Dana White: "I've Never Been Embarrassed of a UFC Fight Like I Was Tonight."
(Props: CageWriter)
Anderson Silva may not have had a problem with his performance at UFC 97, but Dana White wasn't impressed, to put it mildly. Following Saturday's excruciating main event, White sat down for an interview with Steve Cofield which quickly turned into an MMA version of Stewart/Cramer, with Cofield railing at the UFC prez for Silva's disrespectful showing, and White sheepishly taking the abuse. "I'm trying to wrap brain around this thing and figure this out, and I just cannot," White said. "I was seriously sitting in my seat going, 'No, no this is not happening again'...I swear to God I wanted to leave tonight."
Echoing the thoughts of hundreds of thousands of screwed pay-per-view buyers, White said "I've never been embarrassed of a UFC fight like I was in the main event tonight." Dana now has the unenviable task of figuring out what to do next with Anderson Silva. The Spider is officially unreliable as a headliner (not that he ever drew big numbers), and Demian Maia's impending title shot may have just gone up in smoke. Is a super-fight with Georges St. Pierre the only match that makes sense now?
Later in the interview, White re-states that Chuck Liddell is done fighting — for the UFC, or any other organization: "Yeah, he's a big name, we could sell out arenas with him, we could still sell pay-per-views with him, but I don't want to see that."
Login or register to post comments
DIGG THIS 
Comments
Manbeard Says:
First Post Suck it
nicey Says:
sigh
C-Bus Allstar Says:
And AGAIN. The constant fucking Razing of Anderson Silva for going out there and fighting the perfect fucking fight. You guys disgust me. Fucking disgust me. In no way shape or form should Anderson Silva be to blame for this fight. If anything Dana White should be firing Thales Leites for not mixing it up and for falling down everytime Anderson Silva decided to look at him crooked. Anderson Silva is still the pound for pound number one fighter in the world. This just proved that entirely. Thales Leites looked like a fucking Amateur in that fight. He looked like he did not belong in the same fucking room with Anderson Silva. And the fact that you people are blaming Anderson Silva for not running in there wrecklessly and trying to knock Thales out makes me sick. Fucking sick. In fact, if more of this Anti-Silva bullshit spouts from this site, I might just have to stop coming here.
Anonymous Says:
Dana White should be embarrassed by the comments he makes more than anything else.
He's nothing but a slick, fast talking, bullshitter.
Payday Says:
Who is Dana White to tell someone they are done fighting? If Chuck Liddell wants to get his head knocked off a few more times, why shouldn't he be able to?
C-Bus Allstar Says:
Dana White is a fucking pussy. Put Dana White in the Octagon with Anderson Silva and see what happens. Dana White would get picked apart just like Thales Leites got picked apart, the difference is, Dana White wouldn't be smart enough to RUN AWAY like Thales Leites was.
C-Bus Allstar Says:
Any FIGHTER. Any REAL fucking Fighter wouldn't say the shit these fucking Journalists are saying about Anderson Silva. And that's a fucking fact. The fact that these faggots are blasting him for not going out there and fighting a stupid fight is fucking ignorant. Obviously none of these fucking pussies have ever been in a real fight. They just don't understand how easy it is to get caught with something you didn't see coming and lose. Anderson Silva doesn't lose, he makes people look stupid because he HAS NO EQUAL IN COMPETITION. How about this for a change: Stop throwing Anderson Silva a bunch of fucking CANS and actually get him in the ring with someone who poses a SIGNIFICANT threat.
Smeewa Says:
Dana needs to admit his own mistaks in UFC97. he needs to feed Silva threatening opponents.
MW doesnt have them at the moment.
he need to fight up or GSP needs to smash him around and take his belt.
id like to see him fight up and also fight GSP
Chaplin Says:
Jesus Christ, calm down C-Bus
Anonymous Says:
But that's the issue . . . why is he going five rounds with a fucking tomato can who he's fully capable of crushing. Only he won't, because there's a minimal chance he might get caught with something.
