UFC CEO Dana White has always been outspoken about his opinions on controversial figures in the combat sports industry. Two individuals who have been the subject of his criticism are Oscar De La Hoya and Jake Paul. Despite White’s apparent dislike for them, he has not barred them from attending UFC events, as recently revealed.
This comes after the 27-year-old boxer Jake Paul’s video of sneaking inside the grand Noche UFC event went viral. In the clip shared by Paul, he mentioned that White had banned him from UFC. The UFC CEO has shared his tidbits about this claim. As such, he even mentioned Oscar De La Hoya’s recent antics about attending the Noche UFC.
Oscar De La Hoya was there, lets put it that way. Nobody’s banned from the UFC… Jake Paul’s welcome to come to UFC.
Dana White via DWCS presser
Jake Paul and Dana White have a history of animosity against each other. The root cause of their feud is the controversial fighter pay fiasco that is around UFC. ‘The Problem Child’ seemingly didn’t like how the promotion treated their fighters, for which he even slammed White & Co.
However, as for the UFC CEO, even he has taken several verbal jabs against Paul. As such, most recently for calling out UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Meanwhile, the feud between Oscar De La Hoya and Dana White is much more heated as compared to Paul’s.
De La Hoya and White are two pioneers in their respective fields. The major reason behind their feud was because of the boxing promoter’s desire to enter the world of MMA as a promoter. The UFC CEO seemingly didn’t like the idea of making a 50-year-old Chuck Liddell fight. However, in one of the recent press conferences, White acknowledged De La Hoya’s contribution to the fight world.
UFC CEO Dana White praises Oscar De La Hoya’s achievements amidst rivalry
Oscar De La Hoya’s accolades during his professional boxing career are not unknown to anyone. He has incredible feats in his name, including several world titles and an Olympic Gold back in his peak. Dana White, who has been in the fight industry for almost two decades, has seen De La Hoya’s impressive career. Interestingly, in a recent presser, he even speaks highly of those feats amidst their rivalry.
Dana White praises Oscar De La Hoya’s achievements in boxing (Image via X)This comes after the recent back-and-forth between the UFC CEO and the Golden Boy boss. White, in particular, was against De La Hoya attending his UFC project, which was a tribute to Mexicans.
Interestingly, the Golden Boy boss has roots connected to Mexico and was even featured in one of Noche UFC’s videos. During the post-fight interview, Dana White revealed the reason for including De La Hoya.
He’s an a**hole, but you can’t deny what he (Oscar De La Hoya) did. I mean, the guy, you know what I mean? He’s a f*cking lunatic, but he was a bad boy in his day…
Dana White via UFC 306 post-fight presser
Dana White on Oscar De La Hoya being included in the #NocheUFC videos tonight:
He’s an asshole, but you can’t deny what he did. I mean, the guy, you know what I mean? He’s a fucking lunatic, but he was a bad boy in his day…before he got his fake abs. pic.twitter.com/HRPm63EfCs
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) September 15, 2024
Dana White’s statement clearly illustrates the high regard he has for De La Hoya’s achievements in the sport. It’s interesting to note that the boxing promoter has also commended the work of the UFC CEO on multiple occasions. However, it’s still uncertain when this rivalry will come to an end once and for all.
