It’s not uncommon to see fans of a particular sport bashing other sports. But to say what Dana White, President of UFC, did, is unfathomable, especially given the timing of it.
While the entire world prepares mentally for the upcoming FIFA World Cup fixtures, the United States of America bore witness to their men’s football team’s return home after putting up a tough fight in the group stage of the tournament.
Anyhow, in the backdrop of the world’s largest and most prestigious football tournament’s 2022 edition has seen the impossible become possible with newbie teams defeating goliaths of the sport, the 53-year-old boss of the American Ultimate Fighting Championship, has chosen to incite millions all over the world by making outrageous comments about the sport of football.
Football enthusiasts across the globe are at a complete loss about the best possible way to react to the ex-kickboxing coach-turned-businessman’s wholly misconceived notion of the sport and the sheer lack of appreciation of the effort professional players put into performing on the pitch.
While talking about the sport in an interview, White expressed his extreme dislike of the sport, or soccer, as they call it in America, saying, “I can’t stand soccer. I think it’s the least talented sport on Earth.”
White went on to justify his absurd opinion by claiming, “There are a reason three-year-olds can play soccer, ok? You run around and kick a ball.”
When the journalist suggested that such an opinion wouldn’t go down well with the public if White was in the South American continent, White, summoning all of his machismo riposted, “You wouldn’t say that if you were in Brazil, dude I’d say this in any country ever.”
Following that, the UFC President dug himself into a deeper hole as he tried to explain a misconceived notion of what football is.
He remarked, “When you’re playing a game where the net is this big right, and the score is 3-1, are you s**ting me right now? Do you know how untalented you have to be to score three points when the net is this big?”
Social media instantly blew up following Dana White’s interview and fans had their fill of vengeance against the UFC President.
Ridiculing him for his flawed mindset, fans also fired shots at the American definition of football and the complete lack of effort it takes to be talented in that sport as compared to football.
Unfortunately for Dana White, the facts are simply against his beliefs.
In fact, it is worth pointing out that football is followed by billions of fans across the globe whereas UFC is a sport that is predominantly of interest only in the United States of America.
It doesn’t seem like White is going to have a very good 2026 given that the USA will be a host for FIFA’s next World Cup in that year. And I’m sure you’d agree with me in labelling that as karmic justice.