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Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:20 am EDT

Dana White: ESPN's E:60 piece will be a hatchet job

By Steve Cofield

ESPN's investigative show, E60, has a huge story in place for May 12. The investigation done by staffer Tom Farrey was filmed live at UFC 94. That was until Dana White's infamous vlog where he slurred gays and a female blogger. ESPN had to turn to Plan B and send the crew back on the road for UFC 97.

Apparently, there's a new angle to the ESPN investigation of the UFC, and White thinks he knows what's coming after sitting down for a second interview with Farrey at UFC 97 Saturday night in Montreal:

"You think that's going to be a big positive story on Dana White? But I don't care. It is what it is," White told Cage Writer.

White thinks he knows exactly what the angle will be:

"'Dana White is this foul-mouthed, lunatic who got the company to this point (but) is he the guy who can take it to the next level? Will he be around?' That's going to be the tone of this thing?"

Watch Cage Writer with White as he comments on the ESPN interview (2:20 mark):

It sounds like White was anything but apologetic during his ESPN sitdown. He mentions during his UFC 97 fight night vlog (5:39 mark of vlog) that UFC PR was uncomfortable with what he was saying and how it was coming off. White says that the PR people tried to shutdown the interview (6:18 mark of vlog) and got caught on ESPN cameras trying to do so, saying it led to a huge brou-ha-ha between ESPN and UFC PR.

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40 Comments

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  1. Instant Money
    1. Posted by Instant Money Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:08 pm EDT

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    I'm not going to say that I'm first, so I will just type it. FIRST SUUNNNNN!!! The problem with the UFC is, the good matchups are too far and in between. Then people waste their money on sorry PPVs. Then Dana gets the attention instead of the fighters. Put some faster fights together and lets have some fun. Silva could fight again next weak, he wasn't hurt. Josh Koscheck fights all the time. DO IT, DO IT!
  2. TheTruth
    2. Posted by TheTruth Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    Doesn't sound like a "hatchet job" to me, unless you're talking about White and the UFC PR team taking the hatchet to themselves and then trying to get out of it by pre-emptively attacking the upcoming ESPN story.
  3. KJ - MMA Armchair
    3. Posted by KJ - MMA Armchair Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    It probably will be a hatchet job. Dana's criticised ESPN in the past for their relationship with Sherdog, and also how E60 will do a feature on Kimbo Slice, but not on someone like GSP, BJ Penn, Randy Couture etc. They only did one on Brock Lesnar because of his pro wrestling background, and got him to walk out on the interview by purposely asking him about steroids when it had been agreed prior they wouldn't ask, since he's answered countless times in the past.
    ESPN, like all other outlets, have their own agenda. They're not a source of objective journalism.
  4. ARodOfIron
    4. Posted by ARodOfIron Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    man... dana white gives off a real michael corleone vibe on this one... the parallels could be endless too...
  5. Nutcracker
    5. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    Dana was a soft touch in the ring. He gets a little power, and obviously cant handle it. The UFC has sucked lately from its PPV's to what Dana White has said. The UFC was successful in spite of Dana. It can no longer breath with a tumor in the lungs. Dana caught a strong head wind, but has no idea how to guide the ship. I always said he was a failure in boxing in every sense, what makes anyone think he can guide the gem dropped in his lap anywhere but down.?? He is a hack
    KJ MMA... So Cofield is a a source of "objective journalism"?? He presents a fair picture of all things UFC??? LMAO.. Semantics are a funny thing.
  6. Nutcracker
    6. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    That should be the "tone of this thing"... He is obviously way out over his skis. I would say the Fertittas should take control, but they, like Dana, were dropped a gem in their lap with their Casinos. Dana had the smarts to buy the UFC, but he cant figure out how to shift the gears.. Take away the keys.......
  7. Nutcracker
    7. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    UFC PR?? What is the PR for ?? People Removers?? What happens in Vegas, well you know..
  8. Nutcracker
    8. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    Way to go STEVE!!! Get out in front of this one and try to discredit it and do your own 'hatchet job'.. Good boy Steve, good boy... Here's your UFC bone..........Good boy........ That Dana bio may just have you as a co author after all. You are doing good work, as a PR guy yourself. I guess you are the post modern form of a , "journalist".
  9. KJ - MMA Armchair
    9. Posted by KJ - MMA Armchair Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    #5, I said "like all other outlets". This site has an agenda too. Where did you ever think I said Cofield was an objective journalist? Clearly he's not with his obsession with greasegate and an apparent bias for Penn and against St. Pierre. He's subjective, just like everyone else.
    And I've always believed that what works now, or has worked to this point, is no guarantee that it will work to take you successfully into the future. Often at times I've felt maybe Dana White has served his purpose, but that's only going on the little we hear about him - through subjective journalism.
    My nickname has always been a reflection of where we all stand when it comes to opinion: we're just armchair critics at the end of the day.
  10. Nutcracker
    10. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    KJ MMA.. Well said. I mistook you for a 'fan' of Cofields brand of journalism. I stand corrected.
  11. Nutcracker
    11. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    Cage Writer should be renamed Danas' Writer..
  12. Shaun
    12. Posted by Shaun Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    Interesting comments, #10. I too am starting to question whether Dana White can do anymore for the UFC. He's a great promoter, but I think sometimes his comments start to wear a bit thin with fans and non-fans alike.
  13. Hulkster
    13. Posted by Hulkster Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

