When Dana White controversially said that women will “never” fight in the UFC
UFC CEO Dana White might find humor in his previous stance but there was a time when he was adamant that women will not compete in the organization. Over 11 years later, women are an integral part of the organization, heading pay-per-view cards and scripting some of the most memorable encounters in the promotion's rich history.
The inclusion of women in the organization may perhaps be the key determinant in White's never-say-never outlook. It took an Olympic bronze medalist in judo Ronda Rousey to change his viewpoint and the rest is history.
Check out White talking about women competing in the UFC below:
In late 2012, White was intrigued by the rivalry brewing between Rousey and Miesha Tate. The pair headlined the Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey card and 'Rowdy' won the fight by technical submission in the first round.
The promoter instincts kicked in and White announced that Rousey would be the UFC’s first female champion, to defend her freshly minted bantamweight title against Liz Carmouche in the main event of UFC 157 on February 23, 2013.
That was precisely the moment in time that triggered the change and over a decade later, three women's divisions with an abundance of talent captivate fans worldwide. Former champions like Amanda Nunes and Joana Jedrzejczyk were at the forefront of the evolution that is expected to only get better.
UFC 193 marked a critical juncture in the landscape with an all-woman main and co-main event billing. It was the first time in UFC history that two female fights have headlined a pay-per-view event, and White was thrilled by the occasion. He said:
"We’re sitting here in Melbourne, Australia, where the main event and co-main event are women with a possible 70,000-seat arena sellout. It’s never been done in the history of combat sports. It’s awesome. It’s powerful. It’s cool. I’m really glad to be a part of it.”
Turki Alalshikh wants Dana White to include women fighters in next Saudi Arabia card
UFC Saudi Arabia proved to be a thrilling affair capped off by a stunning display by Robert Whittaker in the main event of the June 22, 2024 event.
However, the 11-fight billing lacked female fighters on the card. Turki Alalshikh, a prominent figure from the region responsible for spearheading a new wave in combat sports, was fascinated by the UFC fandom.
Speaking about the organization's next event in Saudi Arabia, Alalshikh called for the inclusion of women on the card. He said:
“I know the UFC here has a lot of fans, but you see now, it’s changing my mind. I don’t think there’s a lot of fans like this, 12,000 until 1 a.m., and now I am asking Dana for the next card. We want to make it 30,000 here. We are waiting, and we want women also in the next fight.” [H/t: Pinkvilla]