UFC CEO Dana White is big on free speech and isn’t down on telling any of his employees what to do.
Last week, UFC commentator Jon Anik hinted that he would possibly retire due to all the negativity he’s been getting online over some of his fight opinions.
“We tried to present that information respectfully. When I go to X or I go to our YouTube comments, it seems like a lot of these fans are just in attack mode. I don’t know if these fans are casual fans or not, right? I appreciate the passion but I’m getting to a point at 45 years of age where I don’t know how much time I have left in this MMA space.”
“Because if I go do pro football [NFL], I’m not necessarily dealing with this lowest common denominator all the time. I don’t know, man. I just feel like there is a lot of malice and disrespect from the fan base and we can disagree! Don’t take it from me, Demetrious Johnson and Kenny Florian thought DDP won the fight. I don’t know. I’ve been very off put with the negativity that has permeated my feet since Saturday night and I just don’t know how much longer I have in this space, honestly.”
Anik would eventually apologize due to his comments before heading out to Anaheim for UFC 298.
White was asked about Anik’s comments and he said he did not ask the commentator to apologize.
“You know for a fact, nobody told him here to apologize but at the same time when you’re in a position like Anik, me you, if you’re a public figure you got to be able to take the heat.”
