Dana White may think he's all-powerful, but Disney gave him a reality check. | Source: AP Photo/John Locher, File)
Dana White isn’t the type to quietly accept what he’s told. Frequently the egomaniacal UFC promoter will push back even more when he knows he’s wrong.
It’s why he’s insisted that UFC 249 should go ahead in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
We learned this week, though, that even Dana White answers to a higher power. The big mouse. Disney calls the shots, and the UFC does as they’re told.
The UFC President simply refuses to accept the reality that exists around him. He’s spent so much of his life bullying, yelling, and generally being a moron that he believes he can change reality to suit himself.
Sounds a bit like another President we all know. No surprise that they’re close friends!
Dana stood there with his fingers in his ears, and his eyes closed as UFC 249 fell apart around him.
UFC lightweight champion and main event fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov was a no-go. He was in lockdown in his native Russia.
Not a problem, claims Dana White. He’ll draft Justin Gaethje instead. The show must go on!
Then former women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas pulled out, causing the loss of the events co-main event.
As an aside, some of the comments regarding Namajunas pulling out from fans have been horrible. Thankfully many of them have been deleted after those responsible were named and shamed.
Two of her family members died due to coronavirus-related illness. That’s more than enough reason not to fight.
UFC fans are often guilty of buying into Dana White’s brand of nonsense. Much like President Trump, the UFC President has a weird effect on those who hang on his every word.
Today should be a bit of a reality check for those fans.
Speaking to Brett Okamoto, White commented:
We’ve been fighting non-stop all day and all night since this pandemic started to put on this event on April 18. And today, we got a call from the highest level you can go at Disney and the highest level of ESPN. One thing that I’ve said since we started our relationship and partnership with ESPN – and it’s been an incredible one, it’s been an amazing partnership. ESPN has been very, very good to us, and the powers that be there asked me to stand down and not do this event next Saturday.
Besides Dana’s bosses at Disney, Senator Dianne Feinstein had voiced her concern about the event going forward. Eventually, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom stepped in and went right to the top. The big mouse.
The UFC and Dana White are back in their box, for now. It seems he’s not as all-powerful as his friend, the other President.