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    I say Dania should change his dirty diaper then he will feel Better. Hes to back up with POOpoo.
  14. A Yahoo! User
    14. Posted by A Yahoo! User Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    You know me personally, Never had a problem with Dana Whites foul mouth, but I realize that more and more Kids are watching this, you can talk like that and make it seem like this is how grown ups act? WTF is that, how many parents would let thier kids watch this knowing when dan whites dropping the F bomb 40 times of blog. Thats more detrimental to the sport than anderson silva refusing to fight (seeing as hes the champ he doesnt have to engage if he doenst have to, basically he was giving dan white an Up Yours, because now Anderson Silvas in control)
  15. g e
    15. Posted by g e Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    Umm ... no one watches ESPN E 60, thus, nothing they do is "huge"
  16. momowheeler
    16. Posted by momowheeler Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:25 pm EDT

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    I think White is about two steps away from cutting his own ear off...
  17. yep thats me
    17. Posted by yep thats me Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:26 pm EDT

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    You know UFC was around a long time before ESPN was ever interested in them or MMA in general, and if ESPN fell off the face of the planet tomorrow UFC and Dana would still be around, they made it for years without the douche bags and can keep going for a lot longer without them, so f@#k ESPN.
  18. Nutcracker
    18. Posted by Nutcracker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    Yep thats...... Wrong. ESPN was around a long time before MMA and UFC. It is great for Dana to be a badass and say FU to media outlets. If Dana wants to grow the sport, he will need to build bridges with media outlets, especially the major sports ones like ESPN. It sounds cavalier and rebellious to say FU to ESPN, but it will do nothing to grow his sport. I like it the way it is now. Attempts to mainstream it and make Anderson Silva a mainstream star have been awful. Two bad PPV performances, Chuck is done. Dana doesn't need enemies, he needs good cards and some good press. And I dont mean blogs like this with a readership of the converted. Lately, Dana cant seem to get out of his own way, whether with foot in mouth, or lame PPV cards.
  19. brian m
    19. Posted by brian m Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Theres nobody in pro sports with a better heart than Dana White, garuntee espn won't show the wounded veteran he brought up from waler reid to see the show and hang out with the stars. They didnt mention when he organized the fight for the troops in november that raised millions for wounded veterans. Unlike the NFL and MLB Dana doesnt do that stuff for pr and run ufc cares commercials every two minutes. ESPN is only starting to cover mma because of the popularity it has gained. Most of their reporters know nothing about mma their coverage of mma totally sucks besides mma live with kenflo wich is only aired online once a week.
  20. team hughes
    20. Posted by team hughes Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    no dana white i don't think you do get it. Why don't you try cooperating with other mma divisions such as elite xc, or affliction, or koc. Create an overall champion in all divisions. Upgrade the level of competition. If you were to take the best fighters in all the different leagues and put them against each other people would pay more money to see it. Dana white is doing pretty good right now and will continue too but he could do better. Quite talking about how fedor isn't the number one pound for pound and give him some money to come to the ufc. Did you see what he made his last figh? thats a joke for being the best in the world. It seems like the smaller league fights are better now than the ufc. Elite xc last week. 7 fights 6 kos 1 submission on television that aired. UFC 6 fights 1ko 1 submission. Is that because ufc guys aren't trying as hard? Is it because ufc guys are smarter in the ring? Answer that someone. Why has the last 2 ufc pay per views been so bad?
  21. knuckle sandwich
    21. Posted by knuckle sandwich Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    who cares? Knuckles is going to flip the script here for a second.....
    I was reading the inside story on Cyborg taking of "its" bikini to try and take off 5 lbs on MMA Weekly....
    so anyways "it" is standing there buck naked and she looks around and there is not a soul in the whole room with "it" but "it's" husband. EVERYONE had vacated. LMFAO!.
    I seem to recall that perv Shaw trying to sneak at peek at my girl Gina when she had to strip down to her birthday suit to try to and make weight..... Cyborg strips down and she had to tackle her husband to get him to stay.LMAO
  22. David S
    22. Posted by David S Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:00 pm EDT

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    Dana's got to learn that if he wants UFC to grow, it needs some mainstream exposure, and constantly fighting with the media isn't going to get him mainstream exposure.
  23. aaron1usa@...
    23. Posted by aaron1usa@... Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:30 pm EDT

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    Dana White got the UFC where its at today and whos to say where he willl take it? hes doing a damn good job if u ask me. the fights have been great recently, its just that the new fans that are getting into this sport expect eveything to end in bloodshed. the only reason that fights are getting slower is because everyones getting better at it. and honestly, i've never seen one homosexual watching this sport. so he ereally shouldnt give a damn what they think. haha
  24. Mark S
    24. Posted by Mark S Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    Easy for all you knuckleheads to pile on Dana since things are bad now - two bad cards and the anti-gay video. UFC is still doing very well considering the general state of the economy. Dana will be fine. And the UFC will continue to thrive - if they can make good bouts and get the guys to fight! - without ESPN's approval. Like g e said no one watches E:60 - this isn't going to hurt a bit. The people who will be outraged are not and would never be UFC fans.

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