Dana White: There’s a thin line between love and hate
I like Dana White. I really do. Foibles and all, he’s still a charismatic and likable guy. Well, likable to me at any rate. We all know that the sport of MMA wouldn’t be where it is now without him and his determined leadership pushing forward. The overwhelming majority of his decisions further the good of MMA while staying out of the circus like aspect seen in many other promotions both in the states as well as abroad; Japan, I’m looking at you. To top it off, he’s shown he’s a fan of the sport as much as he is a businessman in that he wants to see the best fight the best, albeit under the Zuffa banner, going out of his way to pursue fighters (i.e. Fedor Emelianenko) well past the point a simple businessman would. Dana’s straight talk has even come under fire with comparisons to national sports commissioners such as the NBA’s David Stern or the NFL’s Roger Goodell. You’ll never see the aforementioned men make blunt and pointed statements the way Dana regularly does, yet it’s something many fans and media personnel enjoy as a refreshing change of pace.
But that’s where my biggest problem with Dana lies, and I suspect I am not alone. As much as he is a straight talker that rarely pulls his punches, he is primarily a fight promoter, something we need to remember every time he talks about his opposition. Take his latest comments to the LA Times regarding Strikeforce’s recent CBS debut:
CBS would be out of their mind to put that rinky-dink [Strikeforce] . . . on the air again . . . and without that backing, [promoters] won’t have the money to pay [Emelianenko].
The guy just got his face smashed in by Brett Rogers. Do you know what Brock or [UFC heavyweights] Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez would do to Brett Rogers?” White said. “It’s time to bring this guy [Fedor] in, to see Brock Lesnar smash his head.
Dana isn’t an idiot and he knows what he is doing. It makes business sense to belittle your competition so it is perceived as less than it is by the masses. In fact, Dana White is a dead ringer for Vince McMahon when it comes to attacking the competition. The main difference between the two is McMahon generally refuses to acknowledge the existence of any competition when the WWE is at the top of the sports entertainment mountain.
And that’s where the UFC is. They are clearly the kings of the mixed martial arts world. Strikeforce doesn’t dispute this, nor do their fighters, nor do any but the most delusional of MMA fans. Zuffa has the overwhelming majority of top ten ranked fighters across the weight divisions and puts on a cavalcade of events throughout the calendar year filled with a mixture of bouts ranging from the established best of the best competing for championship gold on a regular basis, down to young prospects looking to make a name for themselves.
What I ask is simply this: Does Dana need to take this approach of consistent demeaning of the opposition? Are his comments necessary for his business to not only succeed but succeed at the highest level? Or does saying such things characterize him as little more than the go to source for UFC propaganda and erode his reputation as a bold, straight talking CEO willing to speak his mind? I know it’s my unrealistic, naïve “with a little work we can all see eye-to-eye” side talking, but I’d love to see the UFC president say what we all know as the truth when the truth is obvious. Compliment Fedor and acknowledge his place in history. It’s fair to bring up that the game has evolved significantly over the past five years and that many UFC heavyweights would pose threats to Fedor he hasn’t encountered yet nor is likely to encounter outside of the UFC. It’s fair to talk about how Fedor is small for a heavyweight and may be unable to keep up in the era of hulking 265 pound behemoths. It’s even fair to say that Strikeforce put on an entertaining show that wasn’t a step backwards for the sport ala EliteXC, but the UFC has ten times the depth and talent pool at their disposal.
I suppose in the end I just want Dana to say what I we all suspect he’s thinking behind his promoter persona. Maybe because I like the guy and dislike the deceit that’s so easily accepted as just “part of the job”. The UFC is the dominant organization and in no danger of losing its spot. Even in some of the worst economic times when people are saving money wherever possible the UFC still pulls in record turnouts and PPV numbers. Just a small, deserved compliment of the (distant) competition would go a long way towards establishing the UFC president’s image as more than the PR mouthpiece for his company.
