UFC CEO Dana White Calls Out 'Douchebag' Reporter For Belal Muhammad Flag Question

The UFC CEO went scorched Earth regarding media questions at the UFC 304 post-fight presser.

(Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

UFC CEO Dana White was in a less-than-stellar mood following UFC 304, which saw Chicago native Belal Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 1 NC UFC) upset hometown favorite and now-former champion Leon Edwards (22-4 MMA, 14-3, 1 NC UFC) by decision in the night's main event, a rematch over three years in the making.

"It wasn't a barnburner," White said just after 5 a.m. U.K. time following Muhammad's victory a week ago Saturday.

But, at the time, that was all White could muster up about Muhammad's performance, as speculation began to creep in that White was rooting against the Palestinian-American or had other motives against Muhammad.

White clarified his remarks in an interview with Kevin Iole ahead of UFC Abu Dhabi, for which he was not in attendance.

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"Let me say this: to be fair, I was tired," White told Iole. "I was in a bad mood. I was, you know, at that press conference, and you know it depends on when you catch me... Everybody thinks that I don't like Belal, stuff posted that like, 'Dana is going to commit suicide right now because Leon [lost].' That's the furthest thing from the truth.''

White also clapped back at a reporter who asked the long-time promoter about an alleged flag ban ahead of the main event.

According to the reporter, who claimed that he saw UFC staffers ask Muhammad's corner to remove the flag ahead of the fight getting underway, those motives were proven untrue when White recalled the situation.

"That guy was baiting me, like a lot of these media guys do," White said. "And I'm at the press conference. We just had a fight. First of all, I couldn't even understand a word he was saying, number one. Number two, I didn't even understand what he was saying."

White went on to clarify that fighters can use their flags however they wish, just not over the Octagon due to respecting the presentation of the event and honoring sponsors. White also added that once he heard the reporter's question and that he was trying to twist it into something it wasn't White let him know about it.

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"For anybody to show up at a press conference and try to bait me on stupid "s*** like that is ridiculous," White said.

White added that the reporter had an agenda, which, in his eyes, made the situation worse.

"No, you're a douchebag," White said, calling out the reporter for not asking any other UFC 304-related questions except the one he did. "You could've pulled anybody from the [UFC] PR team aside and said, 'I have a question, 'Why was this [flag pulled], whatever.' And if the PR team said, 'Well, we couldn't.'...then you say, 'Hey.....' No, that guy is that f****** guy. Good try trying to f****** defend him."

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It's safe to assume White will continue with his off-limits "gotcha"-type questions moving forward, as the reporter nervously didn't continue his question.

The focus now shifts to Muhammad's first title defense, which has not been announced. The UFC has not returned to Chicago since June 2019, where it hosted UFC 238.

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