spam script), type the security word shown in the picture.
Anti-spam image