In the violent, chaotic business of fight promotion, where stars are created, protected, and cashed in on at the proper time, Dana White continues to stand firm on an anti-traditional philosophy: Merit over money. And so former fighter Chael Sonnen has stepped up—not to promote a fight, but to remind everyone that White is still living by the words he pledged to honor over two decades ago: To elevate the sport of MMA by setting up the best fights.

Combat fans know the striking difference between the UFC and boxing business. While the latter continues to be criticized for inflated pairings and commercial politics, White’s decisions have been strikingly different. He does not protect his stars but instead tests them. Think about Conor McGregor versus Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, which wasn’t just a professional fight for them; It was personal. Then there was Islam Makhachev, who experimented with his grit against someone as great as Alexander Volkanovski.

How could we forget Alex Pereira, whose star status also meant giving him the toughest fights? Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, Jiri Prochazka and so on. So it is not surprising that Chael Sonnen gave credit where it’s long overdue. In a conversation with Mike Bohn on his YouTube channel, ‘The American Gangster’ didn’t speak like a company man or someone feeding a story. He spoke like a true admirer, realizing that Dana White has prioritized what sets the UFC apart.

“One thing about the UFC is they do stick true to the brand promise that Dana White made all those years ago when he simply said the best will fight the best. When he said that, a lot of us thought it was marketing and we thought ‘Well, you kind of got to know when to bring your Connors i. You got placement, you got business to run here.’ But Dana truly, I mean we saw it just recently. Merab taking on O’Malley [UFC 316] who was the biggest draw, but then Dana put his next biggest draw in jeopardy too against Ankalaev.

“I mean that was a very risky fight from a business standpoint and it went against him but the oddsmakers told him it was going to go against him. He did not care. He adheres fiercely to the code that we will not be like boxing and the best will fight the best and no matter what the promotional push is or the cost.”

Well, Sonnen is right in his assessment. When Ankalaev defeated Pereira to become the new light heavyweight champion, fans were shocked. But that was a risk the promotion chose to take. And that’s something we will see once again at UFC 316: Merab Dvalishvili versus Sean O’Malley. Sure, it will be profitable but it was also the fight to make as per the rankings.

Hence, Sonnen further stated: “I will not sacrifice that the top guys fight the top guys and I mean we’ve got to give it to him [White] after 25 years. We’ve got to give to Dana, bro. You told the truth.”

While White has faced several kinds of criticism over the years, the promotion has grown under his gaze: Champions are challenged, contenders are rewarded, and no star is ever elevated beyond the sport. BUT!

Many fans would surely disagree, as a current petition somewhat proves that the UFC and Dana White are protecting Jon Jones.

Petition to strip Jon Jones of the title earns massive support! Will Dana White agree?

It’s strange that Dana White, who was praised for allowing the finest fighters to compete, is now at the heart of a controversy that calls into question whether the same principle applies to Jon Jones. Fans have been anxiously waiting for interim champion Tom Aspinall’s title shot, while ‘Bones,’ despite being the most decorated fighter in MMA history, has yet to share the cage with him.

With no definitive schedule in sight and Aspinall sidelined, many believe the UFC is no longer operating on pure merit. The result? A Change.org petition has gone viral on the internet, demanding that the head honcho strip Jones of his title. In fact, more than 130,000 fans have already signed it. But, more than the numbers, the tone of the comments reveals the sentiment.

“There is a clear interim champion, Tom Aspinall, who has defended his interim championship belt. Aspinall is ready to fight Jones. Jones refuses to fight him,” the petition reads. According to them, Dana White cannot continue playing favorites like this. It’s squandering Aspinall’s prime, unjust to other fighters, and, quite honestly, hurting the sport. For these fans, it’s not about diminishing Jones’ reputation; It’s about fairness and maintaining the UFC standard that the UFC CEO has always professed to preserve. Despite White’s insistence that Jones vs. Aspinall will take place in 2025, the silence and delays become increasingly noticeable.

Jon Jones, however, mocked the petition when it only had 40,000 signatures. “The equivalent to pico grams,” he reacted on X. But the petition is growing stronger ever since. Fans aren’t looking for anything outrageous—just resolution, clarity, and a legitimate unification battle. Until then, the frustration mounts, and the man once credited with putting the sport first now confronts public pressure to prove that he still lives by that code.

What do you think? Will the petition work? Let us know in the comments.