MMA Fighting reports that Dana White has unsurprisingly shot back at ESPN for its “Outside the Lines” piece on TRT. White denied claims that he “flip-flopped” on the TRT issue.
White accused ESPN of embellishing the story by Mike Fish and Josh Gross which highlighted mainly UFC fighters applying for exemptions to use testosterone. The multiple story expose from ESPN painted the UFC in a bad light particularly an inference that UFC physicians would diagnose fighters with low testosterone in order for them to receive an exemption from the state athletic commission. Particularly damaging was the comparison of athletes that requested exemptions in other sports versus the number that have made requests in MMA. Additionally, “Outside the Lines” obtained a letter from 2010 which diagnosed 24-year-old Todd Duffee with “extreme fatigue” and prescribing Testosterone Cypionate.
Via MMA Fighting:
“The whole ESPN, that thing was such a sham,” White said. “That story was such a sham, and of course, they ran the s–t out of it because it’s negative, half of it wasn’t true or was just embellished. It’s rampant throughout MMA. 500 guys in MMA and five guys can’t have exemptions now.”
Payout Perspective:
Maybe its just OTL pieces that White does not like at ESPN as he was not a fan of its report on fighter pay either. Remember when Dana White took over the Sportscenter Instagram account for ESPN in promoting UFC 168? Well, his comments about the ESPN piece is the “hate” part of his “love/hate” relationship with the network. It was obvious that White was not going to like the ESPN investigative story as it paints the UFC in a bad light. The UFC declined to be interviewed for the story. Likely, it did not want to put itself in a corner and/or have to answer the tough questions about Belfort (the report occurred prior to Belfort’s withdrawal). Of course, accusing the journalists that they were making things up can be an issue especially to a journalist’s reputation. As for the investigative piece, it’s worth another read to see if you side with White.
So now he is flip flopping about flip flopping.
A few months ago he was yapping about how Vitor Belfort should absolutely be licensed to fight in Las Vegas regardless of what former Executive Director Keith Kizer thought about it. Then as soon as TRT was banned in Nevada he did a 180° stating that he hoped that Vitor would not be granted a license because TRT is evil blah blah blah.
He is on record saying that TRT is “great and fair” because it was “100% legal and how sports science allowed older fighters to bring their levels to normal”, then changed his mind and thought it was “unfair and that you shouldn’t fight if you need the stuff”, and guess what… he later changed his mind again for the billionth time and was yapping about “normal levels” and “testing the shit out of people” and how everyone is unfairly on Vitor’s case blah blah blah. This guy is a freaking nut case. That ESPN piece was spot on and Dana White should just shut his trap since he is looking as quite the fool lately.
Dana White = pure bush league hack
You cant blame the guy for siding with whats the best financial situation, but at least be real about it. In the end it doesn’t even matter what Dana says anyhow.
Flip Flop? I have always heard him say he supports what ever the commissions decide. That has always been his stance. Anyone who isn’t a dumbass can obviously see it doesn’t matter either way to him because he will run with what ever hand he is dealt. Once it got to be a pain in his ass because of uneducated fans talking about TRT when they were clueless about it. Then he got mad and tried to shut people up. He never cared either way. He had no reason to care if TRT was allowed.
OTL always trashes MMA. Even worse is they always trash the UFC because its the best way to damage the sport. Of course it was all after the UFC signed with Fox. Lorenzo already owned OTL the last time they tried to twist a story.
TRT was never a big issue. The fighters using it never did that great. People only got mad when someone on it got a win or two and it brought out the cry babies. OMG Vitor beat a few B level fighters.
Anyone who knows anything about PE’s knows why there are more TRT cases in MMA than the NFL. Its because the NFL testing process sucks. They rarely test. Its like once per year and everyone knows about it. There is no need for TRT when you can flat out use Steroids. What the hell you think they use the off season for? MMA doesn’t have an off season. Also MMA is more physically and technically dependent. So a fighter who had low T would be more effected than a football player for example who could go untreated. Also football is almost soley based on athletic ability. Low strength or speed or jumping ability due to low T would have those players weeded out before getting to the NFL. Where a fighter can have success based on technique and make it to the UFC with low T. There is many different possible theories.