And don't give us this "smart fight" bullshit. He's losing tons of fans and marketability by being way too risk adverse. That's not smart. It might be a smart way for him to fight a truly dangerous fighter that poses a real threat (for instance franklin, hendo or marquart, none of whom he fought this way), but it's a whole lot harder to justify against opponents like Cote and Leites.
Btw, I'm arguing that Anderson Silva can't kick my ass, Dana White's ass or anyones ass. But that's exactly the point. If Anderson Silva is getting paid a ton of money to fight a bum like me, he shouldn't dance around me for 25 minutes hitting me with pot shots. He should kick my ass. Leites is just a less extreme version of the exact same senario.
Anonymous Says:
I'm *not* arguing . . .
FuckJunie Says:
That's right feed him a couple cans then when he steps in with GSP andgets wrecked by him you guys can come back and rant and rave about how Silvas still the best P4P wit a joke that is. Do you EVER see GSP fight like that fuck no he goes in there to WIN! Not run around trying to give fucking Charlie horses, Fuck him make him fight real competition wether moving up or down.make it happen!!
Anonymous Says:
fuck dana white...i just watched press conference and he says he was so unimpressed by anderson silva, but then goes on to say he's still p4p king. he then said ppl who think fedor is p4p king are crazy. dana is a dumb ass and said fedor isn't fighting top competition like anderson..........Fedors last 5 fights -arlovski(former ufc champ) fedor by ktfo in 3 min...sylvia(former 2 time ufc champ) fedor by total destruction 36 secs....hong man choi(360lbs. fedor was 230)fedor by sub 1st rnd....matt lindland(i got nothin for lindland but a 1st rnd sub by fedor)....mark hunt(very dangerous and tough) fedor by sub rnd 1....last 5 fights none of em made it to the second round.....now anderson has only 1 1st round finish in his last 5(james irvin)...and has fought leites, cote, marquardt, henderson, franklin, and lutter....not exactly some of the best fighters in the world (other than hendo, and franklin as long as hes not fighting a brazilian)..don't get it twisted anderson is nasty but for dana to say fedors resume isn't impressive is just ignorant...fedors resume is just so much more impressive....ppl need to learn that the ufc does not have all the best fighters...and honestly i believe strikeforce has a better middleweight division with cung le, frank shamrock, robbie lawler, benji radach, scott smith, and diaz now???... so the division anderson racks up these wins in is horribly weak...P4P is ...1. Fedor 2. Anderson Silva 3. Miguel Torres
Dapper Says:
@ C-Bus
You're missing the entire point. What Dana wants is to have a good fight, a fight where both men give it their all regardless of who the winner is or how good either men are. Example Griffen vs. Bonnar! Both men were not the kings of MMA but both gave it all in the octagon and it made for a great fight. If Anderson and Thales went out there and truely gave it their all Dana wouldn't be bitching. It's has nothing to do with how good Silva is or how bad Thales is but how they performed.
schnetzler Says:
So if Maia's shot is "up in smoke"...does that mena Okami finally gets the shot he was promised long ago?
Louiethe8th Says:
Silva's the fucking champ!! He doesnt have to beat anybody, somebody has to beat him!!! NOBODY is going after Silva. This pussy on Sat. dove on the mat several times without even being attacked. Thales Leites should NOT had a title fight. PUSSY!!!!
Louiethe8th Says:
@ C-Bus.....YOUR RIGHT!!!!
Anonymous Says:
@fuckjunie
i hate to tell u but if gsp fights anderson, gsp will do the same as leites if he can't get him down. serra ko's gsp. all andersons gotta do is touch him with a few jabs and gsp is done. gsp didn't wanna stand with serra the second fight or with penn so whats he gonna do when he sees anderson. sure he can take anderson down(maybe?), but to do so he will get hit like hes never been hit before, and it won't be by all these guys like serra and penn who have no business in that weight class. it'll be by a world class 215 lb. striker. anderson silva will ko gsp in 1st round with knees
armfarmer Says:
This is being blown way out of proportion. It's really not that big of a deal, not every fight can be a fight of the year candidate. I was mildly entertained I didn't think it was all that bad, and it wasn't really Andersons fault he did what he could to create some entertainment without taking the bait and falling into Leites gaurd. If you get mad at anyone blame Leites not Silva, but either way it's not the end of the world get over it already.
