John McCarthy and Ariel Helwani get in heated debate on Twitter

Bellator broadcaster and former referee John McCarthy recently had a heated exchange with ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani on social media.

McCarthy and Helwani are both considered to be well-known figures within the world of mixed martial arts and have been for years now, and as such, many fans hold a lot of value in their opinions.

As you can expect, though, a difference of opinion is a pretty common thing in a sport as fresh as this one. With that in mind, both men haven’t held back when discussing the former regulations of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Sitting here watching the 30 for 30 on Tito and Chuck and can’t believe that someone as knowledgeable as @arielhelwani still perpetuates the lie that the UFC was unregulated and “Running from Regulation” when Zuffa bought the UFC. Stop and learn the truth

— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) October 16, 2019

You said that when Zuffa took over they did the opposite of the previous owners and ran towards regulation. That is simply not true. The UFC was running towards regulation to survive years before Zuffa came around. Your telling a story you heard instead of knowing the facts

— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) October 16, 2019

How did that work out? How many states were regulating the sport when it was purchased? One of the smartest things they ever did was hire Marc Ratner. He opened many doors regulation-wise and helped legitimize the sport.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 16, 2019

First, a snippet of a long interview. Second, that clip is about the new regime and what they did. Not dismissing previous regime but no denying that the hiring of the likes of Ratner changed the fortunes of the company. Y’all can nitpick all you want. Stand by what I said.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 16, 2019

When it comes to making enemies in MMA, Helwani certainly hasn’t been afraid to cause a stir ever since he entered the media game. Promoters, fighters and general combat sports personalities have had rifts with the former MMA Hour & MMA Beat host in the past, and it doesn’t appear as if that trend will subside now that he’s with ESPN.

McCarthy, on the other hand, seems to be trying to carve out a brand new career for himself – and things seem to be going pretty well. However, the former high-level referee has never been one to shy away when something happens that he feels aggrieved about.

Both men have been around the block and will always stick by their opinions, regardless of what those opinions may be. For now, it doesn’t seem as if this ‘Twitter feud’ is going to escalate into anything – although don’t be surprised to see McCarthy appear on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.