Dana White’s recent comments made by Farid Basharat on the station have polarized the UFC.
Three months after his decision to defeat John Garza in July, Basharat announced that he was parting ways with the UFC after completing a seven-fight undefeated run with the promotion. Garza’s bout was the last in the 29-year-old bantamweight’s contract hopes, and Basharat said the promotion said he would not re-sign him.
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Basharat’s departure drew mixed reactions throughout the city, further highlighting the UFC as a philosophy removed from deciding the most serious fighters. UFC CEO White addressed the promotion’s choice not to resign Basharat in the days that followed, saying he didn’t know exactly why Basharat didn’t accept the new contract offer, but indicating that “usually” fighters did something to stop them.
At the UFC 333 post-fight conference in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, White clarified his comments, saying that he intended to impress Basharat with his hard work.
“When I was talking in the middle of the night, and I was saying the reasons you couldn’t be re-signed. I didn’t talk about it,” explained White. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘it has been done before.’ There’s a lot of reasons why guys don’t re-sign. I’m not talking about him, specifically.
“I saw her” [response] I saw the video on my Instagram and I was like ‘Oh s***’. He doesn’t want to do anything that would tear the kid to pieces. And I saw that he said something like, ‘If you don’t want to re-sign to me, don’t hurt my life.’ And in no way, shape, or form was I trying to do that.
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Basharat and other fighters, including former UFC contenders Muhammad Mokaev and Michael “Venom” Page, said they believe the promotion has changed direction. It’s less about winning and more about having fun; that is the common opinion.
For now, Basharat will continue his career outside the promotion. But the White Basharat never closed the door. Just don’t expect that any time soon.
“I have no issues with him, personally or professionally, and certainly with his record, and what’s going on, he’s going to get signed somewhere,” White said.
“I don’t mean in the near future” [he’d be back]. I’ll just let us go. But I’m saying it’s impossible for her to return to the UFC.”