Hour 1: Dana White and the UFC

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Hour 1: Dana White and the UFC
Release Date: February 12, 2025

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Introduction to the Episode

In the first hour of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz delve into an in-depth discussion about Dana White and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The conversation explores Dana White's growing influence within the sports and entertainment industries, the UFC's transition into mainstream culture, and the organization's handling of controversial fighters and free speech issues.

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Dana White's Ascendancy and UFC's Mainstream Integration

Dan Le Batard opens the discussion by highlighting Dana White's significant rise in power:

"Dana White is more powerful than he's ever been. That's a little more dangerous than it felt before when he was just the carnival barker..."
[11:23]

The hosts examine how Dana White has transformed the UFC from a renegade mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion into a mainstream powerhouse, partnering with major corporations like Disney and attracting high-profile sponsors. They emphasize how this shift has amplified White's influence not just within sports but also in broader cultural and political arenas.

Mike Ryan adds:

"The UFC, the cult, the Rogan culture, all of that was certainly spearheading the societal shift that is very clearly happening."
[16:08]

This transformation has positioned Dana White alongside influential figures such as Elon Musk and Donald Trump, underscoring his pivotal role in both sports and politics.

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Handling of Controversial Fighters and Free Speech

A significant portion of the discussion centers on Dana White's approach to managing fighters who make inflammatory or offensive statements. The hosts critically analyze incidents involving fighters like Sean Strickland and Bryce Mitchell, who have made remarks deemed transphobic, racist, and homophobic.

Dan Le Batard criticizes White's inconsistent stance:

"Dana White champions Sean Strickland's ability to say these things... but he didn't actually take any punitive measure against Bryce Mitchell."
[15:01]

Mike Ryan further elaborates on the issue:

"Dana White has all sorts of opinions. When people have opinions about him, it's almost as if everyone else in the UFC is entitled to use their right to free speech, but if you use it against the UFC, then he's got a problem with it."
[16:08]

The hosts argue that while Dana White publicly opposes offensive remarks, he fails to implement meaningful consequences for fighters who cross the line, thereby fostering an environment where such behavior is rewarded rather than reprimanded.

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Echo Chambers and Lack of Accountability

The conversation shifts to the concept of echo chambers within the UFC's media presence. Mike Ryan asserts that Dana White has created a closed environment that stifles dissenting voices:

"He's quite literally built an echo chamber with who he allows to cover the sport."
[33:53]

Stugotz challenges this notion, but Mike Ryan maintains that the UFC's selective media partnerships limit accountability and discourage critical discourse:

"If you are indeed all about free speech, you have to welcome voices that are there to hold you accountable... but you're just limiting that."
[33:53]

This lack of accountability, according to the hosts, has allowed Dana White to amass unchecked power, leading to a culture where offensive behavior goes unpunished and free speech is selectively enforced.

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Impact on the UFC's Public Persona and Business Practices

The hosts discuss how Dana White's leadership and the UFC's handling of controversies affect the organization's public image and business operations. They point out that while violence and aggression are central to MMA's appeal, the lack of repercussions for offensive behavior tarnishes the UFC's reputation.

Stugotz remarks:

"Violence sells in this country. And he's got a monster business and he's accruing power. There haven't been any consequences other than reward for the accruing of that power."
[27:24]

Mike Ryan adds concerns about the sustainability of this approach:

"Dana White champions Sean Strickland's ability to say these things... but he didn't actually take any punitive measure... This is very much a free speech absolutist, it would appear."
[16:08]

The hosts argue that without proper governance and accountability, the UFC risks alienating its audience and undermining its legitimacy as a major sports organization.

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Conclusion and Call for Change

Towards the episode's end, the hosts emphasize the need for the UFC and Dana White to adopt more responsible practices regarding free speech and fighter conduct. They advocate for a balance between maintaining the sport's aggressive nature and upholding ethical standards that foster respect and inclusivity.

Mike Ryan concludes:

"If you help bring it [controversy] there, then you should at least... allow for 10% of civil discourse and opposition and not get your panties in a bunch every time someone comes out and criticizes you in public and not try to limit their access."
[28:10]

Stugotz reinforces the necessity for consequences:

"It's not a global symphony of sanctioning, it's real governance that does have... reactions that stop further bad behavior."
[27:46]

The episode wraps up with a unanimous call from the hosts for greater accountability and ethical leadership within the UFC, urging Dana White to implement measures that align with the organization's mainstream status and societal expectations.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dan Le Batard:

  "Dana White is more powerful than he's ever been. That's a little more dangerous than it felt before when he was just the carnival barker..."
  [11:23]

• Mike Ryan:

  "Dana White has all sorts of opinions. When people have opinions about him, it's almost as if everyone else in the UFC is entitled to use their right to free speech, but if you use it against the UFC, then he's got a problem with it."
  [16:08]

• Stugotz:

  "Violence sells in this country. And he's got a monster business and he's accruing power. There haven't been any consequences other than reward for the accruing of that power."
  [27:24]

• Mike Ryan:

  "If you help bring it [controversy] there, then you should at least... allow for 10% of civil discourse and opposition and not get your panties in a bunch every time someone comes out and criticizes you in public and not try to limit their access."
  [28:10]

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz provides a critical examination of Dana White's leadership of the UFC and the organization's approach to free speech and athlete conduct. Through spirited discussions and pointed critiques, the hosts call for a more accountable and ethically responsible direction for the UFC as it continues to shape its place in mainstream sports and culture.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network. Ever since switching to T Mobile, something weird has been happening. I get to cut lines.

[Stugotz]

Oh, right this way.

[Dan LeBatard]

Who, me? I can stream shows at 30,000ft and I was able to buy reserve tickets for my favorite band.

[Mike Ryan]

It's not just you.

[Stugotz]

With T Mobile, everyone can get VIP status. That means access to exclusive events and experiences just for being a customer. At t mobile. VIP means y o u check out the VIP treatment@t mobile.com benefits.

[Tony]

You know that sound? It's the sound of money hitting your Venmo account. A friend paying you back. Or maybe it's getting cash back from your favorite business when you pay with the Venmo debit card. Or it's realizing you can pay with Venmo at checkout at thousands of brands. Now there are so many more ways to answer the question. What's your Venmo? Download Venmo. Today, the Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank N.A. pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. DOSH cashback terms apply.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.

[Stugotz]

I'm sorry that I am delayed or I've kept the live audience waiting. Here I was too busy watching the title Nine twins over there salute each other for how good they were last summer.

[Chris Cody]

I think I had the best line.

[Mike Ryan]

No, no, no.

[Chris Cody]

I thought my line.

[Stugotz]

No, I had the best point. I made the best point. Oh, my God.

[Greg Cote]

I want to make it abundantly clear Mike had the best point.

[Billy Corben]

That's always the answer. The answer is always Mike. Good job out of you.

[Greg Cote]

Yes, you're welcome.

[Mike Ryan]

Good point by you.

[Stugotz]

The two of them, like, slapping each other on the back so heartily.

[Mike Ryan]

We are allies.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah, it's a progressive off.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, allies.

[Stugotz]

I made the best point. It's something I've never heard.

[Chris Cody]

The most progressive.

[Mike Ryan]

Mike made the best point in soccer. Actually, I could have made that point because, like soccer, we've been trying for decades to get to have liftoff in this country. But guess what? Who's actually had success there? Oh, the old title. Niners.

[Greg Cote]

I just pray to God that we get this all settled. And, you know, when she gets it settled, we'll all be in a much better place.

[Mike Ryan]

Go off, King.

[Greg Cote]

I mean, come on.

[Billy Corben]

Good point.

[Roy Bellamy]

What does that mean?

[Greg Cote]

Woman.

[Mike Ryan]

God.

[Stugotz]

Huh?

[Greg Cote]

God's a woman.

[Billy Corben]

Oh, Mike, you gave that to him, right?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. He's an ally.

[Greg Cote]

Allies, baby.

[Stugotz]

Okay, so congratulations, gentlemen, on discussing.

[Greg Cote]

No lies, just allies.

[Stugotz]

Women, sports.

[Mike Ryan]

I noticed that you guys were on the sidelines didn't like that we were.

[Stugotz]

Watching you guys work.

[Mike Ryan]

I wasn't letting you talk.

[Stugotz]

You guys were so pleased with the points that you were making. I wanted to get the top five kisses.

[Mike Ryan]

That good point that did nothing but turn our audience against us.

[Stugotz]

I've been making those all our life.

[Chris Cody]

Those great points by Jeremy and Mike last segment were brought to you by Venmo.

[Mike Ryan]

Wow.

[Billy Corben]

Wow.

[Stugotz]

Well, since we're doing sponsorship now and we made the mistakes of cross sponsoring some things in the last segment, I do want to say something on behalf of 1-800-FLOWERS, a sponsor that has come with us. I have over the years when I worked for the man threatened you, threatened you if you don't buy 1-800-Flowers. But I now want to show gratitude for both the sponsors who come with us everywhere and make us dugatz in a very, very difficult media time. Like the number one billing thing in the sports podcast space in the podcast space is tough. It's because a whole bunch of people when we left ESPN rallied behind us and sponsored that our audience is the most loyal. So now I'm asking our audience to show 1-800-FLowers what they paid for. Like I'm asking our audience, hey, this is pretty easy. Pick up the phone or get on the Internet and just send someone you care about flowers and support the sponsor that supports us so that 1-800-Flowers may get a loving gesture from our audience that has been threatening in the past by right. But if you don't do well today, okay, I'm going to go to the home of old people you care about and put Legos on the floor.

[Billy Corben]

Oh, wow. Yikes. Wow.

[Chris Cody]

Well said, Dan. 1-800-Flowers has been with us for years. We love them. This Valentine's Day, 1800-Flowers.com has you covered. Order early, score huge savings, like double the roses for free. You have to act now. Visit 1-800-flowers.com/. Dan.

[Mike Ryan]

It's not even just the Legos sticking to the feet, but they're older. That could just compound issues. They try to avoid the Legos they fall. We all know how tender the hip is at that age.

[Billy Corben]

That's the point. Yes.

[Stugotz]

Don't make it come to that.

[Billy Corben]

Hmm.

[Stugotz]

Just buy the flowers. Show 1-800-FLowers. Show them that you the our audience, when we ask you to spend some money, continues to support us in all the good places. But I will escalate this to threats tomorrow before Valentine's Day. If, if, if today you don't do it.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, any big plans?

[Stugotz]

I have learned. I have learned that this is an important thing, to celebrate my wife's love as many times as I possibly can, whenever I can.

[Billy Corben]

This is a big day.

[Chris Cody]

Yes, you can celebrate your love, too, right?

[Greg Cote]

My wife's love is an interesting way to put that one.

[Billy Corben]

Yes.

[Stugotz]

My wife's love of romance. My wife's love. But it's your love celebrating our love.

[Billy Corben]

It's your love for her. It's her love for.

[Stugotz]

I've had to be taught.

[Mike Ryan]

You do it on the day. It's really important that you do it on the day.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, very important that I do it every day.

[Billy Corben]

Well, dedicated to.

[Stugotz]

I mean, what do you.

[Mike Ryan]

Have you explained that the menu options are a little bit more limited and there's more crowds? You just either wait or do it ahead of time. That can be your Valentine's Day, sweetie, and we can all enjoy it much more. Have you done that? Have you tried having that?

[Chris Cody]

Have you tried a guy's trip?

[Mike Ryan]

No, we're going to Canada.

[Chris Cody]

Sorry, honey.

[Mike Ryan]

Sorry. Four nations just comes once.

[Chris Cody]

Get that poutine, eh?

[Stugotz]

You two are going together?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah, we're brewing out. Yeah, we're going up.

[Roy Bellamy]

So wait, hold on, you guys. Tomorrow, you guys got the okay from your collective wives to go out of the country on Valentine's Day?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. Valentine's Day is just a day on a calendar. Valentine's Day is something that I never celebrate on Valentine's Day. If you do so, you're doing it wrong. Sorry, Dan. I'm very resolute in this opinion. You get the worst service, you get the worst menu items. You get packed crowds. You do it on either the week after or the week before. You have a much better experience. And you celebrate a valley. You give roses. You do all the traditional stuff. You just don't do it on the day.

[Billy Corben]

Mike is right about this. I mean, you have to show your wife that you love her 364 days out of the year. Not on Valentine's Day, though, because everyone is doing the thing on Valentine's Day. Why compete with. With everyone when you can have your own day to yourself? You know what I'm saying?

[Mike Ryan]

And if that day is spent watching Finland, Sweden, and then take a little break.

[Billy Corben]

That's what it is.

[Mike Ryan]

Catch up with the spitting Chiclets boys. And then watch USA Canada in what might now be a geopolitical storm, then you do.

[Greg Cote]

So Mike is doing this because he's an ally.

[Stugotz]

Does Roy ever put down his hockey in the name of romance?

[Mike Ryan]

Generally, I try. Unless, of course, it's a home game, and then I have to go out and come to game.

[Chris Cody]

I imagine. I imagine Roy has a hockey stick in the bedroom.

[Billy Corben]

Whoa.

[Mike Ryan]

It's in the office actually.

[Billy Corben]

In his pants.

[Mike Ryan]

So Valentine's. Valentine's Day is on Friday. Is it? It's on Friday.

[Chris Cody]

That's the day after emo goth night.

[Mike Ryan]

No. No. So that is emo goth night. Emos versus Goths. You have to pick a side. So we're gonna go a big steak dinner. We have a big steak dinner in Montreal, Gibby's. And then of us are going to walk a mile in sub zero temperatures and go to emos versus goths.

[Chris Cody]

It's nine degrees right now.

[Stugotz]

There it's in his pants.

[Mike Ryan]

The stick oddly shaped.

[Roy Bellamy]

Saw a commercial for that actually during the Super Bowl. I think it's called peyronie's disease.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, I'm telling you guys about that.

[Mike Ryan]

The rare disease. It sounds like a delicious pasta you've been telling us about.

[Billy Corben]

Here's ads all the time.

[Stugotz]

Stugats has been telling you about that. He's been trying to get ahead of the curve. He was telling you guys, quite literally.

[Mike Ryan]

Peroni served al dente.

[Billy Corben]

It's like a carrot.

[Stugotz]

Excellent work by you, Stugatz. Always video team. I don't know how these things happen. It's confusing to me. But thank you for finally putting up in the corner of the screen that tremendous video that I'd like to be doing things like that more often because I don't believe things like that are real. And I want four people falling down down at the gym because one person was on a treadmill. My guess is that I could watch videos like that the rest of my life and die happy if you just put me on an endless loop of viral videos of people falling down on a treadmill at the gym.

[Mike Ryan]

Where. Where that was a C block on highly questionable. Wrote it to great success.

[Stugotz]

I know, but it died and I.

[Chris Cody]

Got hit in the balls.

[Stugotz]

Oh, it was. It was.

[Mike Ryan]

Hold on.