Pale Says:
it´s funny when a guy (Silva) who fights with a "i won´t talk sh*t about my opponent, i respect my opponent but i´ll win him"-attitude (wich is in my opinion is correct attitude in martial arts world) is disrespected like that by a guy who doesn´t fight, is greedy etc... is it somehow wrong that a UFC fighter doesn´t have an "i´ll crush his skull, brake his legs and slam him dead"-thing going on... it´s so ridiculous to watch prefight-interview where fighters are like "...i´m gonna kill him..." "he´s gonna die.." "i would love to break his arms..." and then the fight goes to decision..
DW should start a new league where the only goal would be paralyzing your opponent or causing him a brain damage... because that kinda attitude doesn't (at least in my world) belong to martial arts... if you wanna cause your opponent slurry speech and ticks, go do the Kimbo thing and fight at your mamas backyard..
PS. of course it´s a pity that Silva doesn´t pull so many pay-per-views cause it means DW won´t get so much dough to his bottomless piggy bank...
armfarmer Says:
Actually don't even blame Leites, blame Dana and Joe for putting this dumbass fight together. It's kind of irritating just to think of how Leites got this shot. It's like "ok well let's see Silva made Marquardt look like a little girl, Marquardt beat the fuck out of Leites and dominated him in every aspect.. but due to poor reffing and bad judges Leites won anyway.. so the logical thing to do is throw him in with Silva because you know that's not a mismatch or anything" Marquardt or Hendo should have gotten a rematch before they ever considered putting Leites in there.
Anonymous Says:
okami should at least get to fight marquardt or maia for a shot....come on wandy..whoop franklins ass so u can get a shot at the spider and hopefully ko him like u used to at chute boxe sparring
Goog Says:
You've got guys all over the place in term of talent that will take AND give an absolute beatdown, and then apologize to the crowd before even leaving the octagon for their loss... or even better... their win. They want to be the best and sound genuinely appreciative of the crowd and hope to give them their money's worth. Silva acts like he's doing everyone a favor carrying the belt around. He looked - again - like a disinterested prick at the press conference, even letting Chuck and his trainer defend him. He's in a business, but doesn't realize it's not the Anderson Silva business. He's there to help sell tickets, represent the UFC, and expand the fanbase. I'm hoping we never have to see this tard as a headliner again. He just hangs out letting everyone debate his pound-for-pound status for months and then shows up and shits the bed like he's done twice in a row now. His 9 wins in a row aren't exactly highlight material.
This wasn't UFC 7, it was 97. I think by now, even with his obvious language barrier, that Silva should have a pretty clear idea that that is NOT what Dana White is looking for. And Dana's gonna stop going over the top talking about him and defending him [which already started with the Cote fight]. I personally just want to say thanks to Silva for doing it again, though. The sooner he hangs himself, the better. To me, he's just another Rashad Evans... talented guy that people just don't warm up to and will still watch, but only with the hopes to see him get squashed. There's another guy named Fedor who's a member of that group. Chuck Liddell has lost 4 of his last 5 and if he lost 19 of his next 20, would still outdraw Silva. He's getting KTFO, but he's in there swinging, not clowning. And sure, move him up and have him fight Rampage. Even if he'd win... so what? Fans are still gonna remember that he's a bore.
You can't shine shit.
