During a conversation on Stavvy’s World podcast episode #204 with guest Sarah Sherman, comedian Stavros Halkias opened up about his complicated relationship with the UFC, revealing how recent political developments have impacted his fandom of the sport.
Halkias explained that his connection to UFC runs deep, rooted in cherished childhood memories.
“My brothers really like when we were kids, we would go to Buffalo Wild Wings and watch every big pay-per-view. It’s one of the best like awesome memory from my like teenage years,” he recalled.
After drifting away from the sport, he found himself getting back into it recently, drawn by the technical aspects that make mixed martial arts compelling.
“It’s a really cool sport and it’s really fascinating the different types of like styles and when a really good fighter’s fighting, it’s electric,” Halkias said. “It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever [seen].”
However, Halkias acknowledged that recent political associations have seriously dampened his enthusiasm. When Sherman mentioned she’d been getting into UFC over the summer, Halkias was candid about his concerns.
“Dana White is clearly… sucking Trump off… like I’ve said it many times,” Halkias stated bluntly. “If you think Trump is awesome now, you’re the most ignorant person alive. You’re dumb or evil, or both probably? And if you’re still supporting him, you’re dumb. And I believe Dana White has been throating him pretty well recently and that has put a real damper on my appreciation of the sports.”
Beyond the political issues, Halkias also raised concerns about how UFC stars are compensated.
“The way that the pay structure is like, well, you get a bonus if you do well. It’s like they should [be paid better],” he explained.
He pointed out the fundamental problem. “The problem is culturally these guys won’t unionize because it’s gay,” Halkias observed.
Despite his frustrations, Halkias admitted he hasn’t completely walked away. “Their willingness to be a part of propaganda to me has made it impossible to watch the sport. I’ll still watch but sometimes if I’m on the fence, I’ll just be like, I just don’t want them to have my money,” he conceded.
Stavros Halkias gets into how UFC becoming political ruined the sport for him and sounds like a genuine fan
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