Dana White says Claudia Gadelha’s late punch a ‘totally different scenario’ than Paul Daley’s

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Claudia Gadelha and Joanna Jedrzejczyk shared more than a few strong words throughout UFC on FOX 13’s fight week, and those harsh feelings didn’t stop once the fight ended.

In a scene reminiscent of Paul Daley’s infamous sucker punch of Josh Koscheck, Gadelha whacked Jedrzejczyk with a right hook several seconds after the horn signaled the end of Saturday’s strawweight contender fight.

Daley was immediately exiled from the UFC for his actions back in 2010. However this time around UFC President Dana White elected not to take the same route with Gadelha, in large part because of the way the Brazilian showed remorse after the illegal blow.

“People were going crazy on that one,” White said at UFC on FOX 13’s post-fight press conference. “‘She hit her after the bell, she did this, she did that.’ And then of course everybody goes back to Daley. ‘You kicked Daley out for that.’ The difference is this: when Daley did it to Koscheck, I was in there, and I went up to Daley because he was getting pulled around, and he didn’t care. He didn’t give a s**t. He looked right at me and said he didn’t care.

“As soon as [Gadelha] did it to [Jedrzejczyk], she reached her hand out and she apologized to her. She said ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ She apologized.”

Jedrzejczyk ultimately got the last laugh anyway, stunning the heavy favorite Gadelha to capture a split decision on the judges’ scorecards.

The upset win could potentially earn Jedrzejczyk a title shot against newly crowned UFC champion Carla Esparza. White, meanwhile, dismissed the idea of punishing Gadelha further for her actions.

“Those two had a war,” he said. “They’re in the heat of a battle. She landed a kick and then the bell rang, and then she hit her with a punch. And then she completely apologized for doing it. Totally different scenario (than Daley).”

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Claudia Gadelha and Joanna Jedrzejczyk shared more than a few strong words throughout UFC on FOX 13’s fight week, and those harsh feelings didn’t stop once the fight ended.

In a scene reminiscent of Paul Daley’s infamous sucker punch of Josh Koscheck, Gadelha whacked Jedrzejczyk with a right hook several seconds after the horn signaled the end of Saturday’s strawweight contender fight.

Daley was immediately exiled from the UFC for his actions back in 2010. However this time around UFC President Dana White elected not to take the same route with Gadelha, in large part because of the way the Brazilian showed remorse after the illegal blow.

“People were going crazy on that one,” White said at UFC on FOX 13’s post-fight press conference. “‘She hit her after the bell, she did this, she did that.’ And then of course everybody goes back to Daley. ‘You kicked Daley out for that.’ The difference is this: when Daley did it to Koscheck, I was in there, and I went up to Daley because he was getting pulled around, and he didn’t care. He didn’t give a s**t. He looked right at me and said he didn’t care.

“As soon as [Gadelha] did it to [Jedrzejczyk], she reached her hand out and she apologized to her. She said ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ She apologized.”

Jedrzejczyk ultimately got the last laugh anyway, stunning the heavy favorite Gadelha to capture a split decision on the judges’ scorecards.

The upset win could potentially earn Jedrzejczyk a title shot against newly crowned UFC champion Carla Esparza. White, meanwhile, dismissed the idea of punishing Gadelha further for her actions.

“Those two had a war,” he said. “They’re in the heat of a battle. She landed a kick and then the bell rang, and then she hit her with a punch. And then she completely apologized for doing it. Totally different scenario (than Daley).”