Dana White, UFC president and longtime friend of Donald Trump, admitted that he didn’t watch the presidential debate between Trump and Kamala Harris on Tuesday night, as he was occupied with an edition of Dana White’s Contender Series. However, despite not tuning in, White made it clear that he had strong opinions about the debate and its moderators before it even began.
During a post-show press conference, White shared that Trump had called him an hour before the debate to discuss the upcoming showdown. White seemed to believe that the odds were stacked against Trump, even before the event started, accusing ABC’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, of being biased in favor of Harris.
“I haven’t seen it, but I’ll tell you this: [Trump] called me an hour before the debate,” White explained. “First of all, this is the second time he has to debate. He already did a debate. They didn’t like how the first debate turned out, so now they want to kick [President Joe Biden] out. They say he’s unfit to run, yet he’s still the president. Now they bring in somebody [Harris] who wasn’t even elected to be in there.”
White went on to criticize the debate’s structure and ABC’s role, suggesting that Trump was at a severe disadvantage. “They’ll only do it on ABC. It was three-to-one tonight. He was facing three-to-one,” White claimed. “So I don’t know how it went or what happened, but I know [Trump] took it seriously. He said, ‘I look at this like a heavyweight fight. I’m not taking anyone lightly.’”
RELATED: Dana White Offers Unique $25,000 Prize for Fans Ahead of UFC 306
White’s comments echoed talking points that had already circulated within conservative circles by the time the debate had wrapped up, where some claimed that the moderators would team up with Harris to paint Trump in a negative light. However, White’s criticism was particularly notable given UFC’s relationship with ABC’s parent company, Disney. Disney is UFC’s exclusive media rights partner, and occasionally UFC events are broadcast on ABC’s network. Despite this connection, White did not hold back in suggesting that ABC was biased in favor of Harris.
As the conversation continued, White revealed that he hadn’t yet caught up on the debate’s viral moments, including a controversial comment Trump made regarding Haitian immigrants. In one exchange, Trump claimed, “They’re eating the dogs… they’re eating the cats,” in reference to Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. These claims had not been substantiated, but the remark gained considerable attention online. When MMA journalist Kevin Iole brought up the line during the press conference, White appeared unfamiliar with it.
“Oh. OK,” White responded, clearly surprised. “So what’s that mean?”
In a lighthearted moment, replied, “Ask him,” referring to Trump.
White was also asked if he had given Trump any advice prior to the debate. While White acknowledged that he and Trump had spoken beforehand, he remained tight-lipped about their conversation. “I’ll keep that between myself and [Trump],” White said, keeping the details of their exchange private.
White’s remarks highlighted his unwavering loyalty to Trump, a relationship that has been well-documented over the years. White has publicly supported Trump on multiple occasions, even speaking at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and 2020. Their friendship, combined with White’s influence in the world of sports and entertainment, often puts him in a position to weigh in on political matters, even though his primary focus remains on UFC and the world of mixed martial arts.
As for the debate itself, Trump’s performance and his controversial statements dominated post-event discussions.
While White didn’t see the debate firsthand, his preemptive defense of Trump and critique of ABC’s moderation ensured that he remained part of the ongoing conversation surrounding the contentious political event.
