Dana White is one of the most prominent and successful promoters in combat sports. He is known for transforming the UFC from near bankruptcy into a multi-billion-dollar empire. Famous for his blunt opinions and being hard to impress, White rarely holds back when it comes to criticism. However, pop star Ariana Grande managed to capture his admiration with her latest work.
Ariana Grande recently hosted the renowned Saturday Night Live and performed a variety of skits. One of them was her portrayal as a UFC ring girl, emphasizing the spirit of MMA. It mimicked what Celine Dion did with the NFL back in the day. Her loud and exaggerated accent might have made Dana White giggle. When asked about it, the CEO provided an encouraging reaction.
No. My phone started blowing up after it aired. And I thought it was brilliant. I thought she killed it.
Dana White via Contender Series presser
Grande’s skit made fun of the all-bald commentary team, which included Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Jon Anik. She highlighted the brutal nature of the sport and bizarre injuries that entertain and disappoint the fans from time to time. The skit also had a satirical segment about concussions and CTE, which UFC heavyweight Jon Jones recently discussed.
Many fans thought it was a UFC and SNL collaborative skit to promote the upcoming UFC 308. However, according to White, he had no idea about it beforehand and was surprised. The skit has since gone viral and has been seen by millions of fans. However, it wasn’t the first time Hollywood has incorporated UFC in the past.
Hollywood director known for Get Out once made a UFC parody
UFC is undoubtedly the biggest MMA promotion in the world, and it has a massive fan following. The fights have attracted audiences from all other industries, including Hollywood. Over the years, many A-list celebrities like Jared Leto, Dwayne Johnson, Megan Fox, Mel Gibson, Sydney Sweeney, and others have appeared in UFC events.
As a result, shows like SNL make skits based on UFC to capture the attention of the general public as well as the fight fans. Similarly, Key and Peele did the same a few years back. The skit was titled Ultimate Fighting, goes to the next level, and has over 17 million views on YouTube. In the video, Jordan Peele and comedian Keegan-Michael Key played characters of UFC fighters indulging in trash-talking.
The sketch parodies how fighters such as Conor McGregor and Colby Covington hype up fights by combining intimidation and theatrics. Its exaggeration emphasizes the entertainment value of pre-fight promos in UFC, which are now integral to major fighting events. It was a hilarious video that captured the essence of trash-talking from the popular director of Get Out.
