“May god have mercy upon enemies…” Dana White reveals first reaction after wife-slapping incident at New Year’s Eve

UFC CEO Dana White addressed the controversial incident on New Year's Eve in early 2023, and the quote he placed on his wall immediately thereafter.

“May god have mercy upon enemies…” Dana White reveals first reaction after wife-slapping incident at New Year’s Eve

Dana White and his slapping incident (via IMAGO and Marca)

UFC CEO Dana White declared war on his “enemies” following an “embarrassing” wife-slapping scandal. White promised “no mercy” and readdressed an embarrassing scandal in a recent interview.

Dana White recently appeared on the podcast Bussin’ With The Boys. They talked about gambling, the success of PowerSlap, Dana’s health journey, relationships with some sponsors of the UFC, and the potential Chandler-McGregor fight. Amidst these discussions, White addressed one of his difficult times in early 2023 and revealed the quote he had installed when he got back from his vacation in Mexico. White said:

...Literally the day we got back from Mexico I had a quote installed on my wall. It says, 'May God have mercy upon my enemies because I won't. So let's f***ing go.'

Dana White faced backlash after a video showed him slapping his wife on New Year’s Eve. Despite the incident, he claimed no punishment from Endeavor, the UFC’s then-parent company. White apologized, expressing embarrassment, and stated that he and his wife had reconciled. The incident happened at a nightclub in Cabo on New Year’s Eve, reportedly fueled by alcohol.

Critics, however, questioned the lack of punishment for White, highlighting a perceived inconsistency in addressing such behavior from a high-profile figure in the UFC. The incident stirred controversy, prompting discussions about accountability and personal conduct within the UFC.

Dana White speaks on UFC heavyweight title fight after Tom Aspinall’s UFC 295 win

Tom Aspinall scored an impressive win at UFC 295. Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title with a first-round TKO victory over Sergei Pavlovich. Aspinall’s dominant performance resulted in a 69-second knockout in the octagon. This victory added to Aspinall’s remarkable UFC journey, where he holds a 7–1 record, with his only setback being a TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes in 2022.

Stipe Miocic
Stipe Miocic vs Jon Jones for UFC 295 was cancelled ( Image via Imago )

Dana White acknowledged Tom Aspinall’s significant victory. He discussed the state of the heavyweight division, considering factors like Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. White said:

Those two both deserve that fight. That’s the fight they want. What I love is that Jon Jones, as soon as he heard he was injured and he knew how bad it was, went right to LA, got the surgery, and he’s already in rehab – physical therapy, I should say.

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones recently underwent surgery for a torn pectoral tendon injury. This forced the postponement of his scheduled title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. The injury occurred during training, with the pectoralis major muscle torn away from the shoulder bone, necessitating injury. Tom Aspinall has called for Jon Jones to be stripped of the UFC heavyweight title.

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