“Dana White, if You’re Listening”: Helpless Daniel Ricciardo Once Begged UFC President for Much Needed Help After F1 Disaster

Daniel Ricciardo has made no secret about the different sports he loves to follow. Be it the NFL or NASCAR, the Aussie has got an ingrained sporting passion for several sports. UFC is another sporting league that gets Daniel an adrenaline rush. Although back in the day, Ricciardo was so frustrated after a disastrous day in F1, he actually begged for help from UFC president Dana White.

Ricciardo had a torrid time at the 2018 Austrian GP, as he had to retire at Red Bull’s home race. The Aussie was looking good for a podium finish but then suffered a tire failure, causing his DNF result. As per Planet F1, Daniel opened up on his thoughts post-race and jokingly expressed his desire to start his MMA career.

He said, “It was just one of those days. Is it too late to start my MMA career? Will Dana sign me? I am out of contract, so maybe I will just swap sports altogether.”

“Dana White, if you’re listening. I have some work to do, but maybe you can sign me in a couple of years, take out some of my anger.” The Honey Badger surely looked helpless after a disaster of a race at the Red Bull Ring.

So, his request to Dana White for joining the UFC might sound amusing. Nevertheless, Daniel has spent about 4 years in F1 since then.

Read More: UFC Fanboy Daniel Ricciardo’s Audacious Demand Was Once Emphatically Denied by 7X World Champion Lewis Hamilton: “Didn’t Bite”

Ricciardo has been an avid fan of MMA fighting. He often has expressed how he follows the UFC fights whenever he gets time. Although in 2022, the Australian driver went a step ahead to spend some time training with Charles Oliviera, much to the fans’ delight.

The UFC passion of Daniel Ricciardo Unleashed with Charles Oliveira

At the 2022 Brazilian GP, Daniel Ricciardo took some training lessons from former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. While Ricciardo has got an interest in MMA, he would have gotten a reality check on where he stands.

As per the Daily Mail, Daniel practices some kicks and did some pad work with Oliveira. Overall, they were in great spirits together, as Ricciardo prepared to temporarily say goodbye to F1 after 2 races. After their training drills, Oliveira clicked pictures with the Aussie.

The duo also exchanged some gear as Ricciardo gave the Brazilian an NFL-style jersey with his name and #3 on the back. Meanwhile, Oliveira gave him a pair of UFC gloves. It must have been a refreshing session for Danny Ric after a difficult F1 season last year.

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Either way, Daniel would know how different his physique was, being an F1 driver. So, it is quite difficult for him to transform his body to get into MMA and the UFC. Still, he may love to converse with Dana White over some other way he may get involved in the sport. What do you think of Ricciardo’s MMA passion?