Dana White was visibly shaken after learning that UFC fighter Joe Pyfer tried to take his own life a matter of weeks ago.
Pyfer main evented the latest UFC Fight Night card in Seattle, Washington in a middleweight contest against two-time champion Israel Adesanya.
The 29-year-old secured a fourth straight victory and the biggest of his career when he finished Adesanya in the second round and claimed a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
But while there was euphoria for Pyfer, his interview in the Octagon with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier was an incredibly emotional one.
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Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide, which some readers may find distressing
Pyfer spoke after his hand was raised and revealed that he had nearly committed suicide just weeks before his main event win.
"I almost took my own life a couple of weeks ago and I found God," Pyfer said, fighting back tears.
I hate crying man so I'm going to keep it together. God restored me baby, that's the only reason I'm here. USA baby, let's go! All glory to God for this victory, or else I'd be dead in a ditch somewhere."
In the post-fight press conference, UFC president White was asked, "Did you know he was considering suicide a couple of weeks ago? and replied, "I did not know that".
The 56-year-old had a concerned look on his face and was almost speechless.
White added: “He said he was considering suicide a couple weeks ago? Holy sh*t. That’s unfortunate to hear.”
In the Octagon, Pyfer dedicated the winner to his partner of six years, Ashlyn, and revealed he intends to marry her in the near future.
When he spoke in his presser, Pyfer opened up further about what he had been through and how he "broke a lot of people's hearts".
After "lust issues" left him "disgusted" with himself, Pyfer said he got therapy.
"I was born into chaos and a messed up family as many children are," he explained.
"It's not like mine's super special compared to anybody else's. But I was a victim of my own self destruction.
"I had lust issues. I had just this toxic cycle of coping. Nothing drug related or anything like that, but I had a dream where I was disgusted about who I was. I broke a lot of people's hearts around me and particularly one person that I will never hurt again. S**t man, I (was) just disgusted with myself. I went and got therapy."
Here's a list of the leading mental health helplines and services that are just a call away in the UK:
- Samaritans are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and will talk to you about anything that's bothering you. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email [email protected] or visit some branches in person. You can also call the Welsh Language Line on 0300 123 3011 from 7pm to 11pm every day.
- The Mix take calls from under 25s on 0808 808 4994 from Sunday to Friday, 2pm to 11pm. You can request support by email using the form on The Mix website or using their crisis text messenger service.
- Papyrus HOPELINEUK is there for under 35s struggling or those who are concerned about a young person who might be struggling. You can call them on 0800 068 4141 on weekdays from 9am to 10pm, on weekends from 2pm to 10pm, and on bank holidays from 2pm to 10pm. You can also email [email protected] or text 07786 209 697.
- The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) caters specifically to males on 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight every day. Alternatively, you can use their webchat service.
- The Nightline website allows students to see if their university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.
- The Community Advice and Listening Line (C.A.L.L). is available for those who live in Wales and can be contacted on 0800 132 737, which is open 24/7. You can also text 'help' followed by a question to 81066.
Pyfer is set to climb up the middleweight rankings and will be hoping to move towards title contention in the future.
Topics: Dana White, UFC, Israel Adesanya
Josh Lawless