Jack Osbourne has responded to a wave of online criticism after attending a UFC event hosted at the White House, making it clear that he has no regrets about going and pushing back against those questioning his motives.
In a video posted to his channel, Osbourne said he was surprised by the intensity of the backlash.
“Some of the comments I’ve been getting are completely weird,” he said.
Pushing back on suggestions that his attendance carried political meaning, Osbourne added, “What the f**k, I went to a sporting event. That’s it.”
He stressed that he was not there to make any political statement.
“I didn’t go and throw my hat in the ring for political office,” he said. “I wasn’t there going to endorse a politician or some kind of foreign affairs issue. Nothing.”
According to Osbourne, the trip was about one thing only.
“I literally went to the White House to go see UFC,” he said.
Osbourne then pointed to his long history with combat sports to explain why attending the event was an easy decision. He noted that he began training in taekwondo at six years old, later traveled to Thailand to train in Muay Thai during his late teens and early twenties, and even competed professionally. In his thirties, he transitioned to jiu-jitsu and has been attending UFC and Pride events since the early 2000s.
Given that background, Osbourne said there was never any doubt about accepting the invitation from UFC CEO Dana White.
“When I got invited by Dana White to attend the event at the White House, of course I would go,” he said. “Any person out there who would get an invite would have gone.”
Osbourne also addressed critics who invoked the memory of his late father, Ozzy Osbourne, arguing that the legendary musician would not have approved of the event.
“Shut the f**k up,” Osbourne responded. “You did not know my father. You did not know where he stood with things.”
While acknowledging that Ozzy’s classic song “War Pigs” is widely viewed as an anti-war anthem, Osbourne argued that people were stretching that message beyond its intended meaning.
“He wasn’t anti-UFC,” he said. “He wasn’t anti-going to an event at the White House. He was anti-war.”
To reinforce that point, Osbourne highlighted examples from his father’s life that demonstrated a willingness to engage with political institutions. He noted that Ozzy attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner during the administration of George W. Bush, where the president personally acknowledged him. He also pointed to Ozzy’s participation in USO tours, including visits to troops in Korea and wounded service members at Walter Reed Hospital.
“To bring my father into this to say he would or wouldn’t approve is completely insa ne,” Osbourne said.
Reiterating that his appearance at the event had nothing to do with politics, he concluded by saying, “I simply attended a sporting event for a sport that I have a great amount of respect for and something that’s been a part of my life since I can remember.”
Osbourne ended his response with a final jab at his critics.
“So deal with it,” he said. “I’m sorry you weren’t invited.”
