Dana White Faces Pressure in the Middle of UFC Paris as Disappointed Fighter Demands 35 Day Return

Dana White’s gamble on Losene Keita has backfired in dramatic fashion. Fans were buzzing when news broke that the European standout, boasting a 16-1 record, was set to make his UFC debut on the main card of UFC Paris against none other than Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire. It seemed like the perfect stage for Keita to announce himself to the world. But just as quickly as the hype built, it came crashing down. And this time, the damage was self-inflicted.

Barely weeks into his UFC career, Keita sabotaged his own debut by missing weight by a significant margin. Ultimately, the costly blunder forced the cancellation of his fight, leaving Freire, one of the most decorated veterans in the sport, fuming. And now? With the 38-year-old openly voicing his displeasure, Dana White suddenly finds himself under pressure. How, you ask?

Patricio Pitbull ready to fight anyone who makes weight

Just hours ago, ‘Pitbull’ made his stance crystal clear on X. “I can fight him in December, no problem. But I’m also ready to go right now and want in on the UFC Rio card. Some guys are stepping up publicly. Kevin Vallejos: I ACCEPT. Melk Costa: I ACCEPT. Nathaniel Wood: I ACCEPT. Anyone else who’s willing and who makes weight: I ACCEPT.” The message was loud and direct. Pitbull isn’t sitting around waiting, he’s ready for anyone who’s willing to sign on the dotted line.

For Patricio Freire, who picked up a win over Dan Ige back in July at UFC 318, he looked more than ready to fight, if only ‘Black Panther’ had made weight. Instead, Keita came in three pounds over the featherweight non-title limit of 146 lbs. “He said in an interview he was faster, stronger, younger,” Freire remarked in a video posted to X.

“I gave him all the advantages besides allowing this fight to happen here in Paris… At this stage I don’t fight for money anymore, I fight for legacy, and I won’t give this guy that advantage. Unfortunately, the fight won’t happen,” Pitbull added. Now, with the matchup now scrapped, ‘Pitbull’ is refusing to let momentum slip away. Interestingly, out of the three names he publicly called out to Dana White, one has already answered back as of the time of this report. Who, you ask?

Melquizael Costa, currently riding a four-fight win streak, wasted no time in responding. Coming off a unanimous decision win over Julian Erosa on May 17 at UFC Fight Night, Costa replied in less than 30 minutes. “No athlete in your position would accept any fight, this just shows what a legend you are. See you at #ufcRio, it will be beautiful. God bless you #ufcbr #ufc @seanshelby @JorgeGuimares5 @EdSoares @danawhite,” he wrote, eager to make the matchup happen.

If the streaking Brazilian manages to topple the far more experienced ‘Pitbull,’ he could find himself standing across from a ranked opponent later this year. But will Dana White let that happen, or will he undo what he did in the heat of the moment?

Dana White refuses to deal with last-minute chaos

The UFC Roster Watch account on X has claimed that Dana White decided to release Losene Keita following his recent weight miss. While some may argue the move was too harsh, it’s worth noting that the 16-1 prospect came in three pounds over the featherweight non-title limit of 146 lbs. Patricio Freire later recounted the incident, criticizing the 27-year-old for being “unprofessional” despite having more than one opportunity to make the weight.

“It was 9 AM when he went to the scale, and he didn’t make weight. He was about 149 lbs… He had until 11 AM, and in France, they even give you one more attempt if you can’t make weight in that time,” Freire told Full Send MMA. “I can’t believe that. He’s not professional.”

If there’s one thing Dana White has little tolerance for, it’s fighters missing weight. On top of that, finding late replacements is always a headache for the promotion, as not everyone is willing, or able, to step up on short notice the way Dan Ige did back at UFC 303.

Anyway, Dana White’s call to cut ties with Losene Keita hasn’t gone down smoothly with the 37-8 veteran. For Pitbull, the fight with Keita wasn’t just another booking, as it was an opportunity to add a new scalp to his résumé and potentially rise higher than his current No. 11 spot. That said, will Dana White actually listen to Pitbull’s demands and give him the fight with Losene Keita in December? What do you think?