‘Big’ John McCarthy comments on the recent social media spat between Dana White and Francis Ngannou’s manager Marquel Martin.
You’re probably wondering why this story from three years ago is back in the headlines. It’s all thanks to former referee turned podcaster “Big” John McCarthy, who found a way to connect it to Dana White’s recent social media spat with Francis Ngannou’s manager Marquel Martin.
First, let’s backtrack. White and Martin went at it on Instagram last week after the UFC announced the interim heavyweight title fight between Derrick Lewis and Cyril Gane. White first blasted Martin for being “full of shit” about being shocked at the aforementioned booking.
Martin fired back with a lengthy response, and in the end, daring to “disclose everything.”
Emails, calls, texts, everything. DEAL?? Cuz I’m ready to get blackballed by UFC… I’m not defined by it, you or anyone else for that matter. How’s that sound.
Now, let’s get back to Big John, who commented on the matter in a recent episode of his Weighing In podcast. In terms of showing receipts that would likely incriminate the UFC boss, McCarthy says ex-heavyweight Brendan Schaub already “pulled off the greatest” move.
“Brendan Schaub pulled off the greatest one, ever, with Dana. It was just the best,” he said. “Because back then, Israel Adesanya was (about to) fight, Brendan Schaub made a comment about something, and Dana basically came out saying ‘Don’t ever listen to him, he couldn’t fight. He got knocked out by everyone,’ all the stuff he said, which was wrong. It was just wrong for Dana to say it.
“But the response by Brendan was great. The last thing being, ‘this is not the way that Eskimo brothers act. And if you want to keep talking, I will let everything out.’ I knew exactly what he was talking about, I’m not gonna say what it was.
“But you noticed that Dana right away had no more comments for Brendan Schaub at that time. Because there was something really there.”
McCarthy later stated that Martin was in the wrong with his threats against White and the company.
“Management-wise, and what is done in getting the fight together and stuff, that’s not for you to ever put out to the public. It’s just stupid. It’s stupid to say, and it’s stupid to put that out as a threat to Dana and the UFC. Because look, the one person that’s suffering in all of this is Francis.”
Lewis and Gane are booked to headline UFC 265 on August 7.