UFC President Dana White on Mayweather-McGregor Fight

YOU KNOW, DANA, I MENTIONED THAT
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY BIG BUT ALSO
UNPRECEDENTED.
I WANT TO CHECK THAT WITH YOU.
HAS ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER
HAPPENED BEFORE WHERE AN
UNDEFEATED BOXER COMES OUT OF
RETIREMENT TO FIGHT A UFC
CHAMPION OR REALLY IN ANY
VARIETY OF SPORT?
>> NO.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS THE
BIGGEST FIGHT IN COMBAT SPORTS
HISTORY.
IT IS LITERALLY THE BIGGEST
FIGHT EVER DONE.
>> Jimmy: IT IS.
DO YOU THINK THAT CONOR HAS A
CHANCE AT ALL TO BEAT FLOYD
MAYWEATHER IN BOXING?
>> I DO.
YOU LAUGH.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
BUT I DO.
LISTEN, WHEN YOU PUT TWO PEOPLE
ANYWHERE, HERE, ANYWHERE, AND
THEY START THROWING PUNCHES,
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
AND FLOY MAYWEATHER'S GOING TO
BE 41 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.
OKAY?
IF THERE IS A KINK IN THAT
ARMOR, IT HAS BEEN WITH
SOUTHPAWS.
CONOR McGREGOR IS A SOUTHPAW.
HE'S 28 YEARS OLD, AND HE HITS
LIKE A TRUCK.
ALL RIGHT?
SO HE'S GOT 12 ROUNDS TO LAND
THAT PUNCH.
IF HE CAN LAND THAT PUNCH --
WHEN HE HITS PEOPLE, THEY GO.
AND IF HE HITS FLOYD, I THINK HE
WILL HURT HIM.
AND WHEN HE HURTS PEOPLE, HE
PUTS THEM AWAY.
>> Jimmy: IS THIS KIND OF LIKE A
CRICKET TEAM TRYING TO WIN THE
BASEBALL WORLD SERIES?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> NO, NO.
WHEN PEOPLE PUT IT IN THOSE
TYPES OF TERMS, WHEN THEY CALL
BOXING THE SWEET SCIENCE, RIGHT?
FIRST THING YOU LEARN IS HOW TO
THROW THE JAB.
FROM THE JAB, JAB RIGHT HAND,
THEN A HOOK, UPPERCUTS, BODY.
AND NORMALLY WHEN BOXERS FIGHT
BOXERS THERE'S A SYSTEM TO IT.
YOU REALIZE IF THE GUY'S
THROWING A JAB, RIGHT HAND'S
PROBABLY COMING NEXT.
CONOR McGREGOR WILL BE
COMPLETELY UNORTHODOX IN HIS
FIGHT WITH FLOYD MAYWEATHER.
IT'S WHAT MAKES THE FIGHT SO
INTRIGUING.
>> Jimmy: LET'S SAY WE REVERSED
IT.
LET'S SAY MMA FIGHT --
>> OH.
>> Jimmy: AND FLOYD WAS FIGHTING
CONOR.
HOW LONG WOULD FLOYD LAST --
>> 30 SECONDS.
THAT THING WOULD BE OVER REAL
QUICK.
>> Jimmy: BUT DON'T YOU FEEL
LIKE IT'S ALMOST THE SAME THING?
>> THE THING IS THAT THROWING
PUNCHES IS A PART OF WHAT WE DO
IN THE UFC AND CONOR McGREGOR
CAN THROW SOME PUNCHES.
THAT KID HITS HARD.
THE CONFIDENCE THIS GUY HAS IN
HIMSELF IS UNBELIEVABLE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
THIS SINCE ALI.
>> Jimmy: HE DOES.
>> IT'S INCREDIBLE.
AND HE WANTS THIS FIGHT.
HE BELIEVES IN HIMSELF.
AND HE'S MY GUY.
>> Jimmy: LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING.
MY BUDDY ADAM CAROLLA HAS A
GREAT IDEA I THINK.
SO I WAS -- ADAM AND I WERE
TALKING ABOUT THIS FIGHT, AND WE
WERE -- HE LIKES TO BOX.
IN FACT, WE MET THAT WAY.
AND HE THINKS IT WOULD BE GREAT
IF THE FIRST SIX ROUNDS WERE
BOXING AND IF CONOR CAN MAKE IT
PAST THE SIXTH ROUND THE LAST
SIX ROUNDS BECOME MIXED MARTIAL
ARTS.
