Dana White News
Chael Sonnen: 'Ben Askren is going to become Dana White's favorite fighter'
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2018
UFC President Dana White has not been shy about his disdain for former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren in the past. Yet Chael Sonnen believes the UFC President will come to love the American wrestler, who has finally joined the UFC roster. In fact, he thinks Askren is likely to become White’s favorite fighter.
Oscar De La Hoya scolds Dana White for telling fighters when to retire
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2018
Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz’s trilogy fight is just around the corner. The fight, which is being promoted by Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions, goes down this Saturday, November 24. As this trilogy fight between the two MMA legends looms on the horizon, many members of the MMA community are quite excited. Others, however, would prefer to see Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz sticking to their retirement plans.
Dana White wants Daniel Cormier to delay retirement plans for three more fights
Tom Taylor - November 19, 2018
Daniel Cormier, who currently owns the UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight titles, has been planning to retire in March of 2019 for some time. UFC President Dana White, however, isn’t sure that’s the way things will shake out.
Dana White responds after Floyd Mayweather requests to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov
Chris Taylor - November 17, 2018
Undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather (50-0 Boxing) is interested in setting up a super-fight with current UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (27-0 MMA). Of course, Floyd Mayweather is requesting that this potential contest take place inside the ring under official boxing rules.
Dana White evades questions about future of UFC flyweight division
Tom Taylor - November 11, 2018
Ever since long-time UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson was sent to ONE Championship, there’s been questions about the future of the division he ruled for so log. Not long after his departure, FloCombat reported that the closure of the division was imminent, and when the UFC released several notable flyweight fighters such as Justin Scoggins, Jose Torres, Jared Brooks and Roberto Sanchez, some of whom claimed to have heard the division was being scrapped, the wheels seemed to be in motion.
Dana White reacts to Yair Rodriguez's KO of Chan Sung Jung
Tom Taylor - November 11, 2018
There was a time, not all that long ago, when UFC President Dana White was moving to cut Mexican featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez from the promotion’s roster. Now, he’s crediting Rodriguez with the “craziest knockout ever.” The knockout in question occurred on Saturday night, in the main event of the UFC’s 25th anniversary show in Denver, when Yair Rodriguez stepped into the cage with fan favorite Korean star Chan Sung Jung — better known as The Korean Zombie.
Dana White promises he won't try to convince Daniel Cormier to delay his retirement
Tom Taylor - November 6, 2018
Daniel Cormier, who currently owns the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight (we think?) belts, is planning to retire from MMA when he turns 40 in March of 2019. That being said, there is plenty that the former Olympian and Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner hopes to accomplish between now and then, from a heavyweight title super fight with Brock Lesnar, to a possible trilogy fight with his arch rival Jon Jones, and even a potential rematch with Stipe Miocic, who he defeated to win the title back in July. Given the length of Daniel Cormier’s to-do list, some fans have worried that he might be encouraged to delay his longstanding retirement plans. While this is certainly possible, UFC President Dana White assures he won’t be the one pressing Cormier to keep fighting.
Dana White responds to Khabib Nurmagomedov manager demanding $50 million for next fight
Tom Taylor - November 6, 2018
Riding high on a fourth-round submission defeat of Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov has never been more popular. In fact, he’s become so popular that his manager Ali Abdelaziz now feels that he’s deserving of a $50-$100 million payday in his next fight. “Ben Askren, [UFC welterweight champion Tyron] Woodley, none of these guys can touch Khabib,” Abdelaziz said in a recent interview with TMZ Sports. “Especially if they’re scared to get tired and these guys, they get tired. Now, I’m not even worried about Tyron or Ben Askren, I’m worrying about somebody bringing $50 million to $100 million to the table and none of these guys can bring $200,000 to the table.”
Dana White assures he doesn't hate Ben Askren: 'This was my idea'
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2018
Given how long it took for Ben Askren, inarguably one of the best welterweights in the world, to sign with the UFC, you would not be faulted for thinking that the promotion’s brass were not fans of his. In fact, given the way UFC President Dana White has previously spoken about Askren, it’d be understandable if you thought he hated the welterweight star outright. Speaking at the post-fight press conference for UFC 230, which Ben Askren attended, Dana White assured this is not the case. In fact, Dana White says he came up with the deal that ultimately brought Askren to the UFC in exchange for Demetrious Johnson.
