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“What Are Your Kids Going to Say About You?”: Six Years Later, Ariel Helwani Gives Dana White a Taste of His Own Medicine Following Slapping Incident

Published 01/05/2023, 12:26 AM EST

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UFC president Dana White is having the worst possible start to the new year. Ever since the video of him getting into an altercation with his wife surfaced, the 53-year-old has been facing relentless backlash. From the backlash on social media to UFC’s parent company Endeavor’s stock dipping, the controversy is taking a huge toll on White and his enterprises. Incidentally, this controversy has also armed a longtime foe of White who did not waste a moment’s time to get even with the UFC head honcho.

Dana White and MMA analyst Ariel Helwani have been at odds for several years now. The pair have locked horns on multiple occasions, the most recent of which took place after White’s comments about him on Paddy Pimblett‘s podcast. However, there was one moment that was so personal to Helwani, and the recent controversy allowed him to get even with White.

Ariel Helwani asks Dana White the same question White asked him in 2016

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During a recent episode of ‘The MMA Hour,’ Helwani went on a rant on White in light of the slapping incident. While grilling White for his transgression, Helwani brought up an incident from their past and used the same to chastise the UFC president.

Helwani stated that of all the things that White said about him in 2016 following their fallout, one hurt him more than the rest. He recollected how White ridiculed him for crying on the show while talking about the issues with the UFC. The 40-year-old quoted White saying, “‘ ‘your kids are gonna see that. Your kids are gonna see that one day, and how embarrassed they would be by seeing their father cry?'”

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Six years hence, the Canadian-American journalist turned the mirror to White’s face with the same question.

“I’ll raise the same freaking question that he raised about me back in 2016. What are your kids gonna say about you? What are your kids gonna say about your legacy?… about the kind of person that you are? What are your kids going to say about you? Ask yourself that f***ing question.”

The 13-time MMA Journalist of the Year also targeted White’s business practices and the way he treats fighters during his rant.

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Since the video came to light, White has apologized and taken ownership of his actions. However, the damage seems to be done already and looks irreparable at the moment.

White’s beef with Helwani in a nutshell

The beef between Dana White and Ariel Helwani began in 2016. The pair fell out after Helwani broke the news on two big UFC matches without the promotion’s permission. Helwani released the news on Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor‘s rematch at UFC 202 and Brock Lesnar‘s return at UFC 200 without consulting the promotion first.

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As a result, White pulled Helwani’s credentials and banned him from the UFC. The officials also kicked Helwani and his team out of the UFC 199 PPV over the issue.

White later clarified that Helwani could cover events. However, he would not have press credentials or access to press conferences. He would have to purchase ringside seats like the audience.

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Watch This StoryUFC President Dana White and wife Anne fight on New Year’s eve, both issue statements

What are your thoughts on Helwani’s comments about White? How do you think White will respond? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Yeswanth Praveen

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Yeswanth Praveen is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. His interests mainly lie in the realm of MMA, bodybuilding, and the fitness industry. He finished his Master's in English literature from EFLU, Hyderabad.
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Edited by:

Rohini Kottu