April 10, 2010
April 8, 2010
UFC to Afghanistan
Dana White said that the UFC is planning on copying WWE's Tribute to the Troops idea by running a live show in Afghanistan in the next 3 months.
I wonder if Shane McMahon had anything to do with this?
March 7, 2010
UFC vs. Strikeforce is On! Echoes of Vince McMahon?
The UFC is planning on not only holding an event on April 17th, the same day as a Strikeforce show, they will also hold the event in the same city. With Mike Swick not partaking in the card all eyes turn to Kimbo Slice as a probable main event participant.
Certainly there a few people out there smiling at the irony of the UFC potentially using a fighter that Dana White often described as a "freak show" (plus other less savory comments) to counter an event that actually features meaningful fights between top level fighters, but hey, all is fair in love and war and clearly this is war to the UFC president.
WKR will wait until next week to dive into all the particulars (hopefully we will have more information then) but one item jumped to our attention thanks to Cage Side Seats. The pro-wrestling blog pointed out that this action by the UFC is directly out of Vince McMahon's playbook:
If it wasn't obvious before, it is now: Dana White idolizes Vince McMahon and loves to borrow from his playbook. According to Sherdog, he's about to lift one of the classics, as the planned UFC Ultimate Fight Night card on Spike TV that will oppose Strike Force's CBS special from Nashville on April 17th may take place in...Nashville.
Back in the late '80s and early '80s, running against major shows from Jim Crockett Promotions and then (after JCP was bought by Turner Broadcasting) World Championship Wrestling was something that McMahon had down to a science. The WWF would get prime tenant status for wrestling in major arenas, forcing JCP/WCW to run in a smaller or less desirable building.
As PPV events became more important, McMahon got more creative. The night before a WCW PPV event, the WWF would run a house show in the same city. If it was possible, they'd use the same arena. These shows would run incredibly long so as to hurt the walk-up ticket sales and keep the fans from getting lively at the PPV event, giving the impression of a dead show. If the shows were in the same building, then the WCW crew would be delayed in setting up the building.
WKR can't wait for Kimbo Slice to roll up to the Strikeforce show in a tank with a DX-UFC shirt. And people say there isn't a pro-wrestling MMA crossover.
source: watchkalibrun.com
February 23, 2010
UFC Debuts Live on the Big Screen Nationwide in HD with UFC 111
For the first time in UFC history, UFC fans can head to their local movie theater and take in all the action in the Octagon(TM), live and broadcast in high definition on the big screen starting with UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy on Saturday, March 27 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern / 7:00 p.m. Pacific.
Dana White, UFC President, announced the UFC has closed a deal with NCM Fathom to present a series of live UFC fights in more than 300 select movie theaters nationwide, as well as plans to have UFC fighters host screenings in various markets...More?
source: marketwatch.com
February 5, 2010
Refusal to Follow Rules Keeps Nick Diaz Out of UFC
Maybe Nick Diaz should take a hint from Triple H or Queen: Just play the game.
After winning Strikeforce's welterweight belt last weekend, Diaz singled out top-ranked 17o-pounder Georges St. Pierre as a desirable opponent. Unfortunately for Diaz, St. Pierre works exclusively for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Diaz used to fight in UFC, going 6-4 for the organization from 2003 to 2006. UFC President Dana White still considers him a high-caliber fighter.
But Diaz's unwillingness to abide by certain behavioral norms makes him a tough sell for UFC at this point, White said:
White was speaking to a group of reporters after the UFC 109 press conference on Thursday.
Diaz has a history of edgy behavior. White cited a 2006 incident in which Diaz and Joe Riggs got into a fight at the hospital after their official fight in the cage ended...More?
source: usa today
January 20, 2010
Recap of the Press Conference with UFC President Dana White and Brock Lesnar
White said Lesnar was only fighting at 60 percent of his potential for a year. Brock said his body couldn't get enough nutrients. "This stuff doesn't just come over night," he said. "I've had it for a while." Lesnar said his stomach essentially exploded and that's what put him in the hospital.
Lesnar said doctors wanted to remove the bad part of his colon. He said he would have had a colostomy bag for six to eight weeks and then they would have had to put his colon back together in a second surgery. He said he probably would have retired if he had undergone that surgery.
White said Shane Carwin and Frank Mir will fight for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship. He said that if something happens to the winner of that fight and he was unable to fight, Lesnar would face the winner of Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira...More?
source: prowrestling.net
January 4, 2010
Dana White Comments on Competing with WWE
"And I respect this guy. I like Vince McMahon. I’ve had breakfast with him. He’s a good guy, but he is a (expletive) animal. I’m not trying to beat him on Monday night. I don’t think we would beat them. Those guys pull killer ratings. It’s been like the highest rated show on television forever. We’re just putting a fight on Monday night because Spike wants us to. I think we’re two totally different, pro wrestling is totally different than the UFC and mixed martial arts"...More?
source: mmaweekly.com
December 18, 2009
UFC Vs. WWE – Can Dana White Out McMahon Vince?