But what do I know; I’m not a public relations specialist. I’m just an idealistic fan and MMA commentator. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go back over to the fire and start up another spirited round of Kum Bay Ya.
Caleb Newby is is a contributor to FiveOuncesofPain.com
| All posts by Caleb Newby
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This is what I don’t like about Dana White: He has the keys to the MMA kingdom and knows this and loves it. It is sometimes entertaining because you rarely see CEOs these days pretend to be Scarface and say things like, “Vegas is my town. Something goes on here, I’m gonna fucking know about it, you got that?” When he goes on record about how Roy Nelson is a fucking loser, well, you know Big Country’s career prospects got much much slimmer. So it seems in order to function in the UFC you also have to have a black belt in ass-kissing.
The established guys in MMA I don’t worry about, especially since they’ve had time to develop a fanbase and sometimes it is even outside of the UFC. But like when Dana had his feud with Tito, and blacked out all mention of his name (highlight reels, best-of-fights, etc.) to the point where I didn’t even know who Tito was coming in as a new fan, that must be scary for any up and coming fighter.
I worry that fighters are going to take too many risks to get on Dana’s radar because there is NO clear transparent process of how fights get made and picked. I’m a Forrest fan but before he took this fight with Tito, I just had to sit around basically and wait like a kid at Christmas for Dana Claus to hand me the gift of a Forrest fight. No idea when he’d fight again or who.
This whole thing where Dana is shoving Kimbo down our throats at every opportunity is an example of this bullshit. Who decided that meaningless fight should take up a valuable slot on a card above guys who have already paid their dues? Stop tonguing Kimbo’s starfish for a second, Dana, and go develop a women’s devision or address the problems in the weightclasses.
Give us fans and the fighters a little bit more insight to your matchmaking process. Right now we have to trust your judgement and credibility on that, and you seem to be really intent on pissing that away because of your ego and love for publicity. Publicity for yourself does not equal publicity for your league, so leave Fedor alone, send Kimbo away, and focus on what you have. We appreciate your rabid love for the sport, but its getting a little bit embarrassing when our most public figure for MMA is a shouty mouthy profanity spewing imp with a gangerster complex. Chuck Liddell’s ruffled shirts were less embarrassing then some of Dana’s drama.
Well-Done.
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Well-Done.
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Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hot debate. What do you think?
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Fedor didn’t get his face smashed in. He had a bloody nose and some welts. Fedor is a bruiser and always gets welts. So it really comes down to a bloody nose.
So are we now to assume that Randy Couture is a complete joke of a fighter since he lost to Brock Lesnar? Of course not, he’s fighting this weekend and he’s the best fighter on the planet again.
Dana always preaches about how his brand of MMA is the best because he’s terrified people may discover it’s not about the banner under which someone fights, it’s the fighter and his opponent that matter and NOTHING else.
I love good MMA, I couldn’t give a shit what brand it’s under.
Well-Done.
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And what does he usually do right after the competition goes under? The UFC scavenges the top talent. It may not be nice or friendly, but it ultimately works and makes the UFC stronger.
At least it has in the past.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hot debate. What do you think?
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I’m ambivalent about these kinds of statements. Some days they annoy me, and some days I LMAO. The Japanese orgs have a fascination with “freak show” match ups to add a little spectacle. UFC doesn’t do that, so maybe White is filling the niche with his incendiary rhetoric.
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Hey, it’s totally off-topic, but today is Veteran’s day. We oughta put together an informal list of MMA fighters who are vets in honor of their service. Obvious persons on the list are Randy Couture, Tim Kennedy, Brian Stann, and Luigi Fiorvanti. Who else?
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This is just another opinion. Why would anybody who doesn’t have to deal with Dana White on a regular basis care what he says anyways? What Dana says has no effect on me what so ever. As long as he keeps promoting MMA and putting on the best fights why should I care what he says? Atleast he’s not constantly spewing out a bunch of PC crap like all the other stuffed shirt commissioners. Dana FTW!
