While UFC, Endeavor and TBS were silent, ESPN directed Bloody Elbow back to UFC for comment on Dana White
On Monday, TMZ released a video of UFC president Dana White slapping his wife, Anne, while the couple was out on New Year’s Eve in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. TMZ also released an interview where White spoke about the incident. While White had something to say, the UFC, Endeavor and TBS, who will broadcast White’s Power Slap events, have all been silent.
As for the UFC’s broadcast partner ESPN, it offered a statement to Bloody Elbow that left a lot to be desired.
When asked for comment ESPN, who is reportedly in its final year of a broadcasting partnership deal with the UFC, told Bloody Elbow they simply handle “distribution” of UFC content.
“UFC comms can best help you on your inquiry. Reminder: ESPN does the distribution and UFC produces the content,” ESPN responded via email.
The UFC, Endeavor, and TBS did not respond to our request for comment.
As for White, he told TMZ, “There was definitely a lot of alcohol involved, but that’s no excuse. I am making no excuses for this at all. It’s never happened before. It was the first time. I don’t know why it happened. My wife and I apologized to each other. We apologized to our kids.”
In 2014, in the aftermath of then-Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice assaulting his then-fiancée, White said, “There’s one thing that you never bounce back from and that’s putting your hands on a woman. Been that way in the UFC since we started here. You don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman.”
Support for survivors of domestic violence can be found from the following organizations:
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