"I haven't brought a guy in that was 1-0 since like Brock Lesnar" - Dana White says people shouldn't "feel sorry" for Bo Nickal not getting a UFC contract
Dana White recently received some criticism for the way he handled Bo Nickal's contract situation. The dominance displayed by Nickal in his Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) fight would normally have been more than enough to earn a coveted UFC contract.
While talking to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, White explained exactly why he chose not to reward Nickal with an octagon deal just yet, alluding to the lack of experience that the former NCAA division one wrestling champion has in MMA.
The UFC president would like to see Nickal face some stiffer competition before making the move over to the UFC, hence why he's been booked for another episode of DWCS next month.
"First of all, the kid was 1-0, you know what I mean? I haven't brought a guy in that was 1-0 since like Brock Lesnar. And to give him two dates on the contender series, don't feel too sorry for him. He's going to do just fine. But his next opponent is somebody with a lot more experience. So he's going to take on someone with a lot more experience, and we'll see what he does, and I'll determine that night if he's ready to come into the UFC at 2-0."
Watch the interview below:
Having been in the promotional business for roughly two decades now, Dana White certainly knows who is ready for the big leagues. Nickal will hope to perform to a level that the UFC president is satisfied with again in September if he hopes to be awarded a contract.
Dana White admits the UFC slipped up by not renewing Shane Burgos' contract
Dana White spoke to the media following the most recent DWCS event and admitted that not re-signing Shane Burgos was a massive mistake on the UFC's part.
These are not words often heard coming from the mouth of White, and it shows just how much of a fan favorite Shane Burgos became during his tenure in the UFC.
Exciting fights against Calvin Kattar, Edson Barboza and other top contenders has helped boost the popularity of Burgos, who has just signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
"He's not just a exciting, fun fighter, but he is a great person. Good for everybody involved in that. We're not perfect, but we don't f*ck up often. We don't f*ck up often, but we f*cked that one up."
Watch the media interaction below: