Dana White says fans who illegally stream UFC PPVs have been 'f**king smashed'

UFC president Dana White claims fans who've been illegally streaming fights have been 'f**king smashed'.

White has feuded with streamers for what seems like an eternity at this point and he's desperate to stop people pirating his events.

The 53-year-old warned fans there will be consequences and the last 18 months have seen him clamp down hard.

Speaking to GQ, White revealed people thought he was joking when he told them he'd taken down a huge streaming operation.

For the UFC's top dog, it was no laughing matter.

He replied to a fan in the latest instalment of 'Actually Me': "I care about [the pay-per-views] dummy.

"That's how everybody makes their money. You're b***hing about fighters not making enough money - they get a piece of the pay-per-view revenue.

"People who steal it are stealing it from us and them.

"And what happens to people who steal? You get f**king smashed and you go to jail that is what happens to you, and I make sure that we get you.

"Everybody was f**king laughing when I was talking about this but we caught a lot of people.

"People weren't laughing when they got caught, and I had a lot of people begging me not to prosecute them, but stealing is stealing."

What started this saga was Conor McGregor's return fight in 2021. 'The Notorious' is one of the biggest stars in combat sports and his rematch with Dustin Poirier garnered huge attention.

White decided to take his stand after one fan commented: "Can't wait to pirate the f**k out of this thanks Dana I'm excited."

"The internet makes it look like these guys are good guys! These people are criminals!"@DanaWhite is taking piracy seriously. Very seriously. pic.twitter.com/CIQoQ4McrS

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) January 23, 2021

He quickly fired back with a warning of: "And I can't wait to catch u!!! Gotta a surprise for u motherf**kers this year."

Keeping good on his promise, White indeed had a 'surprise for the motherf**kers'.

During an interview with BT Sport ahead of McGregor/Poirier II he declared: "When I came out and said this, all these guys started taunting me.

"So I went through, and I picked. I said, 'You. You're the guy.' And I told my people, 'I want this guy.' And guess what? We got him.

"We're watching his house, we're listening to his phone conversations, and if he puts it up on Saturday, we got him."