– UFC president Dana White let it all hang out in his latest edition of “The Download.” White discussed a number of subjects, including going with the UFC to Ireland for a Fight Night event. Typically, the boss stays in Las Vegas, but there was no chance he was going to miss this one. Conor McGregor defeated Diego Brandao in the main event, and White let it be known just how impressed he was with Dublin and the fans.
“It’s the greatest fight I’ve ever been to,” he said. “It’s the greatest sporting event I’ve ever been to in my life. It was insane.”
Almost 10,000 Irish fans packed The O2 and the night culminated with “Notorious” earning his third straight UFC win with a first round finish.
– White also discussed the upcoming hearing in front of the Nevada Athletic Commission for Vitor Belfort. Earlier this year, Belfort was tested and found to have elevated levels of TRT in his system. The UFC, and NAC, subsequently decided against granting any future exemptions for the drug. Belfort was removed from a planned title fight vs. Chris Weidman, and has been working to clear out his system of the testosterone.
“If Vitor gets licensed, from now until the fight with Weidman they’re going to Olympic-style test him like crazy,” White said. “If he’s on anything, if he does anything, he’ll get caught. When he fights Chris Weidman, he’ll be 100 percent clean.”
Rumors have floated around about a potential Weidman-Belfort fight taking place in Brazil inside of a soccer stadium later this year. The hearing for Belfort is scheduled for later today in Las Vegas.
– White also talked about UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and the decision by officials to pair him with Chris Cariaso. Currently, Cariaso sits outside of the Top-10 at 125 pounds, but the rest of the division was unavailable to meet “Mighty Mouse.” The two will collide in the UFC 177 co-main event in August.
“The problem is that there is no doubt the fight everybody wanted to see would be John Dodson, but he’s hurt,” White said. “Ian McCall just fought. Johnson knocked out (Joseph) Benavidez, and he beat John Moraga. People are going to (expletive) about Demetrious Johnson no matter who we put him in there against. Eventually, he’ll just have to keep knocking people out left and right and then he’ll earn his respect.”
Cariaso (17-5) has won three straight, but Johnson (20-2-1) hasn’t lost since a 2011 decision defeat at bantamweight to Dominick Cruz.
Read more at http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2014/0723/579296/dana-white-on-vitor-belfort/#Moj0FBKI8qAhmwA0.99