Johnnymack.. Says:
I think tha t c-bus dude must be silva's brother ..or boyfriend. Silva showed again that he has no class and that he doesn't give two shits about his fans or the people who have supported the UFC and spent alot of money for tickets and ppv to see fights. The middle wieght division just isn't that stacked right now so his fights aren't going to be againts the best in the world until they get some higher level fighters in his class. If hes so disgusted with his level of competiton then why doesn't he fight at his natural wieght class of 205? Theres no lack of skill in that division.
Lietes came out and fought like a chump but that is no exuse for Silva's antics or the way he dragged that fight out. He literally could have finished that fight at any time and instead chose to embarress Lietes and act disgusted the whole fight. He's not a champ, he's a show boating, classless, spoiled asshole who is losing fans and making the sport of MMA look bad and doesn't care.
That guy who says he fought the perfect fight is a fucking retard who is blinded by his Uber-love of Silva. Silva wasn't playing it smart or fighting defensively, he was purpously being an ass. Are you telling me he was so respectful of Leites that all he dared do was punch his thighs and try to sweep the leg Karate kid style..for 5 rounds and yet he waded in against a striker like Franklin with no fear? Get a grip.
Anonymous Says:
Just give Okami a shot already. It's not like the next Silva-headlined PPV will do big numbers anyways. Plus, it won't be any worse than the Leites fight.
Anonymous Says:
@C-Bus: Well, you probably never been in an Octagon fight either, so you have no right to defend Anderson's performance. In fact, most of us should stop commenting on stuff like WW2, 9/11, the war in Iraq, UFC, pro sports, etc. since we've never done or were apart of any of those. God, the "If you've never been in the ring, you can't comment" bullshit line is lame.
Noihsuk Says:
What was Silva supposed to do? Leites went into the fetal position whenever he had a chance to do anything. I know people wanted to see a crazy knockout, but Anderson isn't stupid enough to fall onto the ground with someone that is supposed to dominate there.
If Silva was "being an ass" and "showing no respect," maybe Leites should have done something to make him put his hands up. Otherwise, Silva made him look like the pussy he is. Too bad falling on your back doesn't score points, Leites might have had a chance otherwise.
Mathew Says:
Urijah Faber fights with reckless abandon throuhgin weird shit. He got FUCKED UP trying to through a fly dragon backward elbow and LOST his title. Fighters should not be pushed into fighting outside their abilities by management. Silva fought the way he wanted to Leites fought they way he wanted to and it ended up being a shitty fight. If Dana is pissed, then tell his matchmaker to pick better oppenents for Silva. I don't think Maia should get screwed out of a title shot because Silva had to crappy fights, yes the Cote fight was Silva's fault. Let a couple of more PPVs go by and then have Silva v Maia as a NON headliner and see what happens.
Silva has reputation as a killer striker and who would want to stand a trade blows with him??? May be a LHW but then again he has already knocked one in to next week.
Anonymous Says:
you know what fuck yall for hatin on silva. every one of you should watch the press conference where different members of press say similar things and before anderson could comment chuck jumped in and spoke his mind. all of you should listen to what chuck said, he got so aggrevated with the ?s about andersons performance that he actually walked out bc obviously they(the press) didn't understand what he was saying. i'm sorry but i think chuck knows a little more about the sport than every one of us on here.
Craig Says:
That fight was crap. I've taken more exciting dumps.
It takes two to tango, but it's not enough for Silva to say, I'm a counterpuncher so if you don't strike at me we will dance. Yes, they both have a responsibility to make the fight (as do the matchmakers - do we think it's a great prospect to have a guy whose style is basically don't strike against a guy who is a counterpuncher)?
You can argue that the point is to win the fight - not just to entertain or fight a certain way for the sake of the fans. I have some sympathy for that. But that's not a great fight for your card, and an even worse one as the main event. let's face it, if this were two random fighters early on the card and it was the same fight, would we care that much?
Last - never been so embarassed Dana? Really? Let's keep this in perspective against Kalib Starnes the last time you were in Montreal.
In any case, I insist they leave Logan behind in Canada as repayment.
