“Can’t keep their f**king mouth shut!” Dana White puts Charles Oliveira and team on blast for leaking news of UFC 294 injury
Dana White expressed anger over the premature leak from Charles Oliveira's Brazilian team about his UFC 294 withdrawal.
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Dana White unhappy with the team of Charles Oliveira (Image via Imago)
The world of MMA has been buzzing with the shocking revelation of Charles Oliveira‘s withdrawal from UFC 294. The news was disseminated in a way that displeased UFC CEO Dana White. In a recent statement, White expressed his frustration with Oliveira’s team. The frustration was against particularly those based in Brazil for prematurely leaking the information.
Talking to the media at the post-fight presser of the Contender Series, Dana White said, “These guys that surround these guys down in Brazil just can’t keep their f*cking mouth shut.”
Clearly annoyed, he added, “It came from Oliveira’s camp in Brazil apparently. It’s f*cking part of the business. You know what I mean?” Expressing his irritation at the leak, he said, “People can’t keep their f*cking mouth shut for whatever reason. They wanna act like they are in the know.”
White intended to inform the hosting partners in Abu Dhabi about the situation personally. The premature leak of the news created unnecessary tension between the UFC and the Abu Dhabi personnel.
Oliveira’s withdrawal from his bout against champion Islam Makhachev is a significant blow to UFC 294. However, with Alexander Volkanovski replacing the Brazilian at the event, the promotion found an apt solution. Notably enough, in the previous pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, UFC 280, Volkanovski faced off with Makhachev. It was after his victory over Oliveira for the vacant title. Makhachev would defend his title against Volkanovski in Australia at UFC 284 after that.
Mateusz Gamrot, a formidable lightweight fighter in his own right, was initially considered as a replacement for Oliveira. However, in a strategic move, the UFC ultimately chose Alexander Volkanovski to step in for Oliveira. The promotion went with Volkanovski due to his established name in the promotion, his history with Makhachev, and the promise of a compelling rematch after their closely contested bout at UFC 284, as is believed.
Dana White on Ilia Topuria vs. Volkanovski Clash at UFC 297 and Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 296
UFC President Dana White confirmed preliminary discussions surrounding a potential showdown between Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 297 in Canada. Given the pedigree and potential of both fighters, the news has already started generating considerable excitement among MMA fans. Topuria was the first to talk about the news on a Spanish talk show.
Volkanovski is in the limelight due to his short-notice rematch with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294. The Australian continues to be a focal point in UFC’s plans. However, a match against Ilia Topuria promises to be a different challenge.
Being undefeated, Topuria offers a unique test for any opponent. He recently dismantled Josh Emmet en route to a 5 round unanimous decision. White also shed light on the initial considerations for UFC 294. Before Makhachev was announced as Volkanovski’s opponent, there were talks of Mateusz Gamrot stepping into the octagon against the reigning champion.
Gamrot was the backup fighter for UFC 294 in the event of Makhachev or Oliveira not making weight. However, with more than a week remaining for UFC 294, the promotion had time to rope in a bigger name, like Volkanovski. Gamrot most recently fought Rafael Fiziev. Fiziev lost the fight to Gamrot due to a knee injury suffered in the middle of the bout.
In case you missed it!
- GRAPHIC WARNING! Charles Oliveira’s gnarly injury that cost him spot at UFC 294 against Islam Makhachev leaves fans in disgust
- “Is this a hoax?” – Fans go berserk as Charles Oliveira gets replaced by Alexander Volkanovski to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 294
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Ajinkya Aswale
(1115 Articles Published)