A few years back no-one would dare make this comparison, but these days it seems to be something that maybe needs to be discussed a little more. The UFC scene has long looked down its nose at the professional wrestling world, at least in the sense of the much hyped athleticism. Wrestlers are workers, for sure, but in terms of how dangerous they would be in the octagon – forget it. No matter how many tables Cactus Jack has been thrown through, he's still gonna tap on a well executed armbar, or get pounded defenseless against the right striker. Forget how much he loves the pain, his brain loves oxygen and a well set rear naked choke is going to take his ability to operate a sock puppet away – quickly...More?
source: tvovermind.com
November 23, 2009
November 19, 2009
November 15, 2009
Shane McMahon Meeting with UFC; TUF Expanding Globally
MMAjunkie.com is reporting that Dana White is looking to expand "The Ultimate Fighter" Series internationally:
"My job is over the next 10 years, the same game of soccer that we play in the U.S. is the same game they play in Canada, Mexico, Spain Italy, France, etc., and that's what we're doing with mixed martial arts right now," White said. "Everywhere you go all over the world, it's the same sport, and everybody plays by the same rules. We're trying to get these television deals in all these countries, major TV deals exposing the fans to it, then you bring a live event to those places. Then the virus spreads and people start training at it, trying to make a living at it, eventually becoming professional athletes. That's what we're going to do over the next 10 years.Dave Metzler is reporting that Shane McMahon recently met with White at the UFC offices. White isn't commenting on the meeting.
"How do we plug this whole thing in with television and how to watch it everywhere? We're trying to figure that whole thing out and build that now. But the groundwork for this thing is 'The Ultimate Fighter,' and we've been working it very hard, and we're making it happen. 'The Ultimate Fighter' is going to be all over the world. That's the goal."
With McMahon leaving his position as EVP of Global Media, where he oversaw the WWE's international offices and television distribution, could there be a connection here?
November 14, 2009
Lesnar vs. Carwin Fight Off; Lesnar Very Ill
UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has already re-scheduled his bout with Shane Carwin twice. Now it appears to be off indefinitely. At Saturday night's UFC 105 post-event press conference, UFC president Dana White said the mononucleosis that had been bothering Lesnar is still present, but the champ is now suffering a new set of illnesses, as well.
"I am worried about it. I can't really talk about it right now, but he is in rough shape. He's in really bad shape. I'm actually probably going to fly to go see him, and we're going to probably have to do some stuff to take care of this guy. He is not well, and he's not getting any better."
White said he wasn't sure how serious the new illnesses were and whether they could be career- or even life-threatening.
"I don't know. I've got to get him to one of these really good hospitals with really good doctors to figure out what's wrong and how we get him better."
White said Lesnar collapsed while spending time on a retreat in Canada and was checked into a hospital.
source: mmajunkie.com
October 27, 2008
October 8, 2008
UFC boss sets mob drama at Spike
Men's cable network Spike TV has put a hit out on the Irish mob, ordering a two-hour drama pilot that will shoot in Boston this fall.
The film is the brainchild of Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the host of Spike's series "The Ultimate Fighter." White said he came up with the idea about three years ago and brought Chris Bertolini ("The General's Daughter") on board to write the script...More?
source: reuters.com
June 18, 2008
Lorenzo Fertitta to run the UFC with Dana White
Lorenzo Fertitta will be stepping down from the company to assume the role of chairman and chief executive of Zuffa LLC...More?
source: lasvegassun.com
June 10, 2008
Dana White Speaks on new UFC action figures, the WWE and Floyd Mayweather
UFC president Dana White and Brock Lesnar appeared on CNBC's "Power Lunch" to show off the company's new line of action figures. A graphic noted that the company signed a four-year deal with Jakks Pacific.
The hosts of the show asked White whether there is any truth to the rumor that he is on the verge of announcing that he has signed Floyd Mayweather to a UFC deal. "No," he responded with a laugh. He also shot down another rumor that WWE was going to become a minority partner and take over sales and marketing.
source: prowrestling.net
Action figures? I didn't know about this. I might have to get a Randy Couture one!
View the action figures here.
May 30, 2008
What The F**k Is Dana White Fighting For?
How a street-brawling, trash-talking hustler from Las Vegas turned the Ultimate Fighting Championship into the fastest-growing sport in America...More?
source: rollingstone.com
May 16, 2008
Dana White please step up and take care of your fighters
There has been an outcry lately by a lot of MMA fans, myself included, for Dana White and the UFC to step up and pay their fighters better. The top draws make the best money but it still fails to meet the standards set by some of the boxing pay-outs. I do like the fact that fighters get bonuses for winning the fight and of course they get paid from their sponsors which is a great source of revenue for them...More?
source: mvn.com
November 13, 2007
Dana White and Randy Couture Schedule Meeting
After faxing his resignation in October, Randy Couture has agreed to a face-to-face meeting with Dana White. More?