Goog Says:
@Mathew
Faber fights like that because he wants to, not because he's told to. And look at the fan reaction to him. I think you just unintentionally made the case for everyone hating Silva here. Good example. Thanks.
Anonymous Says:
you know what fuck yall for hatin on silva. every one of you should watch the press conference where different members of press say similar things and before anderson could comment chuck jumped in and spoke his mind. all of you should listen to what chuck said, he got so aggrevated with the ?s about andersons performance that he actually walked out bc obviously they(the press) didn't understand what he was saying. i'm sorry but i think chuck knows a little more about the sport than every one of us on here. COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF
weatherman2012 Says:
Dan White is a confused idiot as are most of you fans who are shit talking Anderson Silva. Was it a great fight? No. But a lot of that blame falls on Thales Leites. All of you that think Silva could have finished it at any point are just fucking ignorant. Fighting does simply not work that way.
I can't believe Dana's lack of support for his fighters. Sure he's brought the sport a long way but I'm really losing faith in the direction that he's brought it. He's lead the fans to think that every fight should be a slug fest ending in a dramatic KO. There is a conflict though because all his fighters are scared to lose their jobs so they don't want to lose a fight, causing them to be cautious a lot of the time.
I really lament the demise of Pride at times like this. The UFC is really lacking in class and substance compared to the Japanese organizations. Many fighters will tell you they prefer(ed) the atmosphere and treatment over there. Dana killing Pride was a sad thing.
As for Anderson, who can really say what was going through his head. I do know that the UFC has not handled a champion of his caliber very well. You have to do more than cramming "the best pound for pound fighter" idea down everyone's throat. Supposedly Silva wants to fight 4-6 times a year...fucking let him! If he's not a huge PPV draw, at least let him smash every contender that he can. Do something that keep that guy stimulated and chances are he'll be more entertaining. He could probably destroy most contenders even in bad shape, so why make him wait 6 months to fight shitty competition. Dana lets Josh Koscheck fight 3-4 times a year, why not the Spider?
The UFC is still the best act in town but this sport has entered a new level of cultural exposure and I don't know if the way that Dana is steering the organization will allow it to truly evolve to the next stage.
Anonymous Says:
Think of it like this. If you are on a sports team and not going out there playing with 100% of your skill... does the coach get on your ass? does the team owner start thinking about trading you? does the sports writers talk about how your head is too big and you think you're too good to work hard? (ie. Terrell Owens)
Anderson Silva is a paid fighter for the UFC. He is paid to go out and fight... and a part of that employment is putting asses in seats and selling PPV buys. Without money the UFC is gone,,, fighters needs to be exciting or the money dries up. As an employee of the UFC he is expected to perform at his best... but seems to think he is expected to just show up. he clowned, he goofed, he danced... but he did not show intensity or drive or determination. It looked like a glorified sparring match.
Thales Leites is just as guilty for it being a boring fight.. but in a different way all together.
A champion is expected to fight like one. Silva is fighting like he could care less about the outcome of the fight.
For those of you who say it was a "smart" fight. I disagree. Fighting isn't just about the W or L that goes on your record. If you don't impress people or showcase your skill... people stop caring about you. And when people don't care- you might be looking for a new job.
In addition. If this fight was early in the card it would be a big deal. But when you are supposedly the "best pound for pound" fighter in the world you have some expectations on performance... Silva seems to rebelling against those expectations- and I think it's going to backfire on him.
C-Bus Allstar Says:
@ Anon, you're right. I've never been in a fight in the octagon. But I have been in cage fights, and I have been in real fights, and I've even done the "underground" "backyard" for money fights. And as someone who's fought in live competition, I can tell you that Silva fought the perfect fight. Sure, it wasn't the most entertaining thing we've seen in years, but it was the perfect fight. He took ZERO damage. I don't think Leites landed a single fucking strike in the entire 25 minutes. Not to mention the fact that he bloodied Leites on more than one occasion. Sure he didn't knock him out but I think that might lend to the strength of Leites' chin. He got hit with some shots that could have knocked some lesser guys out. Regardless of the excitement factor of the fight, it was still that, a fight, and in a fight anything can happen, Silva simply denied that anything from happening to him, and Leites backed up enough and fell down enough to keep that anything from happening to him. The end result is a decision win for the man who dominated the exchanges.
nEw JeRsEy - NeW jErSeY Says:
Expectations, high.
