The UFC broke its own record after a sold-out event in Sydney over the weekend, but it didn’t stop CEO Dana White from taking a parting shot at local media.
In the lead-up to UFC 312 at Qudos Bank Arena, local outlets took aim at US middleweight contender Sean Strickland after the fighter called Australia “communist” and slammed the country’s “pathetic” gun laws.
Shortly afterwards, The Daily Telegraph plastered Strickland’s face on the back of its newspaper with the caption: “Will someone please knock this guy out.”
Later in the week, White then appeared on Mark Bouris’ podcast with NSW Premier Chris Minns, which a Sydney Morning Herald editor wrote “made me feel physically sick” in an opinion piece.
Speaking at the official press conference following the event on Sunday night, White responded to the articles.
“Listen for a place that is so tough – everything on land and in the water can kill you – you have the biggest pussies I’ve ever seen in the media in my life,” White said.
“I saw a story where a guy was like, ‘I saw Dana do a podcast with the premier and it physically made me sick.’ Holy fucking shit. You guys have to have the biggest pussies of all time in the media here. Just for the record.”
Watch White’s full comments below from 18.07.
Strickland did not get knocked out as some may have hoped in the night’s main event, but he was thoroughly outclassed by the middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, across the five rounds, losing by unanimous decision in front of the 18,253 in attendance.
The co-main event also saw a dominant display from Chinese Strawweight champion, Zhang Weili, who beat Tatiana Suarez by unanimous decision.
According to White, UFC 312 pulled in a $US7.7 million gate – a feat which the UFC head claims is the biggest of any Australia indoor arena ever.
