UFC boss Dana White says ‘no excuses’ for slapping wife but no further punishment needed | MMA News
3 min read
Dana White thinks he will not be punished by the UFC for slapping his wife at a nightclub in New Mexico on New Year’s Eve.
The UFC president issued an apology earlier in January after a video emerged of an altercation involving him and his wife Anne.
Making an unexpected appearance at UFC Fight Night 217 media day on Wednesday, the 53-year-old was asked about any further repercussions.
He said: « What should the repercussions be? You tell me. I take 30 days off? How does that hurt me?
« Me leaving hurts the company, hurts my employees, hurts the fighters. It doesn’t hurt me. What is my punishment? Here’s my punishment: I have to walk around for however long I live and this is how I’m labelled now.
« It was obviously a horrible personal experience. And, you know, there’s no excuses for it. It’s something that I’m gonna have to deal with and live with for the rest of my life. »
A video appeared to show White and his wife arguing before becoming involved in a physical altercation on the balcony of the VIP room at El Squid Roe in Cabo San Lucas.
After the footage was released, White apologised for his part in the incident and told TMZ Sports: « You’ve heard me say for years there is never, ever an excuse for a man to put his hands on a woman, and now here I am talking about it.
« My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years, we’ve known each other since we were 12 years old, and we’ve obviously been through some stuff together. We’ve got three kids, and this is one of those situations which is horrible.
« I’m embarrassed, but it’s also one of those situations where right now we’re more concerned about our kids. Since the video popped up, we’ve shown our kids the video, and we’re more focused on our family right now.
« People are going to have opinions on this, and most people’s opinions will be right, especially in my case. You don’t put your hands on a woman, ever. »
Women’s group call for White’s removal | ‘Your continued silence speaks volumes’
In light of the video, a women’s group in California has written an open letter to Ari Emanuel, the chief executive of Endeavor, which has a controlling interest in the UFC.
In the letter, which is penned by the Legislative Women’s Caucus in California, the group said: « Given Mr White’s previous remarks against domestic partner violence, we believed that Endeavor and the UFC shared this commitment to safety, respect and accountability. You yourself have written extensively about the need to speak out and act when we see things that are not in line with our values.
« And yet, we have seen the video of UFC president Dana White, where he strikes his wife at a New Year’s Eve celebrations with a closed fist. We were appalled. It was alarming to say the least. In the days since the video was released, you have remained silent. Your continued silence speaks volumes. As you once wrote: « silence and inaction are not an option ».
« We are calling for the immediate removal of Mr White as president of UFC. »
