Dana White had a tough time at the press conference for UFC on ABC 3 this past weekend. Despite the many finishes majority of the press core was more concerned with what Nate Diaz had told Ariel Helwani days prior.
“I was trying to get this s— on the road, but they don’t want me out of contract and they’re keeping me in there and they’re holding me hostage,” Diaz said
“And I want out. That’s my main objective here… I appreciate the UFC, but they’re valuing me in private, but I’m devalued in the public.”
White had been taking some personal time and was visibly absent from the several events prior to this weekend. He was also very agitated to be asked a about Diaz.
“We can’t hold guys hostage,” White told reporters at Saturday’s UFC on ABC 3 news conference.
“It’s not possible. I owe you three fights a year. If I don’t fight you three times a year, I have to pay you. How can I hold him hostage?”
White was visibly annoyed and refused to give any specifics as to offers Diaz may or may not have turned down.
“What do you think my plans are? I’m going to get him a fight,” White said.
“I don’t know (when). We’ll see what happens. I have to get him three fights a year. I offer fights, and he either accepts them or turns them down. Obviously I’m not paying him, so I’ve offered him fights.”
White went on to ridicule another reporter who dared to ask him about Nate Diaz’s positive comments towards Ngannou.
White led the press to believe that Diaz was in fact getting offers and was declining them. This is an account Ariel Helwani since denied.
“Here are the facts re: Nate Diaz: He hasn’t been formally offered a fight in 2022, sources say. After the Burns fight, as he said on Tuesday, he asked to fight Chimaev. He hasn’t been formally offered him or anyone else. UFC has until October for him to fight.”
https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1548475307421622273
Now some of the fans got confused because they believed that the UFC really is obligated to offer bouts to competitors every 6 months. A journalist who has inside info regarding UFC contracts, John Nash, clarified.
“No. They’re contracts say they have to offer say 4 fights over 24 month so that it averages 1 a month. But if fights turn down fights they can also extend the period by 6 months each time. They can even bank these extensions.”
https://twitter.com/heynottheface/status/1548533735980552192
Diaz went on to push back against Dana White ridiculing him on twitter
Dana said Francis Ngannou was injured and couldn’t fight right now
Idk why he was so confused in interview.
And in the last 9 months I been offered 0 fights and I asked for 5 legitimate opponents ..
Thanks u for the kind words can I go now 👊🏼— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) July 17, 2022
Dana said Francis Ngannou was injured and couldn’t fight right now
Idk why he was so confused in interview.
And in the last 9 months I been offered 0 fights and I asked for 5 legitimate opponents ..
Thanks u for the kind words can I go now 👊🏼