USADA vs UFC: UFC CEO Dana White reacts by saying ‘scumbag’ as row continues
Amid the bad temperature developed by the souring of the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the UFC, the CEO of the latter company, Dana White, hit out at the former’s CEO, calling him a scumbag.
The union between the two companies is ending in January after lasting for eight years, but only one of them wants it to. The UFC refused to sign a new contract with the company that had been taking care of testing the athletes that compete at the UFC, following an unhidden distaste for the company’s protocol.
In reaction to this, USADA’s CEO, Travis Tygart, made a statement that seemed to accuse the UFC of lacking integrity when it concerned allowing only clean athletes to contest. Here is what Dana White replied:
‘This guy went full Britney Spears and lost his mind. Get ready, you’re probably going to see this guy on Instagram dancing with knives, probably in the next two weeks or something. He went nuts. He lost his mind, and it is what it is. It’s whatever.’
‘I summed it up yesterday in one word – scumbag,’ said CEO Dana White. ‘Listen, it is what it is. They did what they did. Think about this, they’re in a business where they’re looking to bring other sports leagues in.
‘They were with us for eight years. We helped them put them on the map, they helped us build an incredible program. This is how you’re going to end your relationship with us?
‘Who else would want to do business with these guys after that? Not me. So it doesn’t matter to me. We’re moving on, and good luck to him.’
UFC’s best fighter reacts at USADA’s coming departure
UFC superstar Jon Jones also spoke about what he feels as the UFC-USADA partnership comes to an end through posts on his X (formerly Twitter) wall.
‘Man I survived USADA,’ Jones wrote. ‘First they said I was guilty of having picograms, then they considered me innocent, next picograms became legal. Guess what I’m still here, still unbeaten. That BS no contest over DC needs to be taken off my record. I’ve never cheated this sport and I will stand by that until the Day I die.’
‘Yeah, I became the youngest champion in the sport’s history. Probably the youngest millionaire in the sport’s history. Unfortunately, I didn’t handle it correctly and became a bit of a party boy. Definitely doesn’t qualify me to be a steroid cheat. You know nothing about being a star athlete.’
UFC official spoke for his company against USADA’s claims
Hunter Campbell, who is an official at UFC, had this to say for the company amid the row.
‘Frankly, I would say, the first six years of the program, USADA was an incredible partner. I know that we built out the single greatest testing program in all of professional sports.
‘I couldn’t be prouder of the program that was built. In the last several years, and I know a lot of you have followed it and seen it, there’s been a tremendous amount of technological change that has occurred and not only has there been a massive amount of change, there’s also been a change in the science that has gone into it as well as the players in the space.
“… We didn’t terminate the USADA partnership. We just informed them that we wouldn’t be renewing and that we would be building out a new program at the beginning of the year.
‘So, the testing continues, everything is status quo through the end of the year until something happens otherwise, I don’t know. It’s going to be a complicated relationship for the next few months. Conor (McGregor) is 100 percent in the pool.’
Finally…
One thing is certain: these remaining months will not be enjoyed by both partners as they keep working together.