[Stugotz]

Either that or that or the handshake was my greatest legacy. Trying to bring journalism to espn. Yes, my father's f handshake or yes, that guy got hit in the balls. That was always funny, though.

[Roy Bellamy]

I mean, always funny when he got hit the balls.

[Greg Cote]

Did you guys pitch the hey, you.

[Chris Cody]

Got something on your shirt. Look down. Oh, got your nose.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, they tried that at the beginning. It didn't work.

[Mike Ryan]

What do you guys think about Gaza, huh?

[Greg Cote]

Dan's laughing at both men and women in this video because he is an ally.

[Stugotz]

You guys, the title Nine twins have not Spoken up.

[Greg Cote]

I don't love that.

[Mike Ryan]

I do. I love title nine.

[Stugotz]

Why wouldn't you like being the title nine twin? What's wrong with that?

[Greg Cote]

All right. I guess it is what it is.

[Stugotz]

Your allies.

[Roy Bellamy]

What's wrong with that?

[Stugotz]

What's wrong with that?

[Mike Ryan]

Now you. You put yourself in quite the pickle.

[Greg Cote]

You know what? I love it. The Title nine Twins. Put it on a T shirt. Me and Mike standing next to each other back to back, just sort of like Charlie's Angels.

[Stugotz]

Why are you walking it back? I don't understand. What, What, What? Why are you. What just happened? Why?

[Greg Cote]

Feels like we're making fun of title nine.

[Stugotz]

Dan.

[Billy Corben]

No.

[Stugotz]

Just making fun of you now. Nope.

[Chris Cody]

Now we've just become the Chive channel.

[Mike Ryan]

We can only make fun of allies with less boobs.

[Stugotz]

What we have happening. Let's play the sound here of Dana White. This is a thing that works now transition. Okay, well, because from title nine Twins, I want to get more woke talk out there because walk. One of the things that is happening that has been fascinating to watch is the walk Mixed martial arts. Going from signing deals in an alley to climbing to the greatest holes of power where you can slap your wife in public. There are no consequences. You just keep big upping the deal. It's the streaming age. You were able successfully to grow your business during a pandemic in a way that was aggressive and politically astute and brave. To keep your business running successfully, testing parameters. Because you have been for a long time a renegade business rewarded for being that renegade. And now you are mainstream. You are working with Disney. You have all the major corporate sponsors. John McCain is dead. He no longer calls it cockfighting. You.

[Roy Bellamy]

All we're missing is for Tito brothers.

[Stugotz]

Woo hoo.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah. Jimmy Pitaro silent. Come on, give me that one.

[Stugotz]

Give me that one.

[Mike Ryan]

Just need one more.

[Stugotz]

Come on.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the quickest ever. Couldn't even get out. McCain. I didn't even write. I'm a human cock.

[Chris Cody]

Human cock.

[Stugotz]

Human what?

[Mike Ryan]

We can just go into the ufc. We don't need to give the history of it every time.

[Stugotz]

The reason I'm giving the history is because now Dana White is more powerful than he's ever been. And that's a little more dangerous than it felt before when he was just the carnival barker and he wasn't leading a sport that the. The roots of it. And, and this is one of the reasons I want to give the history because I don't think that maybe the majority of the audience knows just how extraordinary Joe Rogan has been for that sport as someone who really cares about it when he doesn't care about sports and expertly calls it in a way that has grown the sport and its audience in that now there's a seismic country climate shift on Theo Vaughn's getting to the MMA rink four hours early for the prelims because that side's winning. Those things are winning in this country. And the hood ornament now is Dana White being right between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, wherever all the power goes. And he's doing it after slapping his wife in public, more powerful than he's ever been.

[Mike Ryan]

I think the ufc, the cult, the Rogan culture, all of that was certainly spearheading the societal shift that is very clearly happening. We see big tech companies bend the knee when it comes to some of these things. It's everybody in power has just collectively decided what we were doing a few years ago where we were actually listening to people that we've offended or want to be inclusive. We're going to walk all that stuff back and that's fine. Look, the ufc, previous years and incarnations would find suspend even firefighters for things that they said. And Dana White has actually been quite eloquent when there was transphobia in his sport before, but as a part of this shift that he kind of was at the forefront of, he's gone away from that. You had an MMA fighter appear to be a Nazi sympathizer, and that's at the very least in Bryce Mitchell. And Dana White was good in criticizing those comments. He was a very stern in opposition against them, but he didn't actually take any punitive measure against Bryce Mitchell. And look, we've gone viral before talking about Sean Strickland. I'm not a fan. I think it's repulsive and all that other stuff. But Dana White champions Sean Strickland's ability to say these things, just like he did with Bryce Mitchell. This is very much a free speech absolutist, it would appear. However, I'm a little confused by the mixed messaging, because Dana White has all sorts of opinions. When people have opinions about him, it's almost as if everybody else in the UFC is entitled to use their right to free speech, but if you use it against the ufc, then he's got a problem with it. So I think with this UFC fight in Australia, Sean Strickland did draw first blood. He's very combative in these press conferences. It's how he's that in his fighting ability have elevated him to a headliner. But Tony he had a go at Australia and their more progressive laws, and Australia didn't come out really against him. They just kind of fired back.

[Roy Bellamy]

I think the thing to think with Sean Strickland is this, right? Like, it's actually much quieter than last time around, than what we had when he was fighting Drinkus du Plessis the first time, right? Like, when all this stuff when he.

[Mike Ryan]

Was like, champ, when people figured out.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, wait a second, Sean Strickland is an absolute crazy person and says things that people don't say into microphones. Now, a year later, he's doing the same thing in a different continent, on a different side of the globe that really didn't reach back to America. So it was a lot of Australian media that was coming out saying, please knock this guy out. Now, I think the caveat that we want to add here is, yes, Dana White was having a go at the Australian media, but the headline and the front page was making kind of backtrack to Dana being on a podcast with the Australian Prime Minister in which the opinion piece of the writer was saying that he was made sick of Dana White and the Prime Minister, the premier is what they call it over there, being on a podcast together. So I think Dana was calling them the P word. In regards to how do you feel, like, legitimately sick that I'm on a podcast with the Prime Minister, I think that's kind of where the disconnect is.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the leader of a major sport here in the US Akin to Roger Goodell in the NFL. Only this guy has political influence in what that Roger Goodell doesn't even have. And hell, he's now on the board of Meta. Dana White has legitimate huge power, really powerful dude in the world of sports and politics because he kind of helped normalize Donald Trump's resurgence. Back in one of the great comeback stories in American politics, Donald Trump was steadfast in making sure it was a normal scene to see Donald Trump amongst the people after even Coca Cola came out against him on January 6. But. But what I am at a loss for is how sensitive. Because the right had a word for this. Whenever the left was offended by something, easily they would call them snowflakes. Why is this dude such a snowflake about criticism? He is welcoming. If you are indeed a free speech absolutist, then maybe, just maybe, take a beat and don't call the media. Number one, that's not professional. Number two, that's how you get down. That's fine. But you come across soft, in my opinion, when that's immediately what you go to. You're welcoming this. They're selling your fight, bro. You have Sean Strickland there to create those headlines. Headlines are a good thing in your business. They give you those headlines.

[Stugotz]

Snowflake, let's play that sound, please, for the audience so that Dana White can be heard and how. This is how he reacts to the media. But this, you do understand this is a winning position to attack the media. It's the easiest thing. Dana White has no use for your journalism. He ran a journalist, Ariel Helwani. Out of all of the places that Ariel Helwani dares to ask difficult questions.

[Mike Ryan]

Of important people, he has no use for our journalism. Tony does a great job with the MMA hangout. A great job. It does really well. We love the ufc. And as uncomfortable as it is, even though a bunch of people who didn't want Colin Kaepernick kneeling because they didn't want politics in sports, and yet I see an entire card get hijacked by a victory party by Donald Trump and his cronies. I still watch the ufc. I think they have a terrific product. I would like for them to practice what they preached several years ago in keeping the politics somewhat out of it. I know some of that stuff is unavoidable, but I am just a little shocked that when you buck back against it, you either limit media availability like they have with us, or you just straight up call them the P word. It seems a little so funny.

[Stugotz]

Let's play that sound, please. But listen for a place that is so tough and the people. Everything on land, in the water can kill you. You have the biggest I've ever seen in the media in my life. I saw a story where a guy was like, I saw Dana do a podcast with the premiere, and it physically made me sick. Holy. You guys have to have the biggest of all time in the media here.

[Mike Ryan]

There's a lot of tough talk from this guy, and he always does that, like, whiny voice, like, look, I told you in as mainly a voice as I can muster, not a fan of all that. You do it. I watch. Anyways, we move on. I use my pulpit to say how I feel. You take great offense and try to limit my ability to do that. That doesn't actually feel like free speech, not one bit.

[Chris Cody]

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[Tony]

You know that sound? It's the sound of money hitting your Venmo account. A friend paying you back. Or maybe it's getting cash back from your favorite business when you pay with the Venmo debit card. Or it's realizing you can pay with Venmo at checkout at thousands of brands. Now there are so many more ways to answer the question, what's your Venmo? Download Venmo today. The Venmo Mastercard is issued by the Bancorp Bank N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard International, Inc. DOSH Cash Back Terms apply when you.

[Dan LeBatard]

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[Stugotz]

Don LeBatard no one else here is willing to do a Trump or a Biden.

[Roy Bellamy]

That's not true, Dan.

[Stugotz]

Okay, Tony, you can catch a thousand impersonations.

[Mike Ryan]

That's not bad, man. Finally. Pretty good Stugach.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yours is terrible.

[Chris Cody]

You just gotta get a little redder, a little pinker.

[Tony]

You're right there, man.

[Stugotz]

Yours is not that you're biting.

[Mike Ryan]

What do you mean?

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, his is good.

[Greg Cote]

That's actually not bad. That's not terrible.

[Chris Cody]

We gotta come together.

[Greg Cote]

Little Southern, little Bush, little George Bush in that one.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats.

[Stugotz]

Well, it doesn't also feel like tough, but I suspect that Dana White and I probably define tough differently, right? Like I, I think that where he lives, tough is you go looking for the fight and I can beat you up with my hands, but you not criticize me, I will overpower you. And then you slap your wife in a nightclub because you're tough. Like.

[Billy Corben]

And we watch. I mean, that's part of the problem, right?

[Stugotz]

It's not part of the problem. Violence sells in this country. And he's got a monster business and he's accruing power. And there haven't been any consequence other than reward for the accruing of that power. Like it. It's just more and more and more power. And then you get to a place where the money and power become so important to people that Elon Musk and Trump are just walking around next to each other. Because the people, they all look the same. They all have the same belief system and they all believe in the idea as Dana White got to his riches. Yeah, the minorities and whatever's happening with their bodies, we're gonna keep their pay way down. And that's how I'm gonna get to be the guy that's drunk in Las Vegas, spilling millions of dollars in chips all over the place when I'm partying because I've got the labor locked in and I figured out sports and how to do all the injustices and hey, look, now I've got a media partner and I'm teaming up with everybody cuz I'm mainstream. Because John McCain is dead and it's coming.

[Mike Ryan]

Bingo.

[Billy Corben]

Let's go.

[Mike Ryan]

I got it. I think he made it about more of what I was talking about. I just want the guy that talks tough. That is a free speech absolutist. To not limit the free speech of other people and not call people the P word and act somewhat reasonably. Look, people have.

[Billy Corben]

Mike, you're asking the most inconsistent people on the planet to be consistent.

[Mike Ryan]

They've already shown that they don't have to cave to perceived societal norms, moving on with their careers and surviving scandals that other people wouldn't. Roger Goodell wouldn't be able to survive the scandal that Dana White went through. That's all said and done. The fighter pay, all that other stuff. Dana White is a cult of personality, and, you know, it's kind of in line with mma. I just don't understand why this dude is so easily offended.

[Stugotz]

Okay, but again, when we talk about the different definitions for tough, right? I would never say that Strickland is not tough, but a whole lot of fighters today are saying some stuff about how Strickland was in that fight, not showing a lot of respect to Strickland on a night when a whole lot of people were watching Strickland, at least in part because many agree with all of the things that he says that are racist and. And everything, because Strickland is. Is out there. But on top of that, enjoyed watching him get his nose broken, like, enjoyed having. Having the pleasure of watching a fight. And someone you're rooting against is now their face is just really bloodied because their nose has been busted open.

[Roy Bellamy]

I think the tough part, too, about Strickland is he was always kind of like a journeyman guy and then had that moment, moment where he bit, beat Israel Adesanya in an overwhelming fashion.

[Mike Ryan]

It might be done. Who is. Is cooked.

[Roy Bellamy]

That's another story for another day. But he's gonna start working with Alex Potato now, so we'll see what happens there. But we can all see, or we've all seen every. If you follow the sport, the. The video and the visual of Sean Strickland basically yelling at Izzy Adesanya, like, that's it. That's all you got. And at that point, he kind of took off, went on Rogan, talked about his childhood. There was like a bit of, okay, wait a second, there's a star turn here for Sean Strickland. And then everybody realized, oh, wait a second, he's a crazy person. Now, the. The issue that people are having now is these guys are warriors, right? These guys put their body, their life, everything on the line. When you walk into that octagon, a lot of fighters, a lot of coaches. We're looking at Sean's performance over the weekend and being like, yeah, you broke your nose. That happens every fight. You keep fighting, you keep pushing. It looked like he was kind of taking his foot off the gas a little bit. Saying, all right, I can't beat Dricus on the floor. I can't beat him standing up because I can't get him right. What do I do? I'm just going to try and throw haymakers and hope something lands.

[Mike Ryan]

And Dana kind of knew this headed into the fight is the last time.

[Roy Bellamy]

That he's going to be headlining a card of a pay per view for sure.

[Mike Ryan]

He said, like, it wasn't the woke mob that was most powerful in terms of getting this guy off the card. Dana White said himself, like, I have my concerns about this guy because of his style of fighting. And now that we've seen what's happened to Adesanya since, like, maybe there was a bit of fool's gold when it came to Sean Strickland. DDP is dominant and totally controlled him. And now not Diamond Dallas Page. But it seems as though that arrow is pointing way, way down for Sean Strickland. That's fine. There's always gonna be another Sean Strickland. There might be another Bryce Mitchell for all I know. And that's cool. I've grown accustomed to this.

[Stugotz]

It's not cool.

[Mike Ryan]

It's not cool. But it is what it is with that sport. Their corporate partner in espn. Dead silent. Dead silent. It's not cool, Mike on Disney, you can get pay per views. All of this being espousing these dudes.

[Stugotz]

All of this thing, all of these things being laundered is not cool.

[Mike Ryan]

It's not cool. And you should have the right to have a rebuttal and we should have a civil discussion on this. Only Dana White doesn't take opposition as civil. He goes on the offensive and he tries to bury you if you disagree with his mo. And to me, that just doesn't mesh with the public Persona.

[Stugotz]

If, if I can add just a bit of context when you say it doesn't mesh with the public Persona. It would if your starting point allowed slapping the wife in the bar to stick. It would mesh with the public Persona if the thing that he did had consequences.

[Mike Ryan]

It's the only time he's actually shown contrition.

[Stugotz]

But that's good for business.

[Mike Ryan]

It's the only time that he says, say whatever you want for about. And he still doesn't push back on that stuff. It's his fighters. It's the transphobia, it's a homophobia, it's the racism, it's the anti Semitism that I wish he were stronger against. Now, he did come out in opposition of Mitchell's comments, but he didn't actually take A punitive measure? Because, look, he didn't take a punitive measure for himself. Really. He survived his scandal. Although, apples and oranges, what we're talking about. If the discourse is now in a place because you help bring it there, then you should at least. I'm not even asking for 50. 50 split here, dude. I am not. I'm asking for 9010. If allow for 10% of civil discourse and opposition and not get your panties in a bunch every time someone comes out and criticizes you in public and not try to limit their access. We're adults here, are we not, with the thug.

[Roy Bellamy]

Nasty situation. Bryce Mitchell obviously went on a podcast, said a lot of insane things. Even Sean Strickland, who is out there, was like, yeah, I think Bryce is just an idiot. He's uneducated. Like, he doesn't really know what he's doing a lot of the time. So for him to say that, like, the line is obviously very out there. Mike, what's the punitive measure that you want for. For a sport, right? This is not a weekly sport. This is not a daily sport. It's not like the NBA where we're playing three times a week. Yeah, the NFL. We got 17 weeks.

[Mike Ryan]

How do you suspend somebody that fights every couple. How do you.

[Roy Bellamy]

How do you suspend somebody who's gonna fight seven months from now for what Mitchell did?

[Mike Ryan]

For what Mitchell did. Said, I think you fire him because what Mitchell did was discussing. Now he walked it back. Some. Some people weren't all right with his apology, but you have to at least assure people that there is some sort of punitive measure. Does he have the ability to find fighters? That's something that you can do. Not just zero punitive measure at all, because you're basically saying, Mitchell's gonna get bigger because of this. Mitchell's star is rising. Many people are hearing his name for the very first time. It appears as though Dana White is going to leverage this ascension somewhat on the next card, just the same way he's done so with all these other inflammatory fighters. We get that it's the fight game. Cool. But if I have something to say about it and you want to in turn limit my access, I think you're soft.

[Roy Bellamy]

The problem is the key is winning in that sport too. Right? Like, you can't. You can't be the guy that just gets his ass kicked and then espouse whatever you want that is unsavory and be like, oh, it's a star turn. It's like, no, wait a second. Like, you have to keep winning. The reason why Sean Strickland was in these positions is because he became champion, is because he was like, all right, I'm a good enough fighter to become a champion of division. Doug Nasty is not that. Like, he's gotten his ass beat plenty of times.

[Mike Ryan]

There is a value in wanting, all right, I hate what that person represents. I hate what they say now. They have not tried to appeal to me in any sort of way. The whole business model of come watch this guy get his ass kicked because he offend you, he offends you. Kind of goes out the door when you welcome what you welcome into your events. I don't actually feel welcome at the ufc. I'm quite literally not welcome at the ufc. So what I would like is just some kind of leeway here and not just all this BS tough talk.

[Greg Cote]

I was new to this story, so I wanted to look up what Bryce Mitchell actually said or did. Because we just kind of keep talking about, like, oh, you know what Bryce Mitchell did. Quote, here's what I say about Musk hailing Hitler, hailing the Nazis. I really don't think that he was. Because I honestly think that Hitler was a good guy based upon my own research, not my public education indoctrination. Mitchell said. Mitchell continued, I really do think before Hitler got on meth, he was a guy I'd go fishing with. He fought for his country. He wanted to purify it by kicking the greedy Jews out that were destroying his country and turning them all into gays. They were gaying out the kids, they were queering out the women, they were queering out the dudes. Do you know where the first tranny surgery ever was? Happened to be in Germany before Hitler took over. You know the books that everybody makes fun of Hitler burning? You know what the books was? Queer books. Hitler burned queer books because Hitler didn't want a bunch of queers destroying his nation. They can't produce children. He then continued on with more.

[Chris Cody]

So that's what we're talking about, end quote.

[Greg Cote]

No suspension, no punitive measures. Just, hey, I don't like what he said.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, and it should be a little scary. It's some of the things that were invoked there and some of the things that are being invoked now in terms of transphobia and all that. And look, this is reaping what you sow. Dana White, certainly when he enables some other people, some other fighters that say inflammatory things or have off the court allegations and whatnot, he probably doesn't think that this is the next stage in Evolution of it, but it is because you've kind of shown your level of tolerance. And hell, some people get rewarded for their inflammatory behavior in the ufc.

[Stugotz]

Well, just. I mean, that last sentence, Mike. Some people get rewarded for their inflammatory behavior in the ufc, boxing, the carnival barkers, the business of the fighting sports, which is different from the all of the other sports because they're individuals, and it's wrought with corruption and everything else. These sports do not have governance and have loose ties to mainstream sports regulation. And what Dana White has, has built, comes only with rewards. Like when you're talking about they get rewarded, the fighters get rewarded for that. Dana White has had no consequences to being how he is other than rewards. There's nothing but more money and more power accrued and more ability to be more and more of those things because he now has more allies and more power behind him than he's ever had. It's not a couple of people that benefit from this. It's him and the entirety of his sport.

[Mike Ryan]

And look, I know that there's a lot of talk about echo chambers, but he's quite literally built an echo chamber with who he allows to cover the sport.

[Stugotz]

This is not, not, not an echo chamber.

[Mike Ryan]

And if you are indeed all about free speech, you have to welcome in voices that are there to hold you accountable, because if you are not going to govern yourself, then you need to be governed by shame. And there's a whole collective of people kind of spearheaded by that UFC and that whole free thinking culture that thinks that they're just immune to shame, that they don't actually have to hear it, that you yourself are a snowflake for calling someone into question, for holding them accountable. And I think that's talking out of both sides of your mouth.

[Billy Corben]

I've never missed Jimmy Butler so much.

[Stugotz]

I don't think you can say panties in a bunch anymore.

[Mike Ryan]

I made a point to do that.

[Greg Cote]

He's an ally.

[Mike Ryan]

Made a point to do that, Jimmy. Well, he only understands bully talk, so we'll. We'll do that. We'll do that, too. I wanted to speak in a language that he apparently can understand.

[Greg Cote]

You know the Oklahoma City Thunder have the best net rating ever.

[Billy Corben]

They're good, like, ever.

[Greg Cote]

They're on pace for the best season that's ever happened.

[Stugotz]

They're really good. Yes, they're really good.

[Billy Corben]

Do it in the playoffs, Chris Cody.

[Stugotz]

Yes, of course. Put it on the poll at LeBatard show. Hey, OKC. Do it in the playoffs. Yes or no?

[Mike Ryan]

I think I've gotten better on this. I've gone from, like, you can't allow this to, like, go ahead and allow it. But can you get, like, maybe 10% of, like, no?

[Stugotz]

The answer is no. The answer.

[Billy Corben]

Told you no. Deal with it. Move on.

[Stugotz]

The answer is no. It's not 90 10.

[Billy Corben]

No.

[Mike Ryan]

Charmin saw you're.

[Stugotz]

Charmin saw you do. You are not Right. You are not in a position of leverage to negotiate. You're losing. Your side is losing. Your way is losing.

[Billy Corben]

And you're watching.

[Stugotz]

And you're watching.

[Mike Ryan]

I love the sport. I love the ufc. When it comes back into town, I might go to the card. I know what I'm supporting. I'm not entirely comfortable with it, but I have my convictions. Look, if they find out I'm actually paying for a ticket, like, cool, fine, free country, I assume. But if I want to go as a member of the media, I would.

[Stugotz]

Be like, wait a minute. But no. Okay. And neither will I. And when you say you're not welcome there, how do you think that went for me last time I went. How do you imagine that went for me the last time time I went?

[Chris Cody]

Celebrated. When you walked up and down the stairs.

[Roy Bellamy]

I saw you. I gave you a handshake. Remember?

[Stugotz]

You were the one.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

Who welcomed me.

[Roy Bellamy]

I felt very comfortable.

[Stugotz]

I know, I know. I know. I'm aware. I was.

[Roy Bellamy]

They love me there.

[Stugotz]

Yes. Yes.

[Chris Cody]

I bet Dan was totally normal there.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't feel uncomfortable at these events. I know that. Look. The. The current president went to my event, and I exercised my right, as did many, to cheer him. I booed, and that's a free country. And I love that I was afforded that as a paying ticket holder. I would like to voice opposition to certain things that I don't like and voice my displeasure as someone that is an invited guest of media. And we're just not doing that as a country anymore. We're just limiting that.

[Stugotz]

I would like to acknowledge as a show community. America and the globe. Mike had the best point during this monreal here, guys. Yes.

[Billy Corben]

Back to back, best points.

[Mike Ryan]

Community.

[Greg Cote]

Not look, women.

[Mike Ryan]

I think I came out as a free speech. Absolutely.

[Stugotz]

The best point was made by Mike because you mentioned ddp. Let's play that time that he hung up on us and got really mad at me. Scotty Snider.

[Billy Corben]

I was just with him up in.

[Stugotz]

Who. Who tried to rip whose eyes out there? Somebody tried to rip somebody's eyes out there.

[Mike Ryan]

You can't R me up, dude. Are you.

[Stugotz]

Did you tear. Did you try to tear out his eyes or did he try?

[Mike Ryan]

Yo monkey, Monkey, who the hell do.

[Stugotz]

You think you're talking to? He tried to tear out your eyes.

[Mike Ryan]

Monkey, who the hell do you think you're talking to? I'm positively page do you think I'm gonna flame your garbage so you can.

[Billy Corben]

Oh no.

[Stugotz]

Jesus.

[Mike Ryan]

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