“The most important fight in UFC history.” That’s how Dana White once described it. The war that put the company on the map, the moment that made casuals care. He was talking about the epic 2005 clash in The Ultimate Fighter finale. But fast forward nearly two decades, and one of the man who fought in that legendary battle knows exactly where he stands in Dana’s grand scheme of things.

Forrest Griffin, UFC Hall of Famer, company man, and all-around good sport, has always played ball with Dana White. But even he can see the writing on the wall when it comes to Dana’s stance on aging fighters. When asked by Bear Degidio in the JAXXON Podcast, if he could box Rampage Jackson, Griffin didn’t even pretend to entertain the idea. “This would be me not working at the UFC anymore,” he admitted because, of course, Dana White has one rule he won’t budge on. Old guys fighting? Absolutely not.

‘The hairy tomato can’ didn’t stop there, though. He doubled down on Dana’s ironclad policy, “Dana didn’t want old guys to fight. It’s bad for you.” And sure, that sounds like a nice, paternal concern for fighter safety, but let’s be real, this is the same man who spent decades marketing bloodbaths and throwing legends into the fire for one last payday. The concern is endearing. The contradiction? Even more so.

That’s the paradox Forrest Griffin pointed out. Dana White, for all his glowing praise of MMA veterans, will never actually let them control their own fate. The second you fall out of your prime, you’re done. Your career belongs to the history books, not you. Griffin, well aware of this, didn’t try to fight it.

“Turns out, it’s bad for you,” he shrugged before comically throwing Rampage a bone, “It’ll be good for you. I’m way older than you though.” Oh, but let’s talk about the real kicker, the part where the UFC CEO’s rules apparently only apply to, well, everyone except Dana White.

Does the aging process and the ‘stay out of the game’ rule apply to Dana White, too?

See, while he’s adamant that old fighters should never step into the cage again, the head honcho himself? Oh, he’s never leaving. Ever. “I will never retire. Ever,” White told Tucker Carlson. “I will keep dogging this out until the day I drop dead. I love it, 100 percent.” It’s funny, isn’t it? The man who decides when an aging fighter should call it quits refuses to entertain the idea of stepping away himself. White doesn’t see an expiration date on his control over the UFC, only on the careers of those who made it what it is today.

And let’s not pretend this is some noble principle. White’s decision-making on aging fighters isn’t exactly consistent. If an older name still moves pay-per-view numbers? Suddenly, exceptions can be made. If you’re past your prime and don’t serve a financial purpose? Time to pack it up. It’s the kind of selective enforcement that’s almost as entertaining as the fights themselves.

Take Tito Ortiz for example. One of the UFC’s earliest megastars, yet his clashes with UFC boss over contracts and paychecks turned into a full-blown war. White even included a clause in Ortiz’s contract allowing him to box Dana himself. Then there’s Randy Couture, a multi-time champion who was so fed up with White’s business tactics that he walked away from the UFC twice. The organization retaliated by banning Couture’s Xtreme Couture clothing line during their dispute.

See the pattern? The UFC loves its legends, until those legends want a say in their own careers. Griffin knows this all too well, which is why he doesn’t even pretend he has a choice in the matter.

And that, right there, is the biggest irony of them all. The UFC was built on the blood, sweat, and broken bones of guys like Forrest Griffin, Ortiz, and Couture, fighters who gave everything to make the sport what it is today. But once they hit a certain age? They’re expected to just fade away, no questions asked. Meanwhile, Dana White? The man preaches retirement for others but refuses to entertain the idea for himself. He’s not stepping down, not slowing down, and definitely not taking his own advice.

And as long as he’s running the show, the legends of the past won’t just be fighting Father Time, they’ll be fighting for the right to decide their own damn ending. What do you think? Should Dana play by the same rules? Drop your thoughts in the comments!