UFC president's homophobic, sexist rant at reporter

As an MMA fan and friend to a few guys who fight professionally, I wasn't surprised or outraged by Dana White's rant on his video blog. That's Dana White. He drops F-bombs like they're going out of style. I'm pretty sure he can't go a single sentence longer than three words without the fourth being an F-bomb of some sort.

He's obviously a solid businessman and promoter, because UFC and MMA are getting national play these days and playing to huge audiences. I don't know if that's all his doing or society becoming more and more bloodthirsty. Probably both.

I don't know Loretta Hunt, but I do know the site for which she does most of her work and they've long had a feud with Dana White and the UFC. I don't think the website has an axe to grind, but I do think some of their reporters (past, present and future) have a hard time removing themselves from the story.

I also understand MMA (read: cage fighting) already has a negative aura about it and I can understand that. Just like some people think football is brutally violent and unnecessary. And Dana's rant certainly doesn't help shed a positive light on MMA. But Dana really doesn't give a $%@, sadly. He's just looking to make money, and he knows controversy = viewers.

 

If you read the thread, you'll notice there are several knowledgeable MMA posters here too.

And could you provide the link to your MMA forum so we could go LOL at the ignorance of people there?

 

I understand the idea that he believes controversy means viewers, but I'm not sure it applies.

I'm honestly getting the feeling the initial buzz of MMA generated by the stories serious news did on it when it first began has worn off. I get the feeling that while MMA has grown, and done well in the case of the UFC and the WEC, it may have hit its peak.

If White is to make more money, doesn't he need more than just the people he has now watching his PPV's? And if so, how is turning off potential viewers, and maybe even alienating those who held a casual interest, with stuff like this going to facilitate that?

It's starting to feel a bit like the poker boom to me.

 

I'm sure there's some quality entertainment there.

 

I just want to clear up for everyone here that I am, in fact, not Loretta Hunt. </old crossthread>.

Also, there's no doubt that UFC is a popular brand, and I believe MMA as a whole is a sport, but this guy isn't doing it any favors. I see this and I immediately brush UFC off as childish and not worth my money.

But, I'd also feel the same way is Roger Goodell held a press conference where he called Pacman Jones "A f***ing idiot who f***ed up his f***ing chance at getting back into the f***ing NF-f***ing-L."

 

Sure.. I wasn't directing my post at them. It's just that hack journalism has gotten to be a good laugh for any long time MMA fan. People say the same stuff everywhere, it's nothing new.. just a shame that supposed journalists are just as ignorant as everyday joe with the things they say sports relevant, haha.

I couldn't possibly care less what anyone's personal opinion of MMA is.. it's a growing combat sport, you like it or you don't. It's kinda weird that some "journalists" choose to remain so ignorant about a topic though.

 

You really think MMA is still growing, Sobral?

It's overtaken boxing, but where else is there for it to go from here? I honestly think in a few years the Liddell/Slice ESPN covers will be seen as when MMA hit its peak.

 

And, really, MMA on the local level — and the vast majority of journalists here are local reporters who don't fly to Vegas for UFC 235 — is just a notch above a Toughman contest or the local dirt track when it comes to quality of product.

That's why so many people don't know anything about it. There's no local interest. There's only interest in what is happening nationally.

 

I, for one, am heartbroken.

 

I saw all the Chuck Liddell I needed to here:

Gary Cogill was a trooper in this.

 

I've covered a couple of local shows that have drawn well, about 800 or so fans. I enjoyed it, but while I'm very familiar with wrestling and boxing, it was obvious after the first few fights that I really know very little about MMA.

 

Yeah, I think it will continue to grow. Maybe not like it has been, but it will grow. It's been gaining fans even since the days it wasn't allowed to be on PPV and blacklisted in most states. In Japan, PrideFC was putting 80,000+ people in stadiums and their stars like Kazushi Sakuraba is a household name and you see his face everywhere from video games to the frozen foods in the grocery store.

It's growth does seem fad-like with the reality show on SpikeTV when it comes to American MMA. In all honesty, that show is truly embarrassing. It's a poor representation of the best fighters in this sport who are true athletes, respectful and intelligent people. I haven't even watched it since season 1. Why would they even allow alcohol in a house full of athletes? Simply for ratings.

I frequent a couple big MMA forums and Dana White catches hell for letting trash like Junie Browning stay around despite their horrible behavior. He's not any good, never will be, and is a world-class douchebag but he was a ratings boost on SpikeTV therefore he will continue to be put on cards. That sucks..

However, with this garbage reality show the UFC has now been able to provide a platform where the best fighters in the world can be paid like they deserve.

There were times when Tito Ortiz fought in the UFC for free and now he negotiates $300,000+ contracts. Andrei Arlovski got over $1million to fight Fedor in Affliction.

No matter how much Dana wants the public to believe he is the face of MMA, he isn't. He's been getting shit from the fans since day 1 of blown up MMA exposure on how he acts. If you catch him back in the day, he used to actually wear suits and conduct himself normally. He's just an ex-manager, ex-boxercise instructor who got ran out of Boston over a $5,000 debt and fortunate enough to have some good friends called the Fertittas who are connected with the NSAC. After the Fertittas got control of the UFC, their good buddy Dana was put into the President slot, UFC ban was appealed by the NSAC and with a few rule changes they were back on PPV.

My only bone to pick when I registered here are the people who are under the impression Dana White is our lord and savior when it couldn't be farther from the truth. He's just a guy who got a TV deal...he was actually against the reality show format that got the UFC popular, but it's the only thing SpikeTV would agree to. Only a few of us like the reality show and even less of like how he acts...but we do appreciate the fact they helped put free MMA on television and the people who truly deserve to be in the UFC can now make good money.

For every Junie Browning and Chris Leben that acts like a goon and gets his faced kicked in.. there will be an athletic fighter with true talent and skills who operate at a very technical level with what they do in guys like Georges St Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko, Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Antonio Nogueria, and many more.

It's still a young sport, it has to get its exposure somehow and as long as the money stays in it, true talent will always make its way here.

It will be a lucrative and safer option for olympic wrestlers opposed to something like WWE where great wrestlers like Kurt Angle decided to go for the money.

If someone personally doesn't like it, that's fine.. I don't care. I just like for people to report true things.

American MMA hit its peak with guys like Liddell, Slice, etc.. but the highest point of MMA at this point for me(I've been a fan for almost a decade now) is between 2001-2005 in Japan with the amazing rating battles between 3 big MMA promotions called PrideFC, K-1, and Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye. These events put on some of the best and most anticipated fights in MMA history with fights like: Fedor E. vs. Mirko CroCop, Fedor E. vs. Nogueira, Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Wanderlei Silva

Those are the golden days of MMA for me.. not the UFC's rise to fame.