Dana White SLAMS media and critics of UFC’s handling of Coronavirus
UFC president Dana White is not one to hold back when he feels strongly about something, and he let MMA media and critics of the UFC have it in a recent interview.
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect many aspects of our daily lives. Cage Warriors 113 goes down tonight in Manchester, and it may very well be the last MMA event in a long time. As governments around the world continue to cut down on public events and gatherings, the UFC continues to push for UFC 249 happening next month. As of now there are many rumours and reports of how and where the event will take place.
This has not been without criticism. As of now the global death toll for the Coronavirus has passed 9,700, with governments urging social distancing and quarantine. Both fans and media members have been critical of both Cage Warriors and the UFC for pushing so hard to hold their respective events, while perhaps not taking public health and safety into account. In an Instagram Live interview with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, White let loose on his critics.
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“Think about this: Go online and look at some of these people – and this isn’t a knock, this is just a fact: The weakest, wimpiest people on earth cover the biggest, baddest sport on earth,” White said. “What do you expect them to say? What do you think they’re gonna say?
“I have over 350 employees who work for me. Multi-billion-dollar companies are laying off all their employees right now. We haven’t laid off one person at the UFC. And every fighter that fights for me will fight three times this year. Our schedule will go on. Everybody’s gonna get paid, and we will figure this out, and we will be the first sport back on. And, uh, fuck that shit. Everything will go on.”
Respected, veteran MMA journalist Luke Thomas has been one of the most vocal critics. He recently, in several posts on Twitter, outlined why he feels that going through with holding MMA events are a poor idea.
I am neither an epidemiologist nor public health official. I am, however, a concerned media member for a sport still pursuing live shows amid a global pandemic without following medical protocol.
Why my concern?
Here's what I believe with the corresponding evidence. 1/
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) March 15, 2020
These types of posts did not sit well with White.
“Listen, the media can talk as much shit as they want,” White said. “They don’t feed families, they don’t take care of fucking people, they don’t have people that count on them, they don’t have people to support. We’re doing the right thing as far medical testing goes and everything. That’s all we fucking do. That’s nothing new. We were doing that shit way before the coronavirus. We were taking care of people and making sure that everybody’s healthy, and every fighter that’s with me on the road is getting much better medical attention than they are at home – if they’re with me. You know what I mean?”
News reached Thomas, who responded in kind to White’s rant.
This is an easy test to pass.
Unless there are comments related to UFC's plans for Covid-19 testing or paying fighters for "postponed" cards or any other concern of substance, just realize attacking the media is the play here because there are no answers to those questions.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) March 20, 2020
