In an effort to place the main target again on his fighters coming into the primary UFC struggle card of 2023 this weekend, embattled president Dana White addressed reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night media day in Las Vegas following a New Year’s Eve home dispute that was caught on digicam.
White, 53, who had beforehand accepted blame throughout an interview with TMZ final week when video was launched of him and his spouse of 27 years, Anne, buying and selling slaps at a nightclub in Mexico, introduced an finish to the much-criticized silence from UFC, guardian firm Endeavor and broadcasting accomplice ESPN within the aftermath of the incident.
“There aren’t any excuses for it and it is one thing that I’m going to should take care of and reside with for the remainder of my life,” White stated. “One factor that I do wish to make clear on this factor that I did not speak about on TMZ, as a result of I did not anticipate it or see it coming, is the individuals which might be defending me.
“There is rarely an excuse. There isn’t any protection for this and other people shouldn’t be defending me about this factor, it doesn’t matter what. All of the criticism I’ve acquired this week is 100% warranted, and can obtain sooner or later.”
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White fielded questions for almost 14 minutes with the MMA media, simply days out from Saturday’s card on the UFC Apex, headlined by middleweights Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland, who will struggle at 205 kilos. The majority of speak, nevertheless, centered upon whether or not or not any repercussions have been anticipated to be handed right down to White, together with these of the self-imposed selection.
“[If] I take 30 days off, how does that damage me?” White stated. “Me leaving hurts the corporate, hurts my staff and hurts the fighters. It does not damage me, I may’ve left [when UFC was sold] in 2016. Do I have to replicate? No, I need not replicate.
“I’ve been towards this, I’ve owned this. I’m telling you that I’m incorrect. But hear, we now have had lots discussions internally — from [Endeavor CEO] Ari [Emmanuel], ESPN — nobody is joyful. Neither am I. But it occurred and I’ve to take care of it.”
White, who was humble in each his tone and conduct, argued that no punishment for him is punishment sufficient.
“Do you wish to know my punishment? Here is my punishment: I’ve to stroll round for nevertheless lengthy I reside … and that is how I’m labeled now,” White stated. “My different punishment is that I’m certain there may be lots of people — whether or not or not it’s media, buddies, acquaintances — who had respect for me, may not have respect for me. There is a whole lot of issues I’m going to should take care of the remainder of my life which might be far more a punishment.
“The punishment is that I did it and now I’ve to take care of it.”
Endeavor, which bought UFC for over $4 billion from Zuffa in 2016, selected to not remark altogether. Meanwhile, White was often supported throughout social media by a legion of followers, fighters and even some media members, all of whom White spoke out towards a number of instances on Wednesday, reiterating that what he did does not deserve any excuses, no matter which partner struck the opposite one first.
“There is just one facet of this, it is my facet,” White stated. “There is rarely a purpose or excuse for what occurred on New Year’s Eve to occur, interval.”
Neither White nor his spouse confronted any authorized prices stemming from the incident and each apologized to at least one different, per White. He additionally revealed their choice to remain collectively, turning their focus completely to repairing their household, which incorporates three teenage youngsters.
“My children know precisely who I’m and so they know precisely who their mom is and that is what is vital to us,” White stated. “This is a private household matter that performed out in public and our largest focus is our youngsters. You speak about being dissatisfied, who’s going to be extra dissatisfied than your children on this situation?”
The solely fallout from the video got here from TBS, which signed a deal to air White’s upstart Power Slap league, and the community’s choice to delay the launch of the slap-fighting promotion one week to Jan. 18, which White addressed briefly.
“There isn’t any good or dangerous timing for what I did,” White stated. “There is irony, it is vitally ironic [launching a slap-fighting league after a domestic violence incident]. But there isn’t any good or dangerous timing for what I did on New Year’s Eve.”
The media scrum ended with White requested whether or not UFC would change the way in which it offers with any future incidents involving fighters or staff who get charged for home violence, particularly within the aftermath of the promotion’s choice to not droop White.
“It all relies upon upon completely different conditions however hopefully all people sees what’s going on with me and hopefully this does not occur,” White stated. “At the tip of the day, we’re all human beings and all of us make errors. All you are able to do is try to get well from the errors you make in life. I do not know. I’m certain it will likely be on a case-by-case foundation. We have lots of people round right here who make a whole lot of errors and I’m one among them.”
