UFC 141: Dana White On Miguel Torres Backlash, Previous Overeem Comments, Brock Lesnar
by Josh Nason on Dec 29, 2011 5:00 PM EST
in UFC News
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UFC President Dana White did his customary pre-event interview with MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani Wednesday after the UFC 141 press conference, talking openly about his decision to bring back exiled bantamweight Miguel Torres, explaining his previous comments about Alistair Overeem not being a top 10 fighter in the world, why he didn't like the Nate Diaz hat flip and more.
Some of the more interesting quotes from the 18-minute discussion:
- On the potential backlash of rehiring Torres: "
- On previously saying Overeem wasn't top 10: "We got him here and we'll find out on Friday...In my opinion, he hasn't been fighting the best in the world."
- Frank Mir was ready to step in if Overeem wasn't cleared. He had no comment on the Overeem drug testing issues of the past few weeks.
- He was ready for an altercation with Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone and what Cerrone said to irritate Diaz.
- He responded to Jon Fitch's comments about MMA become more like pro wrestling and about what he hears about his fights. "He's got to be honest with himself....a little more of a reality check."
- How to avoid people thinking the event is on Saturday instead of Friday.
- He gets particularly fired up when responding to Keith Kizer's comments about the UFC wanting to be like the WBC.
Get all that and more with the full 18-minute video after the jump.
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He should care what the fans think.
11-11-11 !!!
Go Wings !!!
Marcelo Garcia rules.
by KGW on Dec 29, 2011 5:05 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
I’d wager that the majority of fans (i.e. customers of PPVs) were not aware of the fiasco at all.
The entire thing was a bit of pre-emptive damage control by the UFC in light of the Forrest Griffin incident. They doused it early, and no broader media picked up the story in the following days/weeks so they’re in the clear to pull Torres back into the fold.
by Pyrgz Krum on Dec 29, 2011 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Dana Whit ain't no dummy
"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King
Proud member of Trainyard Sleepers, BECW: S2
We're gonna win, you know. Stats lie.
UGH - Dana White ain't no dummy
"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King
Proud member of Trainyard Sleepers, BECW: S2
We're gonna win, you know. Stats lie.
he does
just not in this particular situation.
"Men like us... we never get back the things we love."
- Jaron Namir
by Victor Rodriguez on Dec 29, 2011 10:00 PM EST up reply actions
He should stop pretending that Fitch isn’t the top WW (behind GSP) just because he doesn’t like him , it’s hard to take anything he says seriously when he keeps denying that the #2 WW on the planet isn’t deserving
He should just be honest and say.....
…he bores the sh*t out of most MMA fans and they don’t wanna watch him. The truth would be the way to go.
he does and i agree. Fitch doesnt realize that in this sport winning impressively vaults you up the ladder quicker then many wins that mean little
Quality > Quantity
Years ago someone told Polynesian DNA that everyone was surrounded by sea monsters and it believed them. It made humans that were immune to head injuries, fast enough to run on the highway, and big enough to use the carpool lane. Putting two of them in the same ring is like telling your local tectonic plates to fuck themselves.
"I said ‘let me tell you, you’re one punch away from being worth zero’ and I was wrong, he was one triangle choke away from being worth zero." - Dana on Fedor
"Guillard told the commission he used cocaine on March 30 and expected it to be out of his system by the time he stepped into the Octagon"
by Kevin Jennison J. Zametov-St Pierre on Dec 29, 2011 5:57 PM EST up reply actions
Sports = results driven
In Football, you keep winning, you get to the Superbowl. You don’t win the superbowl? Keep winning in the new season, you get to go to the Superbowl again.
You don’t get to the Superbowl over another team that’s put together a better win streak than you just because you’re more exciting.
Bloody Elbow Grappling Editor.
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by KJ Gould on Dec 29, 2011 6:00 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
There's a specific structure in place for that though
UFC title contention is the result of matchmaking, and part of matchmaking is the economic potential of the bout.
by Pyrgz Krum on Dec 29, 2011 6:11 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
That's precisely what Fitch's beef is
It points to a significant part of competing in the UFC being more like the WWE than other sports.
I don’t think I would want it any other way, but it’s definitely a slippery slope, as we’ve seen numerous examples of fishy matchmaking in the past, both in MMA and boxing.
by paythefighters on Dec 30, 2011 7:28 AM EST up reply actions
Good thing this isn’t Football then heh?
by Empty Thoughts on Dec 29, 2011 6:42 PM EST up reply actions
you are correct... as far as the nfl goes
in the ufc joe silva and dana decide who fights for the title, where the more exciting fighters get a far bigger push
You realize that it hasn’t even been a year since two 10-6 teams missed the playoffs and a 7-9 team got in, right?
He said yesterday
that if Fitch wins he has a title shot.
Really?
Awesome, that gets me more fired up.
Yes, I realize most don’t enjoy Mr. Fitch.
Fitch knocks out more people than any fighter in the MMA
if you count all the fans watching, they all get put to sleep.