Dana White praises Israel Adesanya after TKO of Derek Brunson: 'He's the whole package'
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2018
Last night, in the opening bout of the UFC 230 main card, red-hot UFC middleweight contender Israel Adesanya picked up the biggest win of his career, dissecting long-time contender Derek Brunson with some of the finest striking we’ve ever seen in the Octagon. With this win, just about everybody jumped aboard the Israel Adesanya hype train — and that includes UFC President Dana White. The boss showered the Nigerian New Zealander with praise shortly after the card wrapped up.
Dana White on Jon Jones: 'we wanted him to be on this New York card'
Cole Shelton - November 1, 2018
Jon Jones will be back fighting in the UFC in 2018. However, he is not returning to action on the card Dana White was hoping for. When Jones was cleared to fight again many suspected he would headline the UFC 230 card at Madison Square Garden this weekend — something that obviously didn’t come to fruition. Headlining the card instead will be Jon Jones’ arch-nemesis Daniel Cormier, who is looking to defend his heavyweight belt against Derrick Lewis.
Dana White: Jon Jones is 'the greatest talent we have ever seen' in the UFC
Cole Shelton - November 1, 2018
Jon Jones is, no question about it, one of the greatest fighters of all time. If he defeats Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 this December 29, that will be even harder to deny. At least that’s what UFC President Dana White thinks. “That’s the question. And that is a great question. If he can come back and win the title after everything he has been through, it would be tough to deny he would be the greatest ever,” said Dana White speaking to ESPN. “We can talk about how Jon Jones could have been the greatest, and if he comes back and does this it is hard to deny.”
Notorious crime boss Whitey Bulger, who apparently ran Dana White out of Boston, dies in prison
Christopher Taylor - October 31, 2018
Infamous Boston crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger, who allegedly ran UFC President Dana White out of town in 1995, was found dead in a federal prison on Tuesday. NBC News was first to report Bulger’s passing, he was 89.
Dana White to Floyd Mayweather: 'You want to fight, come fight'
Tom Taylor - October 30, 2018
Ever since Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor by submission in the UFC 229 main event, he’s been linked to a potential boxing match with undefeated legend of pugilism Floyd Mayweather Jr. Nurmagomedov initiated this talk by calling Mayweather out, but Mayweather quickly dumped gas on the fire, assuring that the boxing match will actually happen.
Dana White's parting thoughts on Demetrious Johnson: He 'never really got the love and respect he deserved from the fans'
Thomas Taylor - October 29, 2018
Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, who shattered the record for most consecutive title defenses by a UFC champion with 11-straight victories, is headed to Singapore-based Asian MMA powerhouse ONE Championship. The widespread feeling is that the former champ will fit in well in his new home and be well-received by fight fans in Asia. This is good news, considering the fact that Johnson never quite caught on with UFC fans. Although he was one of the sport’s most dominant champions, and the dynamo behind some of the most incredible performances in recent memory, he was never quite what you’d call a needle-mover for the promotion.
Dana White updates on boxing venture: 'we will absolutely, positively be in the boxing business'
Tom Taylor - October 26, 2018
UFC President Dana White has previously hinted that he hopes to get into the boxing business. That being said, we’ve yet to see the UFC boss make any meaningful progress on this longstanding mission. Speaking to ESPN this week, White updated on these ‘Zuffa Boxing’ plans. Apparently, the wheels are still in motion.
Dana White says he was "the only one" who was upset about UFC 229 brawl
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2018
Shortly after undefeated UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov submitted Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 229 earlier this month, he careened over the side of the Octagon and attacked McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis. Seconds later, McGregor was getting into it with several of Nurmagomedov’s training partners inside the cage. It was a truly chaotic end to an otherwise hugely successful night for the UFC. In the wake of this post-UFC 229 brawl, dozens of members of the MMA community spoke up to share their distaste for the chaotic scene. Yet UFC President Dana White feels he was the only one that as truly bothered by it.
Dana White wants Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson next, dismisses talk of Mayweather, McGregor fights
Tom Taylor - October 19, 2018
Ever since UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 229 earlier this month, there’s been talk of a potential rematch between the two stars. That being said, UFC President Dana White claims this is not the current plan. “I haven’t even thought about a [McGregor] rematch,” White told ESPN. “Obviously, I know Conor wants a rematch. We need to do what’s right and what’s fair. We’ll see how it plays out. We literally haven’t thought about it yet.”