UFC president Dana White has dismissed allegations from Alex Pereira that the promotion instructed commentators to influence public opinion in favour of an upcoming heavyweight title fight between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit.
Pereira recently claimed that the UFC had used figures including former heavyweight champion and commentator Daniel Cormier to generate support for the matchup. Cormier denied the allegation on Tuesday, with White subsequently addressing the matter following the final episode of season 10 of Dana White’s Contender Series.
“Of course that’s not true,” said White, according to MMA Fighting. “These guys are the most paranoid people on the planet. Like we’re telling DC — I’ve never told DC to do anything, ever. It doesn’t work like that. We don’t operate like that.”
Pereira’s criticism follows his defeat to Gane in their interim heavyweight title fight at UFC White House. The Brazilian has since called for a rematch, citing illegal strikes from Gane as a factor in the result. White also addressed recent criticism of the promotion from middleweight champion Sean Strickland, suggesting that disagreements involving fighters are not unusual. “We have over 700 guys on contract, and we’ve talked about two of them being sideways right now,” White said. “This is normal when you’re in this business.”
With Gane scheduled to face Hokit for the heavyweight championship, Pereira’s pursuit of another opportunity against the Frenchman remains unresolved. White maintained that the UFC does not direct its broadcast team or fighters in their public comments, rejecting suggestions that the promotion attempts to control discussion surrounding its matchups. “I don’t tell anybody what to say. I don’t tell the fighters what to say, I don’t tell the commentators what to say,” White said. “This thing all just plays out organically in the way that the fights are called.” Pereira, a former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, has previously experienced disagreements with the promotion, while his latest comments come amid his efforts to secure another heavyweight title opportunity.
