Dana White and Bob Arum are far from buddies, and that’s likely not going to change anytime soon. The promoters have traded verbal shots for years, and now Arum’s trashing White over his plan to keep holding UFC cards, as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.
Arum says White should be “ashamed of himself”
Recently the UFC was forced to postpone March 21st, 28th and April 11th cards due to various restrictions that have been enacted, as a result of the pandemic. But, White has repeatedly insisted that he’ll find a way to hold the April 18th, UFC 249 card. Further, the outspoken promoter has said the UFC will also work on moving forward with other events.
Well, recently Arum was a guest on the State of Combat podcast, and he said the following about White’s intentions to keep holding cards (quotes via MMA Fighting).
“He ought to be ashamed of himself,” Arum said. “What’s going on in this country and the world with this virus, the last thing we need is for an event to take place with no spectators just to get the event to take place. But the truth is Dana White is somebody with a flawed intelligence.”
“He’s not going to move forward with the card, and if the card happens with people dying in hospitals all over the United States, he ought to be ashamed of himself,” Arum said. “The message should be stay home and stand down until this is over. Let’s not spread the virus, let’s control the virus and do what we can to staff these hospitals and take care of people who go into intensive care.
”Let’s all be big people and big boys about it and stop the grandstanding. This will end when it ends, and it will end quicker if we all stick together and do what we are supposed to do, not go and shout from the rafters that, ‘I’m not a p-ssy and I’m going to put this fight on. I don’t care.’ That is absolutely the wrong message to send.”
Reaction?
Longtime MMA observers will likely note here that Arum has made controversial remarks about MMA in the past, and his rivalry with White is well documented. So, some may argue that his issues with White are impacting his statements here.
But, there are plenty of other people who have criticized White over his intention to hold UFC 249 as the pandemic continues. Governments are encouraging people to self-isolate and not to travel, unless absolutely necessary, as a means to slow the spread of the virus. A virus that, as this is being written, has infected over 850,000 people and killed over 40,000.
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