Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has provided an explanation as to why the PFL’s acquisition of Bellator is detrimental to the mixed martial arts industry.
In the previous month, it was disclosed that the PFL had acquired Bellator MMA organization. In his statement, Donn Davis, chairman of the PFL, stated that the combined talent pool would be similar to the roster of the UFC. White, on the other hand, is of the opinion that none of the groups is a commercial success, and this does not disturb him.
The following is what White had to say when he was questioned about his thoughts on the takeover during the press conference that followed the fight at UFC 296:
“It is a negative thing, it is not a good thing for there to be less possibilities, not only for fighters who are already in the game, but also for men who are just starting out if they have fewer options. That being said, it is undeniably not a positive thing.
“It’s all up to him”: Dana White on Conor McGregor’s return
Ever since his fight against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, Conor McGregor has not been seen inside the octagon or anywhere else. After suffering a severe leg injury, it was anticipated that he would reappearance in the year 2022, after having made a complete recovery. In addition to that, it was disclosed that he will be competing against Michael Chandler.
In spite of this, McGregor was unable to enrol in the USADA testing pool in time to fight in 2023, which meant that his participation in the year was not possible. It is now unclear whether or not ‘The Notorious’ will return in the following year, despite the fact that there have been numerous reports regarding its return.
During an interview with TNT Sports, Dana White was asked about the possibility of Conor McGregor making a comeback to the octagon. In response, she stated that the decision is totally reliant on the former UFC champion. The head honcho of the UFC stated:
In the event that Conor McGregor regains his hunger and genuinely desires to return to the ring and fight, it is entirely up to him to decide. You know, if you take into consideration what the individual has accomplished in such a short period of time, the amount of money that he has made, and the commercial opportunities that he has taken advantage of outside of the octagon, it is clear that Conor is capable of doing whatever the hell he wants to do.