Conor McGregor has been involved in countless feuds throughout his career outside of his domain. One of them was with NBA player Draymond Green, which happened just before his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather back in 2017. The Irishman wore a Golden State Warriors jersey with the number 23, which sparked a heated exchange. Why? Because Green, who wore No. 23 at the time, thought McGregor was rocking his jersey, and he wasn’t having it. The NBA star even commented on Instagram while showing support for Mayweather, writing: “We rocking with Floyd bro, not you… take that off bruh.” Well, it didn’t take long for ‘The Notorious’ to fire back with a scathing response — one that might still carry some relevance today. 

McGregor wrote back, “That’s C.J. Watson, mate. I don’t know who the f— you are,” clarifying that the jersey he wore belonged to former American basketball player C.J. Watson, who also wore No. 23 for the Warriors. The former two-division UFC star then explained why he chose that jersey, adding, “Now ask yourself why I’m rocking C.J. when I don’t know or give a f— about basketball. I dribble heads off the floor. Not a ball. This is no game here kid.” With that, ‘The Notorious’ took a clear shot at Mayweather, who had a very personal controversy linked to Watson. At the same time, McGregor reminded Green that, as an MMA star, he comes from a much more dangerous sport than basketball! And he shouldn’t mess with him. Years later, Dana White even brought back that same soundbite—but in a very different light. 

Mayweather pleaded guilty in 2011 to a reduced misdemeanor domestic-battery charge stemming from a 2010 incident and served jail time; references to C.J. Watson should not imply any wrongdoing by him.

Dana White issues stern warning to Atlanta Hawks star eyeing MMA move  

Recently, basketball star Kristaps Porziņģis expressed his interest in taking up MMA after retiring from the NBA. The 7’2’’ Latvian told his local outlet Sportacentrs that MMA is very close to his heart, calling it “number one in terms of viewing.” Not only that, he has also revealed about practicing the sport during the summer, alongside other activities like “tennis and padel”. With that in mind, Dana White was asked at the UFC 319 press conference whether he’d consider adding the NBA star to his heavyweight roster. Something the UFC boss initially gave the green light to.  

At the UFC 319 post-fight presser, the head honcho said, “I like him, he’s a great guy! That’s a tough transition—leaving basketball to fight in the UFC. But if that’s how he feels, I love it, and we’ll see if he retires.” While White admitted he’d be interested in seeing the Latvian star step inside the UFC cage, a sense of skepticism quickly crept in. 

White added, “I mean, you’d have to fight some amateur fights once you get in. A couple of fights under your belt, or even just one, might change your mind. I don’t know, we’ll see. But I like him. I’m not gonna say I wouldn’t do anything with the guy or anything like that. I consider him a friend.”  

Well, the UFC president did show some concern about Porziņģis jumping into the UFC without any prior MMA experience, and for good reason. In a sport where concussions happen frequently, especially in the heavyweight division filled with power punchers, it could be dangerous for an inexperienced guy like the Latvian star, who has never competed in MMA. It proves the myth wrong that anybody can just walk into MMA and instantly excel. And speaking of myths, Dana White also managed to break another one! 

UFC president busts the Apex myth   

The UFC has stunned the combat sports world by announcing a massive $7.7 billion deal over 7 years (roughly $1.1 billion per year) with Paramount+ and CBS. The deal will kick off in 2026, as the current ESPN partnership runs through December, which will also mark the end of the existing PPV model. But the surprises didn’t stop there! Another major headline surfaced claiming that the UFC Apex—which was once limited to VIP guests and later opened to small crowds was set to be expanded into a full-scale arena.

According to LVSportsBiz, White’s right-hand man, Hunter Campbell, allegedly revealed plans for a major expansion and hinted that the venue could even host cross-sport events. However, at the UFC 319 post-fight presser, Dana White shut those rumors down immediately.

The UFC president stated: “That entire story was an absolute bulls— lie. The craziest thing we’ve ever seen. This whole story is a lie. Everything about it is a lie, including the people that they quoted. Never talked to them. If you look at the construction that’s going on at the APEX, to even think it’s going to be a 10,000-seater arena, it’s f—ing unbelievable.”

So, it turns out the UFC isn’t planning on turning the Apex into a mega-arena anytime soon. Instead, it remains the home base for Fight Night cards on a regular basis. Still, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect bigger changes down the line. That said, what do you think of Dana White’s response to the rumors about the Apex—and his comments on NBA star Kristaps Porziņģis possibly stepping into the UFC? Let us know in the comments!