The UFC head honcho admits he made a no-no.
Last night (Sat., Dec. 16, 2023), during UFC 296, which took place inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the two UFC 297 headliners, Middleweight champion Sean Strickland and No. 1 contender Dricus Du Plessis got into a wild brawl in the crowd (watch it here).
No one knew why the two Middleweights were seated so close to each other, especially after the heated 2024 Seasonal Press Conference on Fri.
Well, we know now. It was a screw-up by UFC CEO Dana White.
“So, what kind of an asshole sits Strickland next to Du Plessis? This asshole [White points to himself]. That’s who,” White told the media during the UFC 296 post-fight press conference (watch here). “I do every sitting assignment every week. How f—king stupid is that? I mean, seriously. Well, I don’t know what humans you can sit Strickland next to, but definitely not Du Plessis. I don’t even know how I missed that.”
This is the business we’re in; I say it all the time. I jumped in there and told Strickland to relax and go in the back. He decided to leave, so he left the arena, and Du Plessis is good… we’re in the fight business, and these are the things that happen.”
White was later asked if he considered fining the two Middleweights after the brawl.
“No,” White said. “It’s my job to make sure that stuff doesn’t happen if I wasn’t an asshole, those two wouldn’t have to sit next to each other. It just blows my mind that I let that slip. That just blows my mind.”
Strickland and Du Plessis collide next month for the Middleweight championship in Toronto, Canada, and it has gotten much more heated.
For complete UFC 296 results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.