Dana White: Should He Quietly Fade into the Background?

I think it’s time that Dana White ceased to be at the forefront of the UFC, as well as its spokesperson, and dissipate into the abyss or background (or whatever you want to call it).

It has been two weeks since Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko lost his third fight in a row, courtesy of Dan Henderson’s H-Bomb.

But what followed after the former Pride heavyweight champion's demise at the hands of Henderson was a litany of insults from none other than the UFC supremo himself, Dana White.

Talk about kicking a man when he’s down—that would be an understatement. Not only did White subject Emelianenko to a humiliating vituperation, he also released him from his newly acquired company, Strikeforce. Talk about adding salt to the injury.

Emelianenko isn’t the first fighter and most definitely won’t be the last to feel the acid tongue of Mr. White. White doesn’t keep his rancid wrath for solely the fighters—anyone and anybody he does agree with or doesn’t agree with soon finds out what a foul-mouthed, profanity prone individual he is—fans included.

This man is the president of the biggest and most lucrative MMA organization in the world. And how does he act? Like a buffoon.

Let’s be honest—this man has no class. Sometimes he comes across as a joke, and he lacks a lot in the decorum department to boot. It seems like he has a good business acumen and a gift of the gab, but that’s about all the credit I’m willing to give this man.

He reminds me of the British promoter Frank Warren. They could be twins in the way their behaviors mirror one another. If a boxer isn’t signed with Warren’s promotion or has decided to jump ship with another promoter or manager, he has little or no time for that fighter. And what ensues is a torrent of abusive and derogatory comments heaped upon those fighters (which he’s allowed to spew in his weekly newspaper column). In my opinion, this sort of conduct is totally and utterly unacceptable.

And the same demeanor applies to Dana White. His latest outburst was, basically, “Having your promotion carried by Fedor is like having your promotion carried by Kimbo Slice." Regardless of what Fedor Emelianenko has or hasn’t achieved in MMA (until his three straight losses, it should be noted that Fedor has had a stellar career), that was no way to speak about a fighter who most recently fought under his latest acquisition.

And the same could be said of Kimbo Slice. White used Kimbo’s Internet notoriety to push the ratings up, via the sale of PPVs in some of the UFC shows. And yet he cut Kimbo after one loss—dropping him to 1-1—and treated him as something the cat dragged in, then dragged back out again.

I have no idea where this vitriol stems from. Was White a failed MMA practitioner? I doubt it. He couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag. Or is his coming across as some dimwitted macho guy something to do with the fact that he was once an aerobics instructor? Anyway, his proclivity to be abrasive to all and sundry smacks of someone who suffers from severe and acute insecurity issues.

The bullied becomes the bully. And that’s what Dana White is—a BULLY. It’s nothing to be proud of, because as most of us know when push comes to shove, they’ll be the first to fold.

I could vilify Dana White until the cows came home, but I won’t. Mr. White is a legend in his own mind.

It should be noted that the MMA is not a wholly established sport yet, and it be could said that it’s still in its infancy—and thus the UFC is a going concern, and not the finished business model. So, Mr. White, a bit of professionalism and respect wouldn’t go amiss toward the fighters, fans, et al.