Throughout his media look for UFC Vegas 67 on Wednesday, Dana White basically admitted that there received’t be repercussions for his New 12 months’s eve altercation along with his spouse. The UFC president was caught on digicam slapping his spouse whereas they had been on a household trip in Cabo.
“What ought to the repercussions be? I take 30 days off? How does that damage me?
“Me leaving hurts the corporate. Hurts my workers. Hurts the fighters. Doesn’t damage me. I might’ve left in 2016. Do I have to replicate? No, I don’t have to replicate.
“And what’s my punishment? Right here’s my punishment: I gotta stroll round for nevertheless lengthy I dwell — is it 10.4 years or one other 25 years — and that is how I’m labeled now.”
The seeming inaction from the corporate’s brass in addition to the dearth of protection from the UFC media companions is already elevating eyebrows. And for commentator Jimmy Smith, who’s been a part of the game earlier than its years of mainstream reputation, MMA can simply be again to these darkish ages with the dearth of accountability for white.
“It will damage him to not be answerable for the UFC. For any size of time, that might trouble him. Would it not trouble him financially? No, however it will trouble him.”@jimmysmithmma discusses the one obtrusive concern from Dana White addressing the press at this time at #UFCVegas67 media day pic.twitter.com/X0bkaolTf3
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) January 12, 2023
“I don’t like something that makes us appear like that sport of animals, and all of the negativity, and all of the criticism, and all of the stereotypes that I handled 20 years in the past, 25 years in the past, stepping into this sport. I don’t wish to see us return there, and it may possibly occur,” Smith mentioned on Sirius XM.
“It will probably occur when mainstream sponsors, and mainstream companies, and mainstream retailers, no matter, go, ‘Eh, I don’t know if I wish to be concerned on this, as a result of they’ve a home violence scandal each week for which they do nothing.’
“There’s no accountability. None for Jon Jones, none for Dana White.
“It will probably drag us again. And also you’ve bought to be slightly bit older to recollect these days, however they did occur. And so they can come again once more. So a scarcity of accountability for Dana White impacts all people in MMA. As a result of it says, our sport doesn’t deserve any higher.
“After all, there are not any penalties. They’re a bunch of animals who struggle in a cage.”
As for White’s feedback about how his absence “hurts” everybody round him, Smith had this to say.
“It will damage him to not be answerable for the UFC. For any size of time, that might trouble him. Would it not trouble him financially? No. However it will trouble him.”