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That’s Dana White’s take. He’s Dana White, the face of what is in his mind, the one and only promotion that matters in the world of mixed martial arts. If you’re hoping or wishing for Dana White to spew compliments towards other organizations and its fighters on a consistent basis, keep dreaming. In his mind, the UFC is responsible for putting the sport on the mainstream map, so what does complimenting other promotions and its fighters do for him? Nothing.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hot debate. What do you think?
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Very nice, I like that analogy quite a bit Lee.
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What I said in an earlier post:
“As for Fedor getting his face smashed by Brock, I think we all know that’s just Dana talking up his own guy like any good promoter would do.”
I still feel this same way. Think about it like this… We’re coming off the biggest show in Strikeforce’s history and we’re talking just as much about the UFC and Dana as we are Fedor and Jake Shields. This guy knows how to keep his show in everyone’s mind even when it shouldn’t be.
On top of that I do think it’s necessary for Dana to go at Strikeforce full force. Look at what some of the people around here say. Strikeforce gets to borrow Aoki and you see people start saying “With all of these signings… the UFC better watch out!” We all know in reality that’s not the case, but you have to match hyperbole with hyperbole. Does Dana really think Fedor would come in and get steamrolled by every UFC heavyweight? Of course not. Does he really think Brett Rogers would come into the UFC and get destroyed? Probably, but so do a lot of people, including myself.
In the end it’s just like any other business. Your goal is to be the biggest and best at what you do and when you finally get there, your goal is to stay there and crush anyone who starts to grab at your ankles. Right now Strikeforce has a hand on the UFC’s shoe and it’s time to kick them back down the mountain.
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great point lee
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In the first qoutes of his speech he said “I wouldn’t be here without Scotty Pippen. I wouldnt be here without Phil Jackson…” and he continued to thank teammates opponents and coaches throughout his whole speech, while also getting his jabs in. Not quite sure if i see the analogy at all.
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Dana White is a promoter first and foremost. He may be the CEO, but his duties as a promoter trump everything else. I personally enjoy his tirades, but I also know he is just doing his job, which is whatever it takes to get people to tune into his show and turn off the competition’s.
His personal attacks on guys like Tito stem primarily from their long history and friendship, which is almost always bound to happen when you mix business with friendships. I don’t think many newer fighters have to worry about that so long as they keep their relationship professional.
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Strikeforce put together such a great FREE card. Any MMA fan (including Dana White) who complains needs to send me $50, to help them see the light.
Mousassi, Werdum, Fedor, Brett, Sokoudu, FOR FREEE???? are you kidding?!
and I should add Randy and all the fights this weekend, because that is the only reason the UFC is making it free.
Give me a break all the UFC fanboys need to back off.
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edub, you’re absolutely right, MJ did say those things. And then he went on to make possibly the worst acceptance speech in the history of any kind of hall of fame…WWF/WWE included.
So, to play off of your point, here’s another analogy…
MJ started off his speech praising people and then tailed off into insulting many others.
Well, hasn’t Dana White done that with Fedor? Didn’t he praise him when he said he wanted to sign him? Then he met with Fedor and his folks, and couldn’t sign him?
And where are we now again with Dana’s attitude towards Fedor?
Thanks.
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Ah see heres where we differ than. That speech I thought was equal parts of being funny and shit talking. MJ was not ever known to be humble on the court, and he shouldnt have to go out of his way to be humble in his acceptance speech. Like when he called out Bryon Russes for talking shit to him the year before he came back, and then went on to destroy him in the finals. I thought that was awesome. I thought the speech was great.
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Hear, hear.
I loved his speech. Jordan was a notorious shit talker on the court but he’s supposed to feign humility during his HoF acceptance speech? Whatev. Jordan is the GOAT.
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any other version of Dana would be dissapointing
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