Ariel Helwani speaks on his dispute with Dana White around UFC 200. We also look at some important times when Dana White went off tape.
Ariel Helwani had a very public falling out with Dana White around UFC 199. Helwani had leaked a major hush-hush fact about UFC 200. He leaked info that Brock Lesnar would appear at the event and sent White fuming at him. In fact, he was so angry with Helwani that White literally banned the MMA journalist from future events.
In a recent episode of the MMA hour, Helwani mused about the incident. He spoke particularly about how White brought Helwani’s family into the dispute. White said to the media that Helwani crying on camera would make his wife and children lose respect for him.
“That was the most upset, mad I ever got, was when he referenced my family, because there’s a line. It shows that he has no line. I would never talk about someone’s family, I would never talk about, in that way, even referencing them, because there’s a lot I could say and turn the tables, but I would never do that. There’s a line,” Helwani said.
He also added that he and his family almost never speak about it. However, they do not hold a very high opinion of White. He also shared his opinion on White’s morality and believed that the UFC President had no moral life he would not cross.
While the ban was lifted later, the relationship between the two never really turned for the better. Helwani has been awarded the MMA Journalist of the Year award multiple times. Here’s another tense exchange between Helwani and White:
What Else Do We Know About Dana White’s Temper Outbursts?
Dana White is well-known for being a mercurial personality and has spoken out on touchy topics with brutal frankness on many occasions. But White has shown his temper outside of MMA events. In one incident, White banned all events from happening at The Palms hotel in Las Vegas.
This happened after the casino limited his credit line once he won too much money. He often also disagrees with decisions made by ringside judges like he did on Jon Jones’ controversial win over Dominic Reyes at UFC 247.
Click here for more UFC News
