UFC CEO Dana White, a longtime friend and supporter of Donald Trump and his family, was a special guest on the Triggered podcast hosted by Donald Trump Jr., talking everything from politics to combat sports (plus a whole lot more).
Trump Jr. was able to snag White’s first reaction to the Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury boxing spectacle in Riyadh, where “The Predator” turned the combat sports world on its head with a commanding, 10-round performance for the ages.
Ngannou even put Fury on his keister in round three.
“The fact that he went 10 rounds with Tyson Fury is crazy,” White said (transcribed by MMA Fighting). “He just went 10 rounds with Tyson Fury, Conor [McGregor] made it 9 or 10 with Floyd, Anthony Pettis just beat Roy Jones Jr. — I know Roy is friggin’ 60 years old or whatever, but I don’t know what the hell is going on. It’s crazy. I didn’t see the fight, but the fact that he went 10 rounds is unbelievable.”
Oleksandr Usyk couldn’t seem to believe it, either.
“I don’t care,” White said when asked if Ngannou’s success would hurt the UFC brand. “Listen, these guys, at some point, everybody is going to move on. Everybody has to do what’s right for them and make money for their families, so whatever they’ve got to do, they’ve got to do.”
White was openly critical of Ngannou’s boxing aspirations and labeled “The Predator” the most “impossible” fighter he’s ever tried to negotiate with. The Cameroonian’s performance in Riyadh, however, may have opened the door for more MMA fighters with dreams of crossing over into the “sweet science.”
Just don’t expect White to be jumping back into the ring anytime soon.
“Every time I get on the phone with one of these boxing guys, I go, ‘What the f**k am I doing?’” White said. “Am I out of my mind? These guys are all horrible to deal with.”
Boxing has been struggling to maintain its presence on major networks over the last few years. After HBO Boxing closed up shop in back in late 2018, Showtime Sports announced the dissolution of its brand at the close of 2023 (more on that turn of events here).
Perhaps it’s time to resurrect this once-promising idea?
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
