“I can’t stand soccer. It’s the least talented sport on earth! There’s a reason 3-year-olds can play soccer, okay? You’re running around and kicking a ball. Are you s—-ing me right now?” Dana White‘s harsh remarks in 2022 about soccer immediately stirred up controversy, reflecting his unapologetic and bold persona. By labeling soccer a game for “untalented” athletes, the head honcho sparked outrage in the sports community. Yet, that’s the UFC CEO — unafraid to speak his mind, no matter the backlash from millions of fans.

Despite facing criticism, White has solidified his position as the most blunt promoter in combat sports. Moreover, the bossman has gained notoriety for his sharp verbal jabs, occasionally taking shots at rivals like Jake Paul, PFL’s Donn Davis, Boxing’s Bob Arum, and Pro-Elite’s Gary Shaw. On the ‘Digital Social Hour Podcast,’ UFC welterweight Colby Covington, one of the UFC’s top trash talkers, recently commended Dana White, praising his distinctive approach to promoting the sport and underscoring his tough, unapologetic persona.

Covington stated, “He’s not afraid of anybody. Yeah, both sides, he’s not afraid to have a debate with you. He’ll just debate facts and tell you the truth of what’s going on, and if you don’t like it, too bad.” The former interim champ went further, declaring White the “best talker,” after Donald Trump, adding, “Honestly, he’s probably the best talker I’ve ever seen, besides Donald Trump. Just public speaking, he’s just on point. You cannot… you cannot trip him up on anything.”

‘Chaos’s praise is well-earned. Dana White and Donald Trump’s shared verbal prowess was on full display last year, as the head honcho helped his long-time ally in various ways—hosting rallies and rallying support throughout the U.S. presidential election. Although Trump’s chances of returning to the White House seemed slim, with the UFC boss’s assistance and the backing of many others, Trump made a stunning comeback and became the 47th President of the United States. It is safe to say that Dana White never fails to deliver his trademark talk, no matter how sharp or controversial it may be.

Throwback: When Dana White unleashed his anger on UFC “clowns”

“I could go on and on, but I won’t,” Dana White said. “We literally had meetings this week to work on it. I actually talked to Mark Zuckerberg too about AI,” the UFC CEO revealed back in October, ahead of the promotion’s revised pound-for-pound rankings. While 2024 had already shaped up to be a strong year for white and the UFC, the release of the rankings left him frustrated. He viewed the rankings as a major issue, with the list compiled by selected MMA analysts and media members with deep knowledge of the sport.

This anger was further amplified after UFC 309 as Dana’s favorite, reigning heavyweight champion Jon Jones, not being on top. The head honcho believed that ‘Bones’ had solidified his spot as the P4P #1 after slaying 42-year-old Stipe Miocic at the MSG event. Instead, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev was placed as the top dog. Despite repeatedly pushing for changes throughout 2024, when the updated rankings came out after the PPV, nothing had changed.

This prompted Dana White to go on the offensive against the UFC pound-for-pound ranking panel. In a bid to revamp the system, he reached out to his close ally, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for help. White took to Instagram, tagging Zuckerberg and writing, “I have to get rid of these CLOWNS!!” He added, “(Mark Zuckerberg), let’s get this AI deal done ASAP!!!!!”

As for Colby Covington’s praise of Dana White, do you think the outspoken “heel” truly admires Dana’s talk antics? Or is it simply a strategic move to gain favor with the UFC CEO? This can be legit owing to Covington’s recent struggles, with a 2-4 record in his last six fights. Drop your thoughts below.