BTW, why wasn’t boxing singled out. You telling me boxers are not doing the same thing with the same commission rules as MMA? ESPN didn’t go there did they? The network who bought the Contender and runs Friday Night fights wouldn’t do that.
It’s a good thing people are getting tired of dw..false marketing and bs…..media should compile all his flip flopping statements
Brainsmasher,
“BTW, why wasn’t boxing singled out. You telling me boxers are not doing the same thing with the same commission rules as MMA? ESPN didn’t go there did they? The network who bought the Contender and runs Friday Night fights wouldn’t do that.”
Actually they did go there. You must not have read the article you’re attacking.
They said,
• No pro boxer is known to have had an exemption issued through a state athletic commission, and Nevada officials said they have never even received an application.
So either you didn’t read it or you just didn’t like what was said and ignored it? Nah you wouldn’t do that.
Brainsmasher,
“BTW, why wasn’t boxing singled out. You telling me boxers are not doing the same thing with the same commission rules as MMA? ESPN didn’t go there did they? The network who bought the Contender and runs Friday Night fights wouldn’t do that.”
Actually they did go there. You must not have read the article you’re attacking.
They said,
• No pro boxer is known to have had an exemption issued through a state athletic commission, and Nevada officials said they have never even received an application.
So either you didn’t read it or you just didn’t like what was said and ignored it? Nah you wouldn’t do that.
Canelo set to fight 3 times this year,pacman twice,mayweather twice,cotto martinez,,good year for boxing….
Jack
I wasn’t taking about TRT for boxing. Boxing has its own issues with their drug of choice. I cant remember how many guys I have heard of busted for diuretics for example. But there is never a story or big deal made of the problems by ESPN. But ESPN jumps on a story in a sport they never otherwise touch because 5 guys have a possible medical condition? Hardly a case worth jumping into MMA unless its just to bash the sport and drag it through the mud. There is more people killed in boxing each year than use TRT in MMA.
BS,
“I wasn’t taking about TRT for boxing.”
Except you were.
“You telling me boxers are not doing the SAME THING with the same commission rules as MMA?”
Either admit you didn’t read the article before choosing to attack it or move on. Trying to change the subject now away from the TRT issue being discussed is…..well, BS.
Appropriate I suppose.
Now you are telling me what I meant lol. Where did I use TRT? Same thing means PE’s not TRT. Fact is every sport has a PE problem. HGH is used by an insane amount of professional athletes. I know guys in my gym who were using it even at lower levels. The only thing that kept everyone at the lower levels from using it was the cost. Its like a car payment each month to use it. But top level guys do not have that block in any sport. It is virtually undetectable by any of the sports leagues testing procedure and is known to be extremely effective as a performance enhancer. Why isn’t ESPN hammering this to death. It is a much bigger issue than a handful of people on TRT. Why isn’t ESPN pressuring leagues and Player Unions to get serious about stopping HGH use? Because ESPN doesn’t care. They piggyback those sports and pay big money to broadcast their games. So they attack the sports they have no invested interest in and make a small issue into a big issue.
BS,
““You telling me boxers are not doing the SAME THING with the same commission rules AS MMA(this connection is key to your meaning)?”
You were talking about TRT use in MMA. Not diuretics in MMA, not the number of people killed in MMA, not hgh use in MMA.
Anyone reading your 1st comment understood you meant there was TRT use by pro boxers that ESPN chose not to investigate or focus on due to their bias.
But they did investigate which you would have known had you read the article.
Face it, you got caught. Just be sharper next time.
BS,
In ESPN’s defense they have absolutely hammered MLB on their issues with steroids. But athletes need to get caught in order for reporters to report, and for TRT the guys using it are in MMA. So that’s where the story goes. If Mayweather and Pacquiao had TUEs for TRT, that would be a story, but they don’t.
It’s interesting that no boxers have even applied for a TUE.
For those of you keeping score at home that’s another big L on the Brainsmasher record and another easy W for me.
Hey BS, remember. Reading is fundamental. LOL