UFC President Dana White and his friend President Trump officially share a distaste for The New York Times’ reporting after UFC 249.
A recent piece by the newspaper’s Kevin Draper elicited an expletive-laced response by Mr. White just days after the businessman’s organization bucked the coronavirus pandemic in VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Times piece published May 12 cast a critical eye on UFC’s safety precautions in dealing with the virus, three positive tests for the contagion prior to the event, and instances where personnel did not comply with social distancing guidelines.
“F— that guy,” Mr. White said Wednesday in response to the Times’ reporting. “F—k that guy. … I don’t give a sh* what this guy thinks or what he has to say, what he writes. Good for him, he’s pulling traffic. I don’t give a f—. Don’t give a f—.”
Mr. Draper’s piece titled “U.F.C.’s Coronavirus Plan Is Careful. Its Enforcement Has Been Spotty” focused on weigh-ins and after-fight interviews to buttress his points.
“Ronaldo Souza participated in a stare-down with his opponent, Uriah Hall, and bumped fists with White,” he wrote. “Seconds later, the fighter Michelle Waterson hugged White before her stare-down and embrace of her opponent, Carla Esparza. … On Saturday at U.F.C. 249, [Justin] Gaethje and [commentator Joe] Rogan shouldn’t have touched, let alone stood within six feet of each other. There were supposed to be ’no face-to-face ’in-Octagon’ post-fight or backstage interviews,’ according to the plan.”
The writer also noted that “because of the virus’s two-week incubation period, it will not be apparent for a while whether any people who were present Saturday night might have contracted the coronavirus at the event.”
Mr. Trump celebrated UFC’s decision to host the event and provided a statement for viewers.
“I want to congratulate Dana White and the UFC,” he said in a pre-recorded message. “They’re going to have a big match. We love it. We think it’s important. Get the sports leagues back. Let’s play. Do the social distancing and whatever else you have to do. We need sports. We want our sports back. Congratulations to Dana White and UFC.”
Warning: Strong language.
Dana White held *nothing* back in response to the New York Times article criticizing UFC’s coronavirus protocols. 😶#UFCJAX | Full interview: https://t.co/mVErfrG2Vl pic.twitter.com/rkM5qj97jF
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) May 14, 2020
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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