MMA woke up and realized it is Conor’s world, and they don’t like it.
For far too long, MMA has marched to the beat of one polarizing pied piper in the form of UFC President Dana White, who has taken his megalomania to the highest levels in sports entertainment.
Often considered the Vince McMahon of MMA, White has parlayed his South Boston-meets-Las Vegas-hustler schtick into a billion dollar sale of his baby, the Ultimate Fighting Championships, and has now shifted the spotlight of pop culture firmly upon himself. However, White has always favored himself over what is supposed to be the stars of his empire, the fighters.
PRITTY LEFT HOOK – Ep Zero by The Shadow League
Episode Zero of Pritty Left Hook hosted by Rhett “Pritty” Butler
From discrepancies in pay and unbalanced promotions to the way he eliminated sponsorship opportunities for fighters by signing an exclusive deal with Reebok, White has been on a mission to bolster the UFC and himself.
However, in the aftermath of UFC 229, the proverbial chickens have come home to roost for White, who now has been forced to reflect on his the handling of the McGregor bus incident in relation to the pent up frustrations and retaliatory reactions of Nurmagomedov and his team. The fighter’s themselves are not feeling White and his shenanigans and want answers as to why “The Notorious MMA” can do whatever he wants with no real UFC administrative recourse.
What started as fight commentary by fighters on the UFC roster quickly devolved into a scolding pot of social media opinion gumbo:
Jessica Eye on Twitter
World war 3 just broke out #UFC
Dana White has allowed his pet star, Conor McGregor, to get away with everything and it will be in the court of public opinion that his legacy will be judged.
Rafael dos Anjos on Twitter
That’s so low!! Jump the cage and punch the fighter that just fought from the back. This guy should be banned. Should never step on this country.
Will he allow the distasteful marketing of the Barclays melee as fodder for UFC 229 promotion smear his company’s name and set the sport back years?
Dennis Bermudez on Twitter
Wow !!!! Russia Vs Ireland inside the @TMobileArena
One thing is for sure, fighters who once were scared to challenge Dana White, in fear of a personal reprisal masqueraded as a business strategy, are fearful no more.
Emil Valhalla Meek on Twitter
Khabib had the chance to be the bigger man. He didn’t. Connor should have gotten a harder penalty for the trolley and Khabib should get punished hard because of this. Please don’t ruin our sport… it’s important to us #ufc229
Only time will tell. But what has become an obvious pattern is that if financial gains are in order, White will abandon common sense and decency for something as common as currency. And that’s how incidents like what we witnessed at UFC 229 erupt.
Derek Brunson on Twitter
Come on guys !!!! How old are we …… #ufc229
