Dana White will let you know exactly what he thinks every time. Especially if he doesn’t like you. This is why the UFC CEO never misses a chance to criticize, disrespect, and insult celebrity boxer Jake Paul. Why? Well, because Paul has been critical of the UFC over – surprise, surprise, fighter pay.

So fraught is Paul and White’s relationship that the celebrity boxer claimed that he has been banned from attending UFC events. And this is why Paul had to sneak into the historic UFC 306 card at the iconic Sphere in Las Vegas last week. However, it turns out the former Disney star didn’t need to do that! After all, Dana White has confirmed that the former Disney star is, in fact, not banned from the UFC, and could have just walked into the venue as Jake Paul without any issues.

This is why former UFC fighter Josh Thomson and MMA referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy found the whole thing hilarious. “Jake Paul went disguised, did you see that? That was hilarious,” a bemused Thomson told McCarthy on their ‘Weighing In’ podcast.

Comically, McCarthy couldn’t stop laughing at Dana White’s confused reaction to being told that Paul had disused himself to get into The Sphere for the Noche card. The legendary referee also made an excellent point and observed that if Oscar De La Hoya, whom White hates even more than Paul, is allowed to attend UFC events, Paul is surely not banned.

“I thought the better part of it was Dana was, you know, he was asked that ‘Oh, you know, Jake Paul, he disguised himself to get in.’ He goes ‘Why? He’s not banned.’ I just love that part. And I was like all this stuff- ‘I’m banned from the UFC this year.’ Dude he had Oscar De La Hoya there. If he’s not banned, Jake Paul’s not banned, let’s be honest,” McCarthy said.

To be fair, Josh Thomson did observe that there were a few cases of people being banned for “basically copying and printing up their own passes.” This, however, was only because those guys were actively stealing from the UFC by doing so, not because Dana White personally didn’t like those guys, ‘Big John’ pointed out. “But that’s different. That’s someone that’s stealing,” McCarthy said. But even though Dana White hates Oscar De La Hoya, the latter was nonetheless honored by the UFC CEO at one of the UFC’s most memorable events.

Dana White and co. commend Oscar De La Hoya on UFC 306 at The Sphere

Dana White has long been accused of being thin-skinned and overly sensitive to criticism, but no one can say he isn’t fair—something he proved once again at UFC 306. The event, held at The Sphere in Las Vegas, was more than just a fight night; it was a love letter to Mexico, timed perfectly to commemorate Mexican Independence Day and tailored for a Mexican audience. In between the thrilling bouts, the broadcast featured a series of 90-second clips paying tribute to Mexico’s rich contributions to combat sports. And no tribute to Mexican fighting history would be complete without mentioning the iconic Oscar De La Hoya.

Despite his long-standing and very public feud with De La Hoya, Dana White made the unexpected choice to include ‘The Golden Boy’ in the homage, recognizing his incredible legacy. An Olympic gold medalist and an eleven-time world champion across six weight divisions, De La Hoya’s career is nothing short of legendary. But given the intense rivalry between the two, it wouldn’t have been surprising—though it would’ve been petty—if White had chosen to exclude him entirely from the Noche card’s tribute films.

Instead, White put personal grudges aside and allowed the sport to come first. The fact that De La Hoya was not only honored but also present at the event—without being banned by White—was a surprising and commendable gesture. It was a reminder that, despite the bitter animosity between them, respect for the history of combat sports transcended their personal beef.

What are your thoughts on the evolving (or still tense) relationship between Dana White and Oscar De La Hoya? While the rivalry continues to simmer, moments like these hint at a mutual acknowledgment of each other’s contributions to the sport.