UFC president Dana White isn’t happy about UFC superstar Conor McGregor sharing personal text messages between the two men via social media. White stated his thoughts about the matter to the media during the post-fight press conference for UFC 253 on Saturday night, September 26, in Abu Dhabi.
“This is some man code stuff,” White said. “It’s just something you don’t do. It’s one of the dirtiest things you can do.”
McGregor announced his plan to face boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao inside a boxing ring next year in the Middle East. But McGregor also went on a tirade against White and the UFC both before and after that stunning announcement.
Huge parts of those tirades were directed at White for not getting McGregor any of the UFC fights he wanted.
In both cases, McGregor expressed frustration over not being treated like the most popular UFC fighter in the world.
In McGregor’s Instagram post, which was his second tirade against White, McGregor went so far as to drag the parent company of the UFC’s television partner ESPN into the matter.
“Bob Chapek, do you copy! I repeat, Bob Chapek – Do You Copy!”
Chapek is Disney’s CEO.
McGregor vs. Diego Sanchez?
In the text messages McGregor shared on Friday via social media, McGregor showed that he had offered to fight Diego Sanchez back in February.
“When you’re the number two or three ranked fighter in the world and you’re telling me you want to fight unranked, 39-year-old Diego Sanchez in Los Angeles…,” White told reporters during the post-fight press conference.
Obviously, White didn’t agree with McGregor on that opponent. So White told McGregor that he “should” probably lose his license to promote MMA fights if he were ever to become the type of promoter that would make that fight.
White’s not wrong about that. Sanchez lost a one-sided fight to Jake Matthews on Saturday night at UFC 253.
In those same texts, White did offer McGregor a back-up slot for one of the cards, but McGregor stated plainly he believed he was a big enough star that a card should specifically be built around him.
McGregor’s not wrong there either.
You can see the all text messages here.
Of course, White would rather you not be able to see them at all, so it will be interesting to see if White and McGregor can work things out.
McGregor remains the UFC’s biggest draw, but his relationship with White is clearly deteriorating.
McGregor Not Happy With White’s Comments
Meanwhile, McGregor took issue with White saying he broke some kind of “code”. The Irishman blasted White about the matter via social media on Sunday.
McGregor tweeted, “Code was broke when you lied about me turning down fights mate. I said Justin in May and you went and said I did not want to fight. It’s not about Diego. Diego was a filler to get more fights in. Also you have been involved in Manny talks the legal letters are there. Stop lying.”
Code was broke when you lied about me turning down fights mate. I said Justin in May and you went and said I did not want to fight. It’s not about Diego. Diego was a filler to get more fights in.
Also you have been involved in Manny talks the legal letters are there.
Stop lying.
McGregor also took offense at the idea that Sanchez wasn’t a worthy opponent per White and many in the media.
McGregor posted, “I am still interested in a fight with you somewhere down the line Diego Sanchez. A true warrior and pioneer of this sport. It would be my honour! Some journalists and promoters and their lack of respect for what the fighters put into this game make me sick. Things must change!”
I am still interested in a fight with you somewhere down the line Diego Sanchez. A true warrior and pioneer of this sport. It would be my honour! Some journalists and promoters and their lack of respect for what the fighters put into this game make me sick.
Things must change!
So the world’s biggest UFC superstar appears to be locked in an ongoing public dispute with the president of the company.
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Dana White: ‘It’s One of the Dirtiest Things You Can Do’