Dana White, the president of the mixed
martial arts organization the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC),
says he would support an openly gay male fighter.
White made his remarks during a
question and answer session as part of Saturday's bout between Liz
Carmouche and Ronda Rousey for the Women's Bantamweight title.
Carmouche, who is openly gay, lost.
White said that he would “fix it”
if an opponent refused to fight an openly gay male fighter.
“Most of the guys that are in this
sport are really good people,” White said. “I honestly don't see
a situation where that would happen, but if it did, I'd fix it.”
White also rejected previous
accusations that he is anti-gay: “Some of our guys and I have said
some things that make it look like we're homophobes. But we're not.
And we've apologized.”
During a 2008 videotaped interview with
Peace
Magazine, White jokingly dismissed an off-camera suggestion
that his favorite movie was Titanic. “Hey, you're the one
with the fucking gay-colored phone. Don't be fucking with me,” he
said.
The next year, White used harsh
language in an
angry video rant against reporter Loretta Hunt: “Whoever gave
you that quote is a pussy and a fucking faggot.”
(Related: Liz
Carmouche talks coming out; Dana White says he supports gay
fighters.)