Best of the C'Mon Now MMA Podcast - 28

This week's topics include:

1. Dana White on Anderson Silva:
- White takes a shot at the MMA media but then uses them to deliver the message Anderson Silva is washed up.
- White seems mad that Silva liked dealing with Lorenzo Fertitta more than he likes the UFC now.
- Remember how many fights BJ Penn had when he was washed? Anderson Silva is not near where Penn was.
- An athletic commission should allow Silva to fight if he wants to.
- White said we would “shit our pants” if we found out how much Anderson Silva makes. Well, he’s right, but for the wrong reason. Silva’s most recent disclosed pay was $600K. He made all of $200K for the second Chael Sonnen fight.
- Why I think White doesn’t want Silva to fight — he doesn’t want to pay him.
- White treated Silva like family? I don’t want to live in that family.
- 11 punches thrown in the 2nd Rd? Nah, that number was 54.
- White is trying to lower Silva’s value to another promotion.

2. White on Khabib Nurmagomedov:
- It sure sounds like Khabib wants to stay retired. Says, “of course Dana wants to continue fighting & generate revenue.” - Khabib knows his value & doesn’t seem to be interested in making money for White.
- White bothering Khabib to come back is selfish.
- White should not hold up the lightweight title on a hope.

3. White falsely claims Robert Whittaker doesn’t want to fight Israel Adesanya & some closing thoughts on Anderson Silva (13:34-17:00)
- White says Adesanya is fighting Blachowicz for the UFC light heavyweight title & claims Whittaker doesn’t want the Adesanya fight. Turns out Whittaker said he wants that fight & only that fight.
- White needs to release Silva or give him a fight.

4. Bryce Mitchell:
- Mitchell is anti-mask & seems to miss the fact we live in a society & everyone has a responsibility to keep their community & society from getting sick. It’s selfish, dumb & it’s the reason the US has an incredibly high death rate & continues to have a growing number of cases of COVID-19.
- Mitchell also provides a wrong number of deaths in Arkansas (270 vs 1,900+).
- If Mitchell wants to know why there won’t be a vote on masks all he needs to do is listen to his words & look in the mirror. It’s not about Bryce Mitchell, it’s about society.

5. Greg Hardy:
- MMA media asks soft questions that allow Greg Hardy to portray himself as a victim. Using “controversy” in place of arrest & conviction, with charges later being dropped when the woman stopped cooperating with prosecutors. The questions are exactly what the UFC would want from the unpaid PR arm of the UFC.
- We don’t know Greg Hardy. We know the image he tries to present to the MMA Media.
- Hardy claims he is an innocent man & always has been. This isn’t true.
- Hardy claims he is a redemption story. He’s not.
- Hardy is asked if he thought this would be behind him (not asked why he would think that way) then paints himself as a victim. This should not be behind Hardy until he acknowledges & apologizes. If Hardy is a victim, it’s a victim of the choices he made.
- Hardy claims he presented “real details” of his case. They are details, but they leave out a big piece of the police report. Hardy’s account lacks context.
- Hardy did get due process. He was judged in the court of law. He was not executed by Instagram. He was declared guilty. The media once again sets Hardy up to play the victim.
- Another softball question allowing him to play the victim again, “How do you push past what happened before the fight.”
- Hardy claims he is setting an example for kids. The media seemed like a Greg Hardy fan club instead of Media.
- MMA media should listen to the way Hardy was handled & learn from it. This was not handled well at all. White created an environment where anything can be said & written off as mean things fighters say, including when fighters praise a murderer. There’s still time to reflect & change, will Dana do that?
- White is taking back some of Conor McGregor’s power.