A win, yes.
A win over a dangerous opponent, yes.
Pleasing to watch, no...not really.
Could any of us fight better, no.
Anderson Silva points earned, deducted 0
Thales Leites points earned, decuted -100. Since it was his big chance.
Anonymous Says:
C- Bus
The only problem is that journalists and interviewersw aren't supposed to speak for other fighters, they're supposed to speak for fans. And from their perspective, ther are the ones after all that pay the bills, that fight was a disgrace. Perhaps from the perspective of a cage warrior such as yourself, that was the perfect fight.
Feel free t hve as many perfect fights as you want in your basement or your backyard, but don't expect to get a dime from fans who give a shit about anything but entertainment.
Facts:
1) Silva is a superb fighter
2) Silva is a fucking bore
small letters cal Says:
i agree with dana...do we really want to see liddel become the next frank shamrock and turn into the laughing stock of the mma world? liddel should leave the mma as a legend and use his popularity for something other then getting tko'd in the 1st round of every fight he will ever be in from now on...
poopiestick Says:
I'm def not a baldfather lover, but I gotta give Dana kudos for protecting Chuck Lidell and his legacy. He's pulling Chuck at a very high point in his career, and it's a shame to watch Chuck go, but I'd hate to see him two years from now unable to talk well, fighting in some podunk show in Japan against a nobody. I just hope DW can find work for him that will keep the guy happy and involved in the sport.
Anonymous Says:
"..don't get it twisted anderson is nasty but for dana to say fedors resume isn't impressive is just ignorant...fedors resume is just so much more impressive...."
DW isn't Ignorant or stupid, he's just a business man dissing the competetion. He knows full well Fedors background includes demolishing former UFC champs and other greats.
Truth2Pwr Says:
I've been giving this a lot of thought, and I've figured out the perfect opponent to shake Silva out of his doldrums...
...drumroll please!...
...a beefed up to 185 Nick Diaz!!!
Now hear me out. Give Nick the Prick some Portuguese lessons. At least enough to learn how to say, "Aw don't be scared little homie!" and "How you like taste my peepee Spider!" and then turn him loose. Think about it. Silva and his point karate comrades need someone who can piss em off enough to make them engage and Diaz is just the ticket. Not to mention those long arms, that slick ground game...
...Dana, are you listening?!
the Canadian Chronic Says:
C-Bus, you said it. It was a smart fight, but ppl dont watch smart fights. They dont spend their money to watch smart fights, they spend their money on entertainment. Specifically, sports entertainment. The Spider was billed as "the best p4p fighter in the world", and people tuned in for that. When I go watch a hockey game, I expect to see hockey played. Likewise, when I tune in for a fight, there better be a fuckin fight on, not kicks to the kneecap.
BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!BULLSHIT!
Jay Smith Says:
@ Goog comment "He's in a business, but doesn't realize it's not the Anderson Silva business. He's there to help sell tickets, represent the UFC, and expand the fanbase."
Frankly, you couldn't be more wrong. So you think when Silva "started" training many years ago he was thinking "hmmm, I want to do this so someone can make lots of money off of me, and make more people like mixed martial arts"? No dumbass! He like EVERY OTHER FIGHTER of any discipline, including boxing just want to improve their skills so that one day they can possibly become champion (if they're in it to compete). Anderson Silva is the champion. THAT'S what he wanted to do, and you know what....... He's STILL the champ. No matter what ANYBODY including Dana White says. Have you ever heard the phrase "To be the champ, you have to beat the champ"? Most of you talking shit about Silva were on his dick before his last couple fights. It's the nature of the sport people. Remember when everyone was hatin on Machida for being "elusive". It's called fighting a smart fight, and both men are still undefeated in the octogon. I'd love to see any of you Silva haters in a fight of any kind. Something tells me that the fight wouldn't last very long!
