11 December 2020

UFC president Dana White takes swipe at rival MMA organisation Bellator

UFC president Dana White has attacked Bellator after Anthony Johnson made the move to the rival MMA company.

Light-heavyweight Johnson, who has not fought in more than three years, appeared on more than a dozen UFC shows but has now decided to go a different route after coming out of retirement.

Cris Cyborg is one of several fighters to have moved from the UFC to Bellator

(Twitter: @theScoreMMA)

But White does not believe Bellator is even the second biggest MMA platform anymore as other organisations begin to filter into the sport.

"Really, if you look at Bellator, there’s not much to be interested in," he told TSN.

"There’s much better promotions all over the world that are actually dealing in up-and-coming talent.

"There’s lots of great shows to watch all over the world. All you (media) talk about are two, when there are plenty of other places."

The UFC has been the premier MMA company for more than two decades now and has developed some of the biggest combat sports stars in the world.

Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are all global sporting superstars now as a result of their successes in the UFC.

Johnson follows the likes of Cris Cyborg in moving over to Bellator after making their name in the UFC.

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