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Dana White, the CEO of the UFC, has once again taken shots at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) following its acquisition of Bellator MMA. PFL founder Donn Davis defended the move, stating on “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani that the purchase was the quickest and most effective way to build a roster comparable to the UFC's talent pool. White, however, remains visibly irritated at the prospect of a rival promotion actively working to enhance its standing in the industry.
Expressing his disdain for the PFL-Bellator merger, White didn't hold back during the UFC Austin post-fight press conference. When asked about his thoughts on the acquisition, White sarcastically wished the newly merged promotion success, saying, “It’s f*cking hilarious, but yeah, good for them. I wish ’em all the luck in the world.”
White continued his critique, offering harsh words about how he perceives both PFL and Bellator as organizations.
“One shtty organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches buys another shtty organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches,” White remarked. “Sounds like a f*cking winner to me, boy, right? Woo!”
It's notable that White's tone towards PFL turned more critical after Donn Davis highlighted the promotion's intention to capture a significant portion of the MMA market share. The UFC head has not taken kindly to PFL's mission and has consistently used public platforms to disparage the rival organization.
A significant point of contention arose when PFL secured the signing of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Ngannou's contract with the UFC had expired while he was still a titleholder, leading to a breakdown in negotiations for a new deal. Upon PFL's announcement of Ngannou's signing, White escalated his criticism of the promotion, hurling verbal jabs in their direction. The feud between UFC and PFL appears to be escalating as both organizations vie for dominance in the competitive world of mixed martial arts.