Dana White rips Jason Aldean for turning down UFC 216 invitation: ‘Stay out of Vegas’

UFC president Dana White is not happy with Jason Aldean, the country singer who was performing when the mass shooting happened in Las Vegas last weekend.

UFC president Dana White tried to honor the Las Vegas shooting victims and give his city a lift during UFC 216 last night. They had 1500 first responders at the show, gave some of the survivors an introduction in the Octagon, and had Everlast sing America The Beautiful. They also aired a spirited promo from Dana before the PPV started, talking about Vegas and how much it meant to him.

Unfortunately, his passion may have gone a bit overboard when he found out about Jason Aldean performing on Saturday Night Live.

White had originally asked Aldean, who was performing at the time that the mass shooting took place, to sing the national anthem at UFC 216. Aldean’s camp turned the offer down, stating that Aldean was understandably apprehensive about returning to Las Vegas and said he might never perform again.

But then there he was on SNL, at the same time UFC 216 was airing. And White told TMZ how furious he was about it:

“His image was more important then coming back to Vegas and playing for the people who are his fans and who got shot watching him play.

“F—k you Jason Aldean. Stay out of Vegas.”

Dana also stated that the offer was extended to other country music stars, but he was rebuffed by all of them:

“Country music was attacked. Those were country music fans.”

“Those are people who buy your albums and none of you country music people could sing the anthem in front of survivors and first responders?”

Eventually he got his buddy Everlast to step in, who chose to sing America the Beautiful over the national anthem due in part to the more uplifting lyrics.

UFC president Dana White is not happy with Jason Aldean, the country singer who was performing when the mass shooting happened in Las Vegas last weekend.

UFC president Dana White tried to honor the Las Vegas shooting victims and give his city a lift during UFC 216 last night. They had 1500 first responders at the show, gave some of the survivors an introduction in the Octagon, and had Everlast sing America The Beautiful. They also aired a spirited promo from Dana before the PPV started, talking about Vegas and how much it meant to him.

Unfortunately, his passion may have gone a bit overboard when he found out about Jason Aldean performing on Saturday Night Live.

White had originally asked Aldean, who was performing at the time that the mass shooting took place, to sing the national anthem at UFC 216. Aldean’s camp turned the offer down, stating that Aldean was understandably apprehensive about returning to Las Vegas and said he might never perform again.

But then there he was on SNL, at the same time UFC 216 was airing. And White told TMZ how furious he was about it:

“His image was more important then coming back to Vegas and playing for the people who are his fans and who got shot watching him play.

“F—k you Jason Aldean. Stay out of Vegas.”

Dana also stated that the offer was extended to other country music stars, but he was rebuffed by all of them:

“Country music was attacked. Those were country music fans.”

“Those are people who buy your albums and none of you country music people could sing the anthem in front of survivors and first responders?”

Eventually he got his buddy Everlast to step in, who chose to sing America the Beautiful over the national anthem due in part to the more uplifting lyrics.