Dana White, the president of the UFC, finds himself in hot water after he said he didn't know about the upcoming boxing match between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua. The promotion of Paul's camp accused him of lying, adding fuel to an already controversial fight.
White made his comments during a press appearance after UFC 322. When questioned about reports of a December 19 showdown in Miami between Paul and Joshua, he flatly denied it. "Did I see the fight being worked on for December 19th in Miami? No," White responded, before ridiculing the idea as a bad plan.
Things heated up when Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP Promotions, fired back at White's remarks. Bidarian called White's claim of ignorance untruthful and offered a sharper critique as he spoke with Ariel Helwani, stating: "To say he wasn't aware of [Paul vs. Joshua] is a blatant lie,” undermining White's dismissal.
Bidarian contended that White keeps tabs on everything Jake Paul does. He alleged that some fighters hear from UFC higher-ups that siding with MVP or Paul would mean they're not welcome there anymore. This remark emphasizes how deeply personal this feud has become, implicating not only verbal skirmishes but active barriers against possible fights.
The tension illustrates the friction between traditional combat sports and crossover boxing matches often spearheaded by personalities like Jake Paul. Some view him as a game-changer keen on facing off against big names such as Anthony Joshua; others see him as a pot-stirrer who thrives on controversy and makes established figures like Dana White uneasy.
