Dana White: Kobe Bryant Was A UFC Investor, Will Be Honored Tomorrow
The entire sports world was rocked last month when NBA legend Kobe Bryant perished in a helicopter accident in California.
Shortly after the news broke, the entire sorts world, along with the mixed martial arts (MMA) community, expressed their sorrow for the loss of such a legend. Now, speaking with TMZ Sports, UFC president Dana White, who divulged that Bryant was actually a UFC investor, noted the Los Angeles Lakers legend will be honored before tomorrow’s (Sat. February 8, 2020) UFC 247 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
“This is the first fight since it happened,” White said. “And yes, we’re going to do something for Kobe. You look at Kobe the basketball player, right? Then the guy won an Oscar. And all the other things that this guy has accomplished in his life. Well, also, he was one of the big investors in Body Armor, the company that’s a sponsor of the UFC. He was also an investor in the UFC. And the UFC killed it last year.
“I mean, 2019, when I say 2019 was our best year, other years – 2019 is through the roof. It was massive. So the owners got a distribution. And Kobe got a distribution from the UFC the Wednesday before the incident. And he was so pumped up and so excited, and, you know, he said what everybody always says, ‘I wish I invested more.’ But, he was a great dude, he was a part of this company – Kobe Bryant was a good guy in every way that you could possibly be a good guy.”
UFC 247 is headlined by a light heavyweight championship showdown between Jon Jones and undefeated challenger Dominick Reyes. Also, in the co-main event, UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko puts her title on the line against Katlyn Chookagian. It will be interesting to see what the UFC has in store for Bryant tomorrow night.
What do you think about the UFC honoring Kobe Bryant before UFC 247 tomorrow?
