The UFC’s planned event at the White House continues to generate debate, and UFC CEO Dana White has no problem with Joe Rogan voicing his concerns.
Rogan recently questioned the decision to hold major championship fights outdoors, citing factors such as weather, heat, and insects that could impact competition. White addressed those comments.
White Respects Rogan’s Opinion
According to White in an interview with Forbes, Rogan is free to speak his mind about the event.
“Joe Rogan is a grown ass man who has his own opinions on different things,”
“And yes, we are really good friends. I don’t call him and say, ‘What are you doing? Why are you talking about bugs?’”
White acknowledged that the bug concerns being raised are legitimate and shared by others involved with the promotion.
“I’m talking about bugs, too,”
“But we’re gonna do it. To the best of our ability, we’re gonna get it done.”
White Pushes Back on ‘Gimmick’ Label
White also took issue with suggestions that the White House card could be viewed as a gimmick.
“He said something crazy like, ‘It seems like a gimmick,’”
“I mean, what does ‘a gimmick’ mean? It’s a real fight, with real stakes.”
White pointed to the possibility of Alex Pereira adding another title to his résumé as proof of the event’s significance.
“You got Pereira possibly winning his third world title.”
“If he wins the third world title that night, he jumps over Jon Jones and becomes the greatest of all time.”
“When you talk about a gimmick, there’s absolutely nothing gimmicky about this event.”