UFC CEO Dana White responded with sarcasm and profanity to a report of Showtime Boxing’s upcoming demise, expressing disdain for Showtime sports executive Stephen Espinoza and alluding to a history of clashes with the channel over various promotions and acquisitions.
Dana White, the UFC’s CEO, tipped his hat to the news of demise for Showtime Boxing with a mixture of satire and disdain, especially directed at Stephen Espinoza. Espinoza heads the department which was recently incorporated into the streaming service Paramount+. White had previously clashed with him during the promotional run for “The Money Fight” which pit boxing icon Floyd Mayweather against MMA star Conor McGregor.
At a post-fight press conference for the Dana White’s Contender Series Season 7, Week 8, White delivered his thoughts on the Showtime Boxing situation with a casual jest. He said, “That’s incredibly unfortunate. Production of that show is fantastic, the guy who runs Showtime boxing is a great human being. It’s unfortunate to hear this.” He quickly made his true sentiments known by adding, “F*** Espinoza, and it’s about time that s***** product is off the air.”
Aside from the uncertainty hanging over Showtime Boxing, the future of Bellator MMA is also a topic of concern within the industry. Speculations suggest the MMA promotion may either be acquired by rival promoter PFL, or could cease to exist. White’s comments were in reaction to a Twitter post by user ‘Raf’ stating that after 37 years in the business, Showtime Boxing would not be televising any more boxing events starting from 2024. Although a Showtime representative acknowledged the tweet and White’s reaction, they didn’t provide immediate comment.
Alongside Showtime’s future, White’s relationship with Espinoza has had its share of public troubles. Their rift began over the promotion of “The Money Fight,” particularly related to its box office achievements. Espinoza was also in hot water with McGregor who accused him of orchestrating audio issues during a press event for the fight. Over the years, White has taken multiple jabs at Espinoza, blaming Showtime’s alleged decline on him. The UFC CEO’s troubles with Showtime extend beyond Espinoza, having previously conflicted with former head of the channel, Ken Hershman, over the operations of the now-defunct Strikeforce. With UFC’s acquisition of this rival MMA promotion, the Federal Trade Commission launched a probe into the company’s practices, concluding without any adverse action taken against UFC.