Combat sports analyst Luke Thomas appeared on The Bulwark podcast, where he pushed back strongly against the UFC’s public image as a champion of free expression.
“The UFC sells itself to the public as like a free speech organization,” Thomas told host Tim Miller. “I have to be very, very clear with you. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is complete and total Kabuki theater,” he said.
Thomas broke down what he sees as the reality into two parts: how the UFC handles the media and how it manages fighter speech.
On the media side, he described a strict credentialing system that functions as leverage. “They control their media class like no sport on earth controls their media class,” Thomas said. “If you get out of line, brother, they will take your credential. Period. This is well-established. Even against very, very big names, they’ll do it.”
He added that he personally has not attended a UFC event in four years.
However, Thomas suggested the more revealing dynamic comes from how athletes are allowed, or not allowed, to speak, especially about financial hardship.
“If you’re a UFC figh ter, they’ll say, you know, we don’t control these guys,” he said. “What they mean is they’ll let them say slurs, but if you, for example, are, you know, your water’s been turned off, I’ve seen this, and then you win a fig ht and they put a microphone in your face, you say, ‘I really need a bonus because I don’t, my water’s not turned on,’ they’ll purposely not do it because they don’t want you on the microphone broadcasting to the world that you’re poor,” Thomas claimed.
He framed the contradiction directly. “If it’s a free speech organization and you don’t control what guys say, why do you just let them say slurs and then not let them question the necessity of some of your business practices?” he asked.
Thomas also pointed to comments from UFC CEO Dana White in response to fan criticism over AI-generated advertising as an example of the company’s stance toward dissent.
Quoting White directly, Thomas said the response was: “How about this? Shut the f**k up and watch the matches.”
Despite acknowledging the potential professional downsides, Thomas said he has intentionally built his career to remain independent.
“The reality is I’m not going to be told what to do by them,” he said. “And the way in which I have constructed my career is to never be in a position where I have to ask them for anything because if you ask them for something, well then they hold it over your head.”
He noted that while this approach has created friction within the industry, it has also opened doors. “The media class is so unable to marshall any of these criticisms in any kind of way,” Thomas said. “It has created a gigantic lane for me. Yes, it creates friction within the industry. That is true. But there are so many people, including UFC champions, who have messaged me saying that they’re grateful that at least somebody is articulating this into the marketplace,” he added.
