Props: USA Today
Quoteworthy:
"UFC is a great contribution. It's a return to glory for people who like sophisticated barbarism. Dana White and (co-founder) Lorenzo Fertitta have done a phenomenal job. I'm the people's promoter. Whatever the people want, I'm going to promote. Whatever the public wants, that's what I want to give them. I want to give it to them with candor so they can quantify, qualify and identify with whoever the athlete is. Who am I to say that something is wrong with them when I'm always crying about, 'Why you're treating me this way?' They bring competition. They bring people. Let's enrich it and monetize it. Let's bring the people something. When I bring my guys in we'll be getting prepared to take on Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta in their league vs. our league. The same thing I want to do with the sport of boxing I want to do with MMA. Make it competitive, man. Make it a comparison. Even though they've put on good fights, let's see what they do with someone totally independent."
Famed boxing promoter Don King, who once joined the likes of Bob Arum in trashing the world's fastest growing sport, can no longer ignore the dollar signs attached to the millions of loyal fans it now draws. It also helps that Dana White and the Fertitta brothers have been doing most of the heavy lifting over the past five years and Mr. Opportunity perhaps thinks it's now time to strike while the iron is hot. Does he pose a threat? Or will he eventually have an honorary tombstone in White's office alongside Affliction and PRIDE?
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