>> I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT HIM TO
THE NEGOTIATION WITH ME.
>> Jimmy: THIS WOULD BE AN
UNBELIEVABLE WAY --
>> THEY WOULD NEVER DO IT.
THEY WOULD NEVER DO IT.
LISTEN, FLOYD WAS TALKING DURING
THE WORLD TOUR THAT WE JUST DID,
I'LL DO IT IN THE OCTAGON.
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT IN THE
NEGOTIATIONS.
THEY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH
HIM.
I MEAN, LISTEN, AT THE END OF
THE DAY LIKE I SAID THERE'S
PUNCHES IN OUR SPORT.
YOU THROW PUNCHES.
FLOYD WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF LEG
KICKS AND THAT WOULD BE THE END
OF THAT.
>> Jimmy: THIS TOUR YOU GUYS
WENT TO FOUR CITIES, YOU WENT TO
NEW YORK, L.A. --
>> TORONTO.
>> Jimmy: AND LONDON.
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: AND THIS WAS -- I
MEAN, NOBODY HAD TO PAY ANYTHING
FOR THIS.
THIS WAS WORTH -- I MEAN, THIS
WAS A SPECTACLE ON ITS OWN.
LET'S RUN A CLIP.
>> WHAT THE [ BLEEP ] IS HE
WEARING?
HE LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE BREAK
DANCER, LIKE SOME LITTLE
12-YEAR-OLD BREAK DANCER.
[ BLEEP ].
HE'S 40!
YOU'RE 40 YEARS OF AGE.
DRESS YOUR [ BLEEP ] AGE.
CARRYING A SCHOOL BAG ON STAGE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH A SCHOOL
BAG ON STAGE?
YOU CAN'T EVEN READ.
>> Jimmy: IT'S A LOT OF STUFF
LIKE THAT.
>> WELL, WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T REALIZE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT AREN'T INTO THE FIGHT
BUSINESS, THEY LOOK AT THAT AND
THEY'RE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, SO
THESE GUYS ARE FLYING AROUND THE
WORLD INSULTING EACH OTHER.
IT'S AS MUCH A PART OF THE FIGHT
AS THE FIGHT ITSELF.
CONOR McGREGOR IS ONE OF THE
BEST EVER.
I HATE TO COMPARE PEOPLE TO ALI.
I JUST HATE TO DO IT.
BUT ONE OF THE BEST EVER IN THE
GAME AT THE MENTAL WARFARE.
AND FLOYD IN HIS OWN RIGHT IS
VERY GOOD AT IT TOO.
SO THAT'S AS MUCH A PART OF THE
FIGHT.
EVERY CITY THEY WENT TO THEY GOT
MORE IRRITATED, AGGRAVATED, AND
IT JUST STARTS TO BUILD.
AND MY -- I'VE GOT ONE JOB.
THAT'S IT.
MAKE SURE THESE TWO DON'T TOUCH
EACH OTHER.
>> Jimmy: OH, FOR REAL.
THAT'S YOUR JOB.
>> 100%.
>> Jimmy: WHY DID THAT HAVE TO
BE YOUR JOB?
>> HE'S GOT GUYS THERE TOO TO
MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I DO
AT THESE PRESS CONFERENCES AND
WEIGH-INS BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE
TWO GUYS THAT ARE CONSIDERED THE
BEST, BADDEST GUYS IN THE WORLD,
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT,
AND THEY TOUCH EACH OTHER ON
NATIONAL TELEVISION, GLOBAL TV.
>> Jimmy: THEY FALL IN LOVE
SOMETIMES.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> Jimmy: OH, IT'S THE OPPOSITE?
>> YEAH.
IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
YOU HAVE DISRESPECTED ME IN
FRONT OF THE WORLD AND NOW I
NEED TO RECIPROCATE.
>> Jimmy: SO YOUR CONCERN
PRIMARILY IS THAT THE FIGHT
TAKES PLACE BEFORE PEOPLE PAY
FOR THE PAY-PER-VIEW?
>> EXACTLY.
AND THERE'S THESE -- WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN, IF THOSE TWO GOT ON
THE -- LONDON, WHEN WE GOT TO
LONDON, CONOR WENT BY AND
SLAPPED HIM ON TOP OF HIS HEAD.
>> Jimmy: THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.
>> THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.
>> Jimmy: DID YOU TALK TO CONOR?
>> I WAS YELL AT CONOR THE WHOLE
TIME WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING.
I SAW IT COMING AND I WAS LIKE
CONOR NO.
LIKE SLOW MOTION.
>> Jimmy: IT'S LIKE CHILDREN.
LIKE WRANGLING KIDS OR
SOMETHING.
>> YEAH.
TOUGH KIDS.
>> Jimmy: LAST TIME YOU WERE
HERE WE TALKED ABOUT THEN
CANDIDATE TRUMP, NOW PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE DONALD TRUMP
WILL COME TO THIS EVENT?
>> HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME TO
205 BUT HE SAID TO ME, LISTEN, I
DON'T WANT TO RUIN YOUR EVENT.
SECRET SERVICE WOULD RIP THIS
PLACE APART AND STREETS WOULD
GET SHUT DOWN.
>> Jimmy: YOU SAY TO HIM YOU
SEEM TO GO TO THESE GOLF
TOURNAMENTS NO PROBLEM.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WITH THAT?
>> WELL, THEY'RE NOT IN THE
MIDDLE OF NEW YORK CITY AT
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
>> Jimmy: ARE PEOPLE DRIVING YOU
CRAZY ASKING YOU FOR TICKETS FOR
THIS?
>> YEAH.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE
ASKING FOR TICKETS.
>> Jimmy: WHO CALLS YOU AND --
WHO'S THE BIGGEST OFFENDER?
>> WHO DIDN'T CALL ME AND ASK ME
FOR TICKETS TO THIS ONE?
BUT YEAH, EVERYBODY -- FIRST OF
ALL, THIS FIGHT IS GOING TO BE
THE BIGGEST GATE EVER IN ANY
COMBAT SPORT.
EVER.
YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME IT WAS
MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO.
AND NOW THIS ONE'S GOING TO BE
BIGGER.
SO THE WAY THAT WE STRUCTURED
THE DEAL, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT
OF SLIPPERY THINGS THAT CAN GO
ON WITH TICKETS.
AND THAT DID HAPPEN DURING THE
MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO FIGHT.
>> Jimmy: IT DID?
>> PEOPLE COULDN'T -- THE WORST
THING ABOUT THE
MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO FIGHT IS I
BOUGHT TEN TICKETS TO THAT
FIGHT.
THAT'S THE WORST THING ABOUT IT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I LIVE IN VEGAS AND I'M
CONNECTED TO ALL THE GUYS THAT
HAVE THE TICKETS.
I DIDN'T GET MY TICKETS TILL
FRIDAY BEFORE THE FIGHT.
AND NOW IF YOU WERE COMING IN
FROM OUT OF TOWN OR WHATEVER IT
WAS JUST -- IT WAS A COMPLETE
DISASTER.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T
HAPPEN, WE'RE ACTUALLY BUYING
ALL OUR OWN TICKETS.
SO I'M BUYING 20 TICKETS.
>> Jimmy: THIS IS WHAT YOU TELL
YOUR RELATIVES WHEN THEY CALL
YOU.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YEAH.
>> Jimmy: I HAVE TO BUY THE
TICKETS TOO SO THERE'S NOTHING I
CAN DO.
>> SO MAYWEATHER'S BUYING HIS
OWN TICKETS.
CONOR'S BUYING HIS OWN TICKETS.
SHOWTIME, THE UFC.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL BUYING OUR
OWN TICKETS.
>> Jimmy: THIS IS A GOOD
STRATEGY I THINK.
WHATEVER YOU GUYS FIGURED OUT,
YOU FIGURED IT OUT.
WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE -- I
HAVE TO SAY, I MEAN, I THINK
IT'S -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN BUT I DO WANT TO
SEE IT.
AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER FIGHT
COMING UP THIS MONTH AS WELL.
>> NEXT WEEKEND.
JON JONES IS RETURNING FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN A COUPLE YEARS TO
TRY TO WIN THIS TITLE BACK FROM
DANIEL CORMIER.
AND IT'S A STACKED CARD DOWN IN
ANAHEIM.
SO YEAH.
>> Jimmy: WELL, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT.
DANA WHITE, EVERYBODY.
PRESIDENT OF THE UFC.
MAYWEATHER AND McGREGOR,

UFC President Dana White on Mayweather-McGregor Fight

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