Mathew Says:
That was not a point against Silva. It was a point for fighters sticking to their training and what got them where they are/a title. Silva is not a reckless abandon fighter and there for should not be expected/told to fight that way.
Jay Smith Says:
@ poopiestick
What do you mean "you'd hate to see him 2 years from now not able to "speak" well? You think he's articulate now? LOL Yeah I agree with you though, he needs to sit down. I'm sure Dana will invent a position in the company for his "best friend" that involves wearing a suit, and making lots of money. Probably a couple porn stars and strippers as a signing bonus. I was pulling for Chuck in this fight, but it does appear it's time to ride off into the sunset (strip)!
hello Says:
i didnt pay 500 $ + hotel+ food+beer to watch silva audition for 'so you think you could dance"
Jay Smith Says:
@ hello
First of all, you were dumb for paying that much to begin with, but you also didn't pay that much to see one fight either. Something tells me that if that were the only fight of the night, you wouldn't have payed that much. What you payed that amount for was 8 or 9 fights, and one of them didn't go the way YOU thought it should have gone. WAAAAAAAAAAA
Jugger Says:
Anderson Silva fought a smart fight. It sucked. Period.
A recent survey revealed that only 1 in 50 fight fans care to see fighter engage in "cautious fighting with the intention of winning a decision." Survery organizers dubbed these rare fans "Lyoto Lovers" and they are categorized as:
"Fans who don't mind paying $40 to watch fighters juke each other, back-pedal, evade, elude, butt scoot, pitter-patter, and inflict little, if any, damage upon their opponent."
The other 49 in 50 are dubbed "average fight fans" and can be categorized as:
"Fans who pay $40 to watch Mixed Martial Artists fight as if to finish their opponent."
Unfortunately for the UFC, "Lyoto Lovers" (a.k.a. "pretentious fight-snobs who actually like board games more than MMA") only make up about .004% of the UFC's main source of income. Pandering to the "Lyoto Lovers" would ultimately cost the UFC millions of dollars as PPVs would plummet and the sport's popularity would evaporate. This is the reason Dana White is often found voicing the opinion the "average fan". This is why he gives $70,000.00 bonuses to fighters who "fight as if finish their opponent"
slapjaw ackrite Says:
fuck Silva
if you don't like it, bye C Bus
Goog Says:
You're welcome to your opinion, Jay Smith, but the reality is that Silva was afraid to go to the ground with a guy who's being written off as a scrub with no chance. Smart? Nah. Sure, he walked in with the belt and out with it. But if that's being the world's best and a champion, I'm not interested. And by the sounds of it, neither is the media, the fans, or the president of the company. And you can dispute his role as an EMPLOYEE of the UFC, but he needs to put asses in seats... and when he does, they shouldn't be immeasurably pissed off that they spent their money on it.
I saw Silva/Henderson in Columbus. It was a 2 hour drive for me and $400 for the ticket, not to mention the overnight stay. Henderson took it to him and it was a good fight FOR THAT REASON, but if he'd pulled that bullshit from this past weekend. I'd never spend another dime on those events. And that.... multiplied by the thousands of pissed of slighted fans... is why Silva better square his ass away. If Dana White will let Randy Couture walk off, he's not going to beg Anderson Silva to perform much more. Not only will live events drop off, PPV goes down. Who's going to spend $50 to watch the next Silva headliner when you can log in the next morning to see how he clowned again? From this point on, I think Silva's going to be skirting on the opponent's reputation, meaning the only chance he's going to have of not being a dud is if they put him against a more popular fighter. Then we'll tune in... because it's GSP, Rampage, etc.