Like Snuggies® at small college football games in the fall, UFC has now officially taken over the world. The L.A. sports bar I shoehorned into Saturday was overwhelmed with TapOuted cranks trying to crash UFC 100. The only time I can remember SoCal *sports* fan reax even approaching that was Lakers NBA Finals-time.
(Opposite day! White counsels Lesnar on couth)
UFC’s PPV buys, attendance figures, gate receipts, merch sales and coverage from MSM outlets has passed critical mass. UFC now IS MMA. They might as well rename the sport.
And with that suffocating coverage comes increased scrutiny. Scrutiny that led to the extensive public comment on Brock Lesnar’s regrettable post-fight behavior at UFC 100. And the deliciously ironic response from pro sports’ biggest a-hole, Dana White.
Following Lesnar’s post fight slights of fallen opposite Frank Mir and UFC title sponsor Bud Light, White reportedly lectured the fighter on the fine art of how to act in public.
In other words, it was opposite day!
Since Lesnar didn’t soon after act like a foul-mouthed, sexist pig, I assume White told him “do as I say, not as I do.”
For the uninformed, White recently unleashed a torrent of unjustified, personal invectives against UFC writer Loretta Hunt in a Youtube video he uploaded himself.
Sadly, White quickly took down the video of his expletive-filled, incomprehensible rant against an ESPN-affiliated reporter after I posted about it. (Wonder if the folks at Bud Light had a chance to see it before it was spiked?)
Think I’m alone in my opinion against White? Wrong. When he appeared on ESPN SportsCenter this morning, he was cautioned by Hannah Storm that, “you’re on (live) TV.”
Think she would say that to Roger Goodell? Bud Selig? David Stern? (OK, maybe Selig.)
That interview went on without incident, but remember UFC is riding high right now. Hope you’ve got your DVR set for the next, inevitable controversy thats casts White’s combat creation in a bad light.
(Can’t wait, actually.)
1:00 pm on July 13th, 2009
Let me save the UFC Kool-Aiders some time: “Brooks, you’re an a-hole. You don’t understand the sport. Dana is really a great guy. Quit being a hater!”
Whoops, that should’ve been in all caps. My bad.
1:17 pm on July 13th, 2009
Dana used multiple profanities at his press conference on Friday.
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/odomingo/57511
1:44 pm on July 13th, 2009
bashing dana white is getting old.
let it go. dude, your beginning to sound like a child who complains to mom and dad because your brother wont let you play with your toys.
move on. sounding too much like a girl by not letting it go.
now, back to my internet porn
1:56 pm on July 13th, 2009
I see what you did there, Tito. No Caps!!! Way to stick it to him.
1:57 pm on July 13th, 2009
If people think the Fertittas aren’t seriously concerned about White’s public displays, considering UFC’s high profile deals with companies like Bud Light, they’re naive.
It seems impossible that White could lose his job, but if he keeps this up … anything’s possible.
3:18 pm on July 13th, 2009
They should not be that worried about Dana as they should be more concerned with actually getting their Station Casino debt in order by Friday’s deadline so they can file Chapter 11.
4:48 pm on July 13th, 2009
Here’s the difference:
1.Millions were watching Lesnar be an a-hole on Saturday night.
2. Brooks and five other sports junkies were watching Dana’s Youtube rant and some !(*&* press conference.
3. As the representative of Lesnar employers White had every right to tell Lesnar to leave the WWE crap at home with his wife.
9:30 pm on July 13th, 2009
Dana and Lesnar have at least one thing in common: They proved themselves in spectacular fashion when people seriously questioned whether they could get the job done.
Most people would let their actions do all the talking, but gentlemanly politeness isn’t a prerequisite to be involved with the UFC. So White and Lesnar felt that it was OK to tell everyone to “go eff themselves.” As they become more accustomed to success, I believe they will both begin to express themselves more prudently.
11:52 pm on July 13th, 2009
The Lesner Speech at the end plays to the marketing UFC has been doing. Manufacturing rivalries more like WWE than Boxing.
2:35 am on July 14th, 2009
Why is Lesnar getting so much crap for his comments? For months Mir has been trash talking Lesnar even though Mir’s victory was a fluke. He even said Lesnar’s hammer fists were annoying like his little sister jumping on his back pulling his hair. You talk trash, you’d better back it up. Lesnar made him eat his words. What? Guys aren’t allowed to dislike each other when they’re trying to pummel each other into submission? Oh, that’s right. It has to be business all the time. B.S. It’s a fight. Trash talk is part of it. I’d rather see Lesnar do what he did than to say “It was just to hype the fight” like Tyson would do. He didn’t like Mir. He beat his @ss. The only part I see a problem with is his comment about Bud Light, UFC’s sponsor. The rest was great. Everyone at my house loved it and everyone I’ve talked to loved it.
10:01 am on July 14th, 2009
Why is everyone all over Lesnar? It’s nothing more than what Ali used to do back in the day.
10:47 am on July 14th, 2009
Keith, people hated Ali. Hated (some still do) more than anyone will ever dislike Lesnar. Ali’s antics had a real social impact. Please, Keith, never compare Lesnar’s WWE-like foolishness to the “message to the black man” activist-like style that Ali put forth. Completely different!!!