Dana White praises ex-UFC fighter Phillipe Nover for 'kicking a--' as nurse during COVID-19 crisis
Former UFC fighter Phillipe Nover’s latest fight is in a Brooklyn hospital where he’s a registered nurse treating coronavirus patients. And it’s elicited praise from UFC president Dana White.
Dana White thanks nurse Nover
White shared the video with TMZ Sports, which shared it with the former featherweight fighter directly and posted the reaction on Monday.
“Dana White here. Hearing all the incredible things you’re doing on the front lines in New York City and ... you’re awesome kid. I have so much respect for not just you, but everybody who is part of the first responders and the medical staff who is taking care of everybody and putting yourself in harm’s way to help others.
“You were a stud on [‘The Ultimate Fighter’] and apparently you’re still kicking a--, my friend. Congratulations and thank you so much for all you’re doing for everybody. See you soon.”
Nover, 36, is a Brooklyn native with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who became known to MMA fans as “the next Anderson Silva,” a prophecy bestowed by White, after his appearance on “The Ultimate Fighter.”
He fought from 2008 through 2017 and went 12-8-1 before retiring.
Nover: COVID-19 crisis is ‘100 percent real’
TMZ Sports caught Nover’s reaction on camera. The former fighter said he wasn’t expecting the shoutout from White and that it was amazing to have the message out there from someone who was so supportive of his careers.
He also shared his hope that the message will show everyone how serious the COVID-19 pandemic is, especially in his home of New York.
“It’s hard to be on lockdown, especially when you’re used to going to a gym every day or used to going to work and just being out in the world.
“I hope to bring a more scientific and personal approach to what’s happening in the hospital because a lot of people are speculative to what’s exactly happening. This is real. ... This is 100 percent real and I’m glad I can actually help out.”
Nover has been a registered nurse for several years working in the Cath Lab, a part of the hospital focused on cardiology. He crossed over to the emergency room and intensive care units when COVID-19 began to spread, he told Damon Martin of MMA Fighting last month.
The UFC called off its events, but is still trying to find a way to hold fights. UFC heavyweight fighter Aleksei Oleinik incorrectly claimed this week that fighters “risk our health much more during fights and sparring than by getting infected with coronavirus.”
Nover got into healthcare to help people
He admitted to fear at first working near sick patients and detailed the issues with a lack of enough personal protective equipment, tests for sick individuals and an influx of patients on top of regular healthcare emergencies.
“As healthcare professionals in any environment within in the hospital, we’re what society counts on,” Nover said in late March, via MMA Fighting. “We have to provide healthcare to the community. So when it comes down to risking ourselves, we do it every day.
“I do see co-workers and friends, who have contracted the virus. My immediate co-workers, no one is in critical condition at this point. I’ve seen some nurses that got bad but not to the point of getting intubated. As far as putting myself on the line, I thought about it initially but I said sign me up. I got into healthcare to help people and this really is what our calling should be.”
New York state has 247,512 confirmed cases and 14,347 deaths as of Tuesday. The highest numbers are in Brooklyn, where 37,030 have tested positive and 3,261 have died of the virus.
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