Top 5 most boring fighters to watch p4p:
1. Jake "Mr. Snuggie" Shields
2. G "what's the Rush?" SP
3. Jon Fitch
4. Gray "lets cuddle?" Maynard
5. any wrestler w/ the same fight strategy as #1-4
again, Quality > Quantity
Years ago someone told Polynesian DNA that everyone was surrounded by sea monsters and it believed them. It made humans that were immune to head injuries, fast enough to run on the highway, and big enough to use the carpool lane. Putting two of them in the same ring is like telling your local tectonic plates to fuck themselves.
"I said ‘let me tell you, you’re one punch away from being worth zero’ and I was wrong, he was one triangle choke away from being worth zero." - Dana on Fedor
"Guillard told the commission he used cocaine on March 30 and expected it to be out of his system by the time he stepped into the Octagon"
by Kevin Jennison J. Zametov-St Pierre on Dec 29, 2011 11:08 PM EST up reply actions
Allow me to end this patently absurd argument once and for all: when the Knicks and Heat were brawling all over the court in the late 90’s and engaging in 83-78 borefests, the NBA eliminated hand checking on the perimeter. When the Patriots secondary was mugging the Colts receivers up and down the field in the early 2000’s, the NFL changed the rules to allow less contact with the WR. Baseball has changed their rules to generate offense multiple times. These arent guys being held back from title shots. These are leagues LITERALLY CHANGING THEIR RULES, CHANGING THE VERY NATURE OF THE COMPETITION, to accomodate a lack of excitement in their sport. Nobody remembers Gene Tunney, and everyone remembers Jack Dempsey, despite Tunney beating Dempsey twice. Why? Because Dempsey was exciting, period. It has always been that way and always will. Imagine Dana suddenly up and deciding one day to allow eye gouges and biting because it would be more exciting. The other leagues have done exactly that equivalent act more times then can be counted. In that context, poor Jon Fitch not getting a title shot doesnt seem so bad, does it?
WTF
NBA/NFL rule changes → eye gouges in MMA → deny Fitch a title shot is good?
Imagine the NBA saying to the Pistons, “sorry, even though you’re the best team in the league, you’re not playing in the finals.” I’m sure if Dana wanted to, he could push for rule changes to encourage different fighting styles in the ring, but instead he chooses to let entertainment value influence matchmaking. Let’s hope he keeps that tendancy in check this regarding Fitch’s title shot.
by paythefighters on Dec 30, 2011 7:37 AM EST up reply actions
Um, lashback?
Pretty sure it’s backlash.
"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King
Proud member of Trainyard Sleepers, BECW: S2
We're gonna win, you know. Stats lie.
No doubt, no doubt...
"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King
Proud member of Trainyard Sleepers, BECW: S2
We're gonna win, you know. Stats lie.
Awesome
My new dyslexia affliction resulted in a new word! UFC 187: Lashback!
You Thank,
Josh
Josh Nason - MMA media for BE/WrestlingObserver/FIGHT! Magazine/WGAM
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I'd patent that word if I were you
It is a cool one!
"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King
Proud member of Trainyard Sleepers, BECW: S2
We're gonna win, you know. Stats lie.
Knockout record incorrect?
When there’s trouble you call DW, I guess.
Writer for Blistered Thumbs
Fabricio Werdum is not my father.
Follow @TheCynicsCorner
Maybe Cerrone got a pep talk from Leon beforehand
by Rob Young on Dec 29, 2011 5:50 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
that man brings sound advice.
he brings the ruckus to the ladies.
"Men like us... we never get back the things we love."
- Jaron Namir
by Victor Rodriguez on Dec 29, 2011 10:04 PM EST up reply actions
Damn Dana, fuck you too
Can I get some tickets?
Police have mounted a Phuket-wide hunt
by warren305 on Dec 29, 2011 5:40 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
It all makes sense in Dana's mind.
"I don't want to sound cocky, but I do hold myself in high regard."
“Your opinions don’t mean (expletive) to me.” seemed to be directed at reporters more than fans, considering right before that he said “I dont care what the reporters are going to say or write about it.” Kind of lame to edit that quote like that.
And he meant it in terms of how he handles these kinds of situations, he didn’t mean that as a general statement.
Love it when people take things out of context.
Fair point, but...
….‘seemed to be’ is a bit of a stretch too. I thought about your comment and made an edit above for the full quote. Not a lot changed, but fair enough. However, the whole quote doesn’t make it any better. On this topic, he simply doesn’t care what anyone — fans, media, otherwise — think.
I’ve noticed more negative statements toward fans lately when he’s doing interviews whenever it comes to UFC criticisms, which he’s vocalizing more frequently. Just an observation.
Josh Nason - MMA media for BE/WrestlingObserver/FIGHT! Magazine/WGAM
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Dana Whites opinion
Means zilch to me too. In fact more like his opinion = pure stupidness. Any man that supports SOPA as a way to stop pirating his PPVs is a straight up moron.
by axewounded on Dec 29, 2011 6:24 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions 6 recs
well said. wish i could rec.
Go big red!
by pornflake on Dec 29, 2011 6:31 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
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