Dana White’s trip to South Korea is off.
In October, lightweight MMA prospect Dorobshokn Nabotov made headlines when he asked White for an opportunity to compete in the UFC during a Q&A session in Abu Dhabi. White asked for Nabatov’s age and record before inviting him on stage and directing him to the back.
Nabotov didn’t score himself a fight inside the Octagon, but he did land a spot on a card in South Korea against Matheus Camilo under the ZFN banner.
White later vowed to attend the event and potentially sign Nabotov as part of his ‘Lookin’ For a Fight‘ series — so long as Nabotov wins, or at the very least looks impressive.
Unfortunately, White will no longer be on hand to see Nabotov’s fight firsthand.
On Tuesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law to eliminate “anti-state” elements. More specifically, his political opposition which he accused of aligning with communist North Korea. Six hours later, the National Assembly voted to lift the martial law as protests and calls for Yoon’s resignation rang throughout the country.
According to ZFN, White will no longer attend the event, implying that the political turmoil sweeping the country has resulted in the UFC CEO being barred from entering South Korea at this time.
“Due to the declaration of martial law in South Korea on December 3, Dana White, who was scheduled to attend ZFN 02 on December 14, will unfortunately no longer be able to attend the event,” the promotion wrote in a translated post on its official Instagram. “We sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to his visit. ZFN will do its best to invite Dana White to a future event. Thank you for your understanding.”
Spokesperson for ZFN says Dana White chose to cancel their trip to south korea
However, a spokesperson for ZFN claimed that White and his team decided to cancel their plans to attend the fight card due to the declaration of martial law rather than because he was barred from entering the country.
“Following the Korean government’s proclamation of martial law on Dec. 3 citing national security concerns, White and his team decided to cancel the trip after discussions with ZFN organizers.”
