Dana White's Tirade - Indicative of Something Deeper??

Much has been made recently of UFC President Dana White's recent attack on MMA reported Loretta Hunt. Hunt wrote an article questioning the UFC's policy of banning certain management types from access at the events, wondering if the company's ulterior motives were not to divide fighters from their own advisors. White appeared in a curse ridden tirade on You Tube to refute the article, but wound up embroiled in further questions about his management style.

One insider commented 'This is par for the course for White. It has been his style from the very beginning. From the first episode of 'The Ultimate Fighter' where his status as a semi celebrity started, he behaved this way. Foul language became a part of his personality. What no one realizes is that now that their growth has seen them become mainstream, the next level of growth will be held back by his vulgar approach. What he calls brash and 'tell it like it is' really comes across as unintelligent to a vast number of people. Could you imagine NFL or NBA executives talking that way?



For years no one in the press called White on his tirades. What is worse is that the UFC owners allowed it as well. The company has learned to act with impunity, to feel they can do whatever they want and no one can do anything about it. As other MMA companies have failed, this was used at further justification that absolutely everything the UFC does is right.

This brings to light two other recent actions by UFC, likely under the direction of White, that show complete disdain for fans and press alike. What is more important is that these involve ticket sales and main event announcements, so they are really in ways more of a direct spit in the face of their strongest fans that just a foul mouthed attack on someone who has proven themselves to be a good reporter and a huge benefit for MMA as it grows.

Our insider continues 'Not too many people go to the Savage Science website, but their reporter Lyman Hoyt really took a solid look at the circumstances around Mir-Lesnar and Evans- Rampage main event announcements. Mir had surgery on February 29th to repair the knee that would cause the postponement of the UFC 98 main event. On March 2nd the main event was announced for UFC 98, and tickets went on sale on March 5th. The official postponement announcement of the match isn’t made until March 7th. Later on, Rampage and Evans were in the ring to hype their match, and much was made of Rampage's body language, that he didn’t want to fight, and then he was lambasted for pulling out of the fight. Perhaps Rampage was being asked to do something for the company's ticket sales, despite him knowing there was no way he can fight?'

The criticism the company has received for White's tirade is indicative of the style of management the UFC has assumed. No one can tell them what to do, and they don’t really care about anyone else's opinion or well being. This latest incident is just the first time anyone has been willing to call them on what is a long history of this type of behavior.

The complete article by Lyman Hoyt at thesavagescience.com is available at http://www.thesavagescience.com/the-ufc-shows-contempt-for-their-most-loyal-fans.htm.