Dana White breaks silence on bizarre DWCS pullout by Quemuel Ottoni, the fighter to hand Alex Pereira his first MMA loss
Dana White has opened up about Quemuel Ottoni's bizarre withdrawal from his scheduled fight against Kody Steele on Dana White's Contender Series 71.
Just moments before his cage walk, Ottoni pulled out of the fight, leaving the promotion and fans puzzled. White, speaking at a post-fight press conference, revealed the chaotic events that led to the cancellation.
Speaking to the media, he said:
"Sean [Shelby] came busting in the back room and then went right in the back room and went somewhere... Apparently, he went to the locker room. He heard this kid was pulling out. He went back there and gave him a pep talk and the kid said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah,’ and got his hands wrapped again. Then, halfway through the second fight, Sean got called again that he was pulling out. He rewrapped his hands and then said, ‘I’m out.'"
Despite the inconvenience caused by Ottoni's withdrawal, White had this to say about the fighter's decision:
"That’s what this show is for, too... Sometimes you don’t have to step into the octagon to know, ‘This isn’t for me. I can’t take this. I can’t handle this pressure,’ whatever his deal was. I’m not sh*tting on the kid at all. Listen, it happens." [MMA Junkie]
When Quemuel Ottoni handed Alex Pereira his first MMA defeat
Quemuel Ottoni's name may not be as well-known as some of the MMA's top stars, but he holds a unique distinction: he handed Alex Pereira his first MMA loss.
In 2015, Ottoni defeated Pereira in a Jungle Fight match, a victory that surprised many, given Pereira's status as a renowned kickboxer. Despite Pereira's powerful strikes, Ottoni was able to withstand his attacks and eventually secure a submission win.
Check out Quemuel Ottoni submitting Alex Pereria in the clip below:
While Ottoni has not achieved the same level of stardom as Pereira, the fighter still holds an impressive fight record of 12 wins with only three losses so far in his career.