UFC President Dana White says he's outraged that Strikeforce has signed former football star Herschel Walker to make his MMA debut at age 47, and he ripped Strikeforce's TV partner, Showtime, for engaging in a gimmick that makes the sport look bad.
"I think it's ridiculous," White told Mike Chiappetta on the Inside The Ultimate Fighter podcast. "People think we're anti-competition? We're anti-dumb competition. Doing stupid things like this, putting a 50-year-old guy in the Octagon for the first time, and then going out there putting out press releases like it's a big deal because you signed a 50-year-old Herschel Walker? Are you serious?"
White suggested that Strikeforce's partnership with Showtime has changed the way it does business, for the worse.
"Strikeforce is a small, little, regional show," White said. "The geniuses over at Showtime, these guys are the most arrogant, cocky, pompous jackasses I've ever met in my whole life."
Noting that Walker has no experience as a fighter, White questioned whether a suitable opponent could be found for him, and he questioned whether the fight would be sanctioned at all.
"Which athletic commission is going to let this guy fight?" White asked. "Who the f**k are they going to find to fight Herschel Walker? A guy in a wheelchair?"
In reality, athletic commissions sanction fighters with no experience all the time: Everyone has to start with an 0-0 record. And while it's true that not many of those fighters are 47 years old, not many of them are world-class athletes, either. If Strikeforce wants to make the Walker fight happen, it can find a sanctioning body and an opponent to make it happen.
But that doesn't mean White has to like it. Said White of Strikeforce's decision to put Walker in the cage, "It's completely disrespectful to the sport."What do you think off Herschel Walker fighting for Strikeforce? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.
Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Herschel walker is a stupid publicity stunt I admit but Dana shouldn't be talking...He still throws guys like Coleman and Couture in the ring... who cares if theyre trained?
Coleman is 44, has had 25 fights, and won his last outing.
Couture is a multiple champion in 2 different weight classes. Don't forget that Couture was the heavyweight champion of the UFC only 1 year ago.
Not exactly the same situation.
White said "The geniuses over at Showtime, these guys are the most arrogant, cocky, pompous jackasses I've ever met in my whole life.">>>>WOW! Coming from Dana White, that`s saying something! A 47 yo ex-champ is one thing; a 47yo amateur is irresponsible at best. What happens when Walker has a heart attack after the bout?? Showtime willing to risk killing an NFL legend ??
Who gives a crap. The whole MMA thing is pretty much over already anyway.
It was hot for 15 min. and now it's going away.
Who Cares one way or the other.
Let White fight Herschel
The Walker move is a mistake, agreed, but Dana has to be the most pompous of all, & he's put some "tomato can" fighters out there in his day as well. There are several fighters that are past their competitive prime, but they still draw fans, so he puts them on a card. And is Kimbo on Ultimate Fighter because he's one of the top 16 contenders around??.....I don't think so,..and how old is he, looks older than Herschel!!
Is Walker a true world-class MMA artist? I doubt it! But besides being a world-class athlete he also is a high-level black belt in TKD--the sort of thing the early UFC would gladly have put on. It's a one-dimensionality that MMA has shown doesn't measure up, but MMA fighters all have to start somewhere, and even now we still see that at first when an Olympic judoka or wrestler makes the move. It is a little silly that Strikeforce can play off the name to hype what is essentially an entry level bout, true, but other than that this is legitimate. If Walker has what it takes to quickly learn and improve, we'll see more of him; if not, as is likely the case, he'll make a game showing but fizzle. Still, everyone started somewhere, and he starts further along than most.
Pathetic, the guy is 1 yr older than Couture. I think its silly however Walker is in much better shape than any of the 40+ year olds in the UFC. Dana is always blowing things out of proportion. He is so chessy sometimes.
put the guy in with a real mma fighter and watch some of that bouncey tkd footwork, can anyone say schlaaam... walker will get clued in real quick. heres a wake up call on what a tkd black belt means in mma.
hate to say it but white is right, no matter how hypocritical it is coming from his mouth.
wow!
something really weird happened, i posted a reply, it took i saw it and then it disappeared.
basically, i thought it was funny that i was agreeing with everyone on this topic......
epsecially mrhideous, hsiunnu, and kevin just below.
and you (richard) and then i continued with a rant against dana as well....lets see if i can remember it.
yes, dana is being totally over the top on this one.
disrepectful to the sport?
what are you talking about?
indeed your just pissed, that you didn't get walker first and milk it for all you could.
you know how much i like dana for what he has done and accomplished for mma.
however, on this one i say, f#$k you, dana.
Dana is just mad cause he knows Walker will bring in some football fans, its the same thing with kimbo he said he sucked and wouldnt last in the ufc but the first chance he got he signed him up for TUF, same with fedor the only reason he says he isnt that good is because hes not in the UFC but if he ever does join he will shoot up to danas #1 P4P, dana is all talk he just wants money and all the other organizations to fall
You should pay attention. White has always said, regarding Kimbo, that the only way he'd get into the UFC is through TUF.
Are you going to question the legitimacy of the fighters coming off of TUF?
I was mentored a long time ago never to burn bridges in the media (or in life in general). I am not sure if Dana White was taught any manners at all. His foul mouth and his hatred for anyone, or any organization other than the UFC and its' affilliates is astounding. The ZUFFA people are going to have to reel him in or they are going to take a big hit by someone like Walker. This guy was a world-class track and field star and a NFL great. He also has an agent and a lot of lawyers ready to pounce on someone like White. OK, Walker doesn't know MMA but Dana is making a lot of enemies very quickly--not too smart Dana.
PUT HIM IN WITH ONE OF THE LEGENDS LIKE TANK ABBOTT KEN SHAMROCK OR EVEN KIMO I AGREE WITH DANA THIS TIME HELL LET HIM FIGHT KIMBO SLICE......
This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Hey Dana White, get some balls and grow some hair!
Disrespectful to the "sport"...Really ??
And what about the god fearing "fans" and their precious children that pay to watch these knuckle dragging Neanderthals? I'm sure they're offended as well. Small wonder they don't believe in evolution.
So you call George St. Pierre, BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson a bunch of knuckle-dragging Neanderthals? Oh and you do realize that the vast majority of fighters in MMA are college educated? Rather than paying attention to the bottom feeders you should really take the time to look at the class acts towards the top (minus Brock Lesnar, I really think this guy is a disgrace to the Heavyweight division with his idiotic antics).The more you study the more you start realizing the true martial artists are the ones at the top. You don't see Anderson Silva swinging wild haymakers and acting like some prick (ask Forrest Griffin what happens when you charge this man with haymakers).
Dana White got a big head, his head grew just like Barry Bonds. Must be steroids.
Who is Dana White?