5 Crazy Rants From UFC's Dana White
The UFC boss is prone to losing his marbles sometimes...
Ever since Dana White and the Fertitta's bought the UFC back in 2001 they have changed the MMA industry completely. When they bought the company it was struggling both financially and struggling to break through into the mainstream. However, with Dana at the helm the company managed to make it through "the dark ages". The UFC is now one of the biggest sports organisations in the world, a multi-billion dollar company.
Despite being the head of a major sports organisation, Dana is different. He is no corporate figure head like you may see in other sports. He is not afraid of expressing his opinions and feelings towards others even if it may not be what's best for business. It must take a ruthless and sometimes crazy person like White to lead a company who deals with men and women who like to punch others in the face for a living.
We often get a glimpse of White's crazy side when he does interviews. In fact, he has become quite infamous for having a bit of a temper...
5. Ariel Helwani Breaks The News Too Early
Ariel Helwani is well known to a lot of MMA fans. He is probably the industry’s leading journalist and insider. Over the years he has broke some huge news in the world of MMA, though he and Dana White have always shared a rocky relationship.
In 2016, Helwani crossed the line according to Dana. He had used his inside sources to reveal that Brock Lesnar would be returning at UFC 200. This was a big deal as the UFC had been working with people (including the WWE) to keep it a secret. This even led to Helwani and two colleagues being escorted out of UFC 199.
Following this the UFC’s boss man would go on a massive rant and ban Ariel Helwani from future events. He condemned the journalist for crying on air and called him a “weasel”. He even claimed he wasn’t a real journalist.
Although Helwani would eventually get his media credentials back after the UFC lifted the ban, he and White still have a strained relationship. Dana now seemingly prefers going to Brett Okamoto when he wants to break news.