Dana White Not Happy With ‘Neanderthals’ Usman, Masvidal
Dana White doesn’t appear too happy with the recent altercation between UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal.
Usman and Masvidal crossed paths at Super Bowl media day last week in Miami. The pair exchanged words, shouting and threatening one another before being separated by security. The video went viral, and White later announced that the UFC was looking to book Usman vs. Masvidal for International Fight Week in July. However, that doesn’t mean White enjoyed the altercation.
Speaking to ESPN, White said, while some people think he sees dollar signs when incidents like that happen, he’s actually thinking about the reputation of the sport. The UFC boss added that Usman and Masvidal acted like “neanderthals.” (H/T MMA Junkie)
“I don’t love it,” White said. “People think because I’m a promoter I’m like, ‘Cha-ching. That’s great for us.’ But it’s not great for us. We’re here at the Super Bowl – Radio Row at the Super Bowl, the NFL – and these two are acting like neanderthals.”
White followed up by saying the Super Bowl media day was mostly filled with non-mixed martial arts (MMA) followers. Incidents like the one between Usman and Masvidal scare people who aren’t familiar with the sport. Also, now that the sport is regulated, the athletic commission could get involved should things have gotten out of control.
“The problem is for the people who (are) in here and the media, it scares (non-MMA) people like this,” White said. “That’s a scary thing when that goes down. If they touch each other, now the police get involved. We’re regulated by the government. Now, the athletic commissions are getting involved (if they touch each other).
“Those two are going to fight in Las Vegas in ‘International Fight Week’ for 25 minutes. They can do whatever they want to each other. That fight’s happening. You don’t have to do it here at Radio Row at the Super Bowl.”
What do you think about White’s comments on Usman and Masvidal?
