Outspoken UFC President Dana White again defended his fighters’ right to free speech noting that he had treated pro-Trump fighter Colby Covington and Black Lives Matter supporter Tyron Woodley with the same respect.
White took his stance during a podcast discussion with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Dana White Takes A Stand … For Everyone
“We had a guy early on when the COVID thing started, Tyron Woodley. He came out in Black Lives Matter everything. I think he had Black Lives Matter socks on, covered head to toe in Black Lives Matter,” White said.
White is referencing a pre-fight incident between Woodley and Covington in 2020.
“At the press conference leading up to his fight, they would ask him a question and he would say, ‘Black Lives Matter.’ They’d ask him anouther one – ‘Black Lives Matter,’” the UFC President explained. “I didn’t say shit to him, knock yourself out.”
UFC fighter Tyron Woodley REALLY wants to let you know that BLACK LIVES MATTER! 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Ej1ZNZwQVV
— Shawnasaurus Rex (@ShawnG927) September 19, 2020
Dana White notes that Covington, as a MAGA supporter, is on the “complete opposite of the spectrum” and he didn’t try to rein in either man.
“This is America. Everybody can have their own opinion. I’m not telling anybody what to do, what to say, what to think, how to feel. We’re human beings in America, do your thing, knock yourself out, I’ve got the platform,” he continued. “People get pissed off, people get offended, people get this and that. We just had it happen with Sean Strickland.”
Strickland made some controversial remarks to a Canadian reporter who tried to get him to apologize for his personal beliefs regarding how he would feel if he had a gay son. Needless to say, he didn’t say ‘sorry.’
Idk who this guy is and I don't care but you're not a man… But you'd take that as a compliment….. pic.twitter.com/PMR1h4Yp7K
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 17, 2024
“We’re up in Canada. Sean Strickland said a lot of things. I don’t agree with 95 percent of what this guy says, but it’s his right to say it,” White told Ramaswamy. “And if you don’t like it, tune in on Saturday night, he’s gonna get punched in the face.”
“If you don’t like him, you get to see him get punched in the face, so there you go. Don’t get too upset and don’t take it too serious.”
Strickland did, in fact, get punched in the face, losing his middleweight championship to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 via a split decision.
Dana White disagreed with the judges’ decision stating his belief that Strickland won the decisive fifth round after an even four rounds before that.
