"He's not Mike Tyson" - When Darren Rovell jokingly said he would fight Dana White at UFC 202 'if the money is right'
Dana White has always been open about his dislike towards business analyst Darren Rovell. Back in 2016, the UFC president blasted Rovell for ridiculing the promotion's $4 billion acquisition by the William Morris Endeavor and International Management Group.
Not sure there's been an acquisition that has soured as quickly as the UFC. Have to wonder what protections WME-IMG has before deal closes.
Rovell used the word 'soured' with reference to the acquisition, likely pointing to popular UFC stars Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar testing positive for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Doesn't get much worse for UFC if rent-a-star Brock Lesnar has tested positive.
Dana White was quick to respond, sarcastically claiming that Rovell needed to 'talk about just about anything to stay employed.' White further stated he'd knock Rovell out with 'half a slap' if they ever fought each other.
@darrenrovell he doesn't hate UFC he's just a total douche who needs to talk about just about anything to stay employed.
@DDuclos89 @darrenrovell no fight there. Half a slap and that ones OVER!!!!
When Rovell was asked on ESPN whether he'd like to fight Dana White at UFC 202, he said he'd only consider it if the 'money is right'. He said although White is much bigger than him, he could definitely hang in there for a while before the UFC supremo manages to put him away.
"He [Dana White] is a much bigger, bulked up guy than I am but I have a lot of energy and I think I can hang in there for a while if the money is right. The age-old question of 'how much would you have to get paid to stand in the ring with Mike Tyson?' He's not Mike Tyson but if the UFC is suffering so much that on 202 it's just Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz and if they need a White vs. Rovell, I guess..." Rovell said.
Watch Darren Rovell's full interview on ESPN, right here:
Dana White jibes at Darren Rovell for questioning Amanda Nunes' marketability
Back when Amanda Nunes finished Cris Cyborg to become the UFC women's featherweight champion, Darren Rovell questioned her marketability. He claimed that 'The Lioness' 'singlehandedly killed the most valuable women in the sport', referring to her wins against Cyborg and Ronda Rousey; further insinuating that Nunes will never be as popular as them.
Between Rousey and Cyborg, Amanda Nunes has singlehandedly killed the most valuable women in the sport.
Brutally damaging to UFC.
Nunes isn't in the same marketing ballpark as either of those two.
Three years later, following Nunes' upset loss to Julianna Pena at UFC 269, Dana White took another shot at Rovell for having questioned her marketability in the past. White said that had the Brazilian won the fight, she'd have fought Kayla Harrison in 'one of the biggest fights that you would’ve ever seen'.
“Yeah, these are those things, man. For like a Kayla Harrison, the Amanda Nunes fight was huge. I mean, if they would’ve faced off, it would’ve been a massive, you know, mega million-dollar fight. I know the dips**t there. What’s his name? The dips**t that thinks he knows about this business; Rovell, Darren Rovell, yeah. Dips**t Darren Rovell said that Amanda Nunes, we were scre**d, she could never be a star, and all these other things. Let me tell you what – If Amanda Nunes had won tonight, the Kayla Harrison fight would be one of the biggest fights that you would’ve ever seen. You know, stay out of our business, dips**t. You know nothing,” Dana White said.
Watch the UFC 269 post-fight press conference below: