Popular MMA journalist Dave Schmulenson (also known as The Schmo) recently took a swipe at fellow journalist Ariel Helwani. He accused Helwani of dishonesty and being a “keyboard warrior.” The Schmo voiced his displeasure at Helwani’s tendency to conceal and spread false information.
The Schmo took to Twitter to publicly call out Ariel Helwani, making a series of accusations against him. He accused Helwani of being a liar and referenced an incident that allegedly occurred when they first met in August 2018. According to The Schmo, Helwani gave him a fake email address.
Furthermore, The Schmo accused Helwani of spreading lies and not participating in athletic events for charity. He also denied any involvement in Sean Strickland bringing up Helwani during their interview. The Schmo then concluded by telling Helwani to “be about it” rather than simply talking about it.
Dana White goes in on The Schmo for his stupid question this past weekend
The Schmo posted on Twitter: “I now understand why Ariel’s is so damn big. He’s giving Pinocchio a run for his money. All he does is lie. You first met me in August 2018 at UFC 227 prior to the press conference in Los Angeles. That’s when I approached you and you gave me the fake email address. You did approach me in Cleveland during Jake Paul Woodley to ask if the beef was over. All I said was yes. Don’t add the extra baloney. Since we both know you’re scared for charity grappling, charity basketball, or anything athletic for a good cause I squashed the call outs after that day.”
He further added: “I had nothing to do with Strickland bringing you up during our interview yesterday. My improv & reaction speak for itself. We know you’re scared and it doesn’t matter. Stop bringing up my name and spreading lies.”
“Next time you see me let’s have cameras because that’s all the proof we need. Don’t promote ‘Helwani Boxing’ and act like a tough guy when you can’t take the heat, you keyboard warrior. My self- made work without paid assistance or crying on National television speaks for itself. And no more 10-7 pu**y sh*t. Don’t talk about it, be about it.”
Regardless of one’s position on the matter, it is obvious that Schmulenson’s criticism of Helwani has started a heated debate regarding the role of journalists and commentators in the MMA industry.
The feud between Ariel Helwani and UFC president Dana White dates back to 2016. Helwani reported Brock Lesnar’s return to UFC 200 before the official announcement, infuriating the UFC management.
As a result, Helwani lost his credentials and was removed from UFC 199. Although the ban was eventually lifted, the relationship between Helwani and White never fully recovered.
Helwani has claimed on multiple occasions that White was opposed to him working with ESPN, which further strained their dynamic.
The feud resurfaced in December of the previous year when White insulted Helwani on Paddy Pimblett’s podcast. Despite White’s harsh words, Helwani stood his position and retaliated vehemently, winning the support of the MMA community.