"There's no secrets about what f***ing getting punched in the head does to you" - Dana White says he urged Ali Abdelaziz to stop sparring after retirement
Dana White has previously made headlines for the apparent 'mistreatment' of fighters in the UFC, particularly pertaining to the fighter-pay issue. However, every now and then, MMA fans are able to catch a glimpse of the more humane side of the UFC president.
A clip posted on Instagram yesterday shows White telling a story about the time he asked elite MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz to stop sparring, as it would be bad for his health. The UFC president has no doubt built a strong relationship with Abdelaziz, who is the agent of Kamaru Usman, Justin Gaethje, and many other UFC stars. White says on the clip:
"I told Ali, 'What the f*ck are you doing sparring? Why? You don't fight anymore.' You know what I mean? There is no secret about what f***ing getting punched in the head does to you."
Watch the video below:
Abdelaziz was quick to corroborate Dana White's story by commenting on @actionjunkeezpodcast's post on Instagram. He wrote the following:
Dana White buys Dana White's Contender Series fighter a house
Dana White was most recently in the news for buying a Dana White's Contender Series fighter a house, after hearing that the fighter would be homeless in the near future. Joe Pyfer is the fighter's name, and the UFC president said that once he heard about Pyfer's housing situation, he had to step in.
The narrative that White does not have the UFC fighters' welfare in mind is often brought up, but stories like this say otherwise. The UFC president was asked about the situation in the post-DWCS press conference and had the following to say:
"I do a lot of things for a lot of people that I don't necessarily talk about. Joe Pyfer, when I left the press conference that night, he told me he was about to be homeless. So, that ain't gonna happen."
Watch the interview below:
The UFC boss is arguably the most influential man in MMA history. Without his presence, the state of the sport would no doubt be a whole lot different. White may be a ruthless businessman, but that is just the nature of the business. It is kill or be killed.
When fans come across stories such as this one involving Joe Pyfer, it makes you contemplate that the media may not always be right about White.