To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Former UFC Champion Claims Dana White Is A 'Tyrant'

Former UFC Champion Claims Dana White Is A 'Tyrant'

The claims about how White and the UFC negotiate with fighters comes amidst the discussions about Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has claimed that Dana White is a 'tyrant' and questioned the company's negotiation policy.

UFC president White is the face of the company and the man at the forefront of making sure the right fights happen.

At the moment there is a lot of pressure on White to deliver a heavyweight title match between Francis Ngannou and potentially the greatest UFC fighter of all time, Jon Jones.

Jones has understandably talked about wanting more money to go up to heavyweight, especially against the new champ in what is likely to be a massive fight.

Those negotiations haven't gone too well so far and now Rockhold has explained why that might be the case, claiming there are 'mafioso-type tactics' at play.

"Fighting is like a mafia," the former champion told Rippin It Podcast when asked about the differences between the MMA world and modelling.

"They have these very mafioso-type tactics in negotiations, they try to f*** with you. I'm not having any of it.

"If you don't know your worth someone will tell you your worth and it'll be less than your worth, so know your worth.

"Once I lost the world title, Dana White came up to me and tried to beat me down mentally and I was like 'f*** you,' straight up."

Rockhold ahead of his most recent fight in 2019. Image: PA Images
Rockhold ahead of his most recent fight in 2019. Image: PA Images

Rockhold lost his middleweight title to Michael Bisping in 2016, with the British fighter stepping in for the injured Chris Weidman at 10 day's notice and finishing the fight against someone who'd submitted him just months earlier.

He has fought three times since, winning just once and losing twice, including a move up to light heavyweight where he lost to Jan Blachowski.

Speaking about how White does business, the 36-year-old called for some sort of governing body, adding, "We don't have the governing body. We've got an egotistical guy that's a bit of a tyrant.

"No one is going to try and fight you, you've got to put your ass on the line, stand your ground, take risk, otherwise you get treated like a b**ch.

"It's unfortunate, a guy like that, he thinks he can fight, he thinks he's a fighter. I don't understand why he's trying to belittle all the fighters when you've never fought a day in your life. You're a promoter.

"We need a governing body to give people what they deserve, he doesn't play the game right."

All UFC fans want to see Jones vs Ngannou. Image: PA Images
All UFC fans want to see Jones vs Ngannou. Image: PA Images

Many UFC fighters have had issues with White over the years but it's rarely got to the levels that Rockhold is so openly talking about.

Hopefully the president can negotiate with Jones, a man he's referred to as the 'greatest of all time,' and make the dream fight with Ngannou.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Jon Jones, UFC, Francis Ngannou, MMA, Dana White