The ongoing verbal sparring between UFC CEO Dana White and Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza has captured the attention of combat sports enthusiasts.
The exchange kicked off when White addressed rumors about Showtime Sports potentially leaving the boxing arena. With a touch of sarcasm, he responded to the speculation before passionately voicing his true feelings and strongly criticizing Espinoza.
At a recent press conference for the much-anticipated Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo boxing match, Espinoza not only shared insights into the anticipated gate revenue but also took shots at Dana White.
Showtime Boxing president claims UFC has never had a 20M gate, and SHO has had 3 just this year
White swiftly fired back on his Instagram story to deliver a powerful retort to Espinoza’s comments.
He said: “That’s exactly the type of response I would expect from that weasel Espinoza. That sc*mbag has absolutely nothing to do with the success of Canelo, Ryan Garcia, and Terrence Crawford. Those guys are mega stars and they are the ones responsible for driving the gates in their fights. For him to even try and take any credit at all shows you exactly what an arrogant, delusional POS that guy is. For this clown to talk about “levels” is hilarious.”
White further stated: “The production of the fights on Showtime is an embarrassment and I have been saying that FOREVER. He is a little guy with a BIG yap and is a complete phony. I’m not at all surprised this is the end for them. It should have come way sooner. Sorry to see you go, Weasel, enjoy your retirement.”
During an interview with Teddy Atlas, Dana White fondly recalled a memorable incident involving UFC icon Conor McGregor as he called Stephen Espinoza as ‘weasel.’
This unforgettable moment took place during the press tour leading up to McGregor’s highly-anticipated showdown with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
The UFC CEO shared his recollection, saying: “I had no idea [that he was going to go after Espinoza] and there was nothing awkward about it. It was incredible. Conor sniffed that guy out in one day.”
“I think we were in Toronto and in the next one, he had figured that guy out. And, could you have nailed it any better? Not only is he a weasel, he looks exactly like a weasel and it’s the perfect nickname for that guy, it’s incredible.”