Political commentator Candace Owens praised UFC President Dana White on Monday for the way he shut down a reporter who suggested that a spat between two fighters might have had”racial undertones.”
South African Dricus Du Plessis had been in a long-running dispute with Nigerian Israel Adesanya when they met in the octagon in July. Du Plessis had beaten Australian Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in Las Vegas when Adesanya entered the ring to confront him.
The two middleweight fighters had been biting back at each other after Du Plessis declared that he would be the first UFC fighter to take a belt back to Africa.
The South African had hinted that he was born, lived and trained on the African continent compared to other African-born fighters who moved away from their native country to the places such as the United States and New Zealand to live and train.
Adesanya climbed into the octagon to confront Du Plessis after his win and they exchanged furious words face-to-face.
When the pair came together, Adesanya launched an N-word fueled tirade at Du Plessis, before calling him his “African brother”.
The South African hit back saying: “I’m African, but I ain’t no brother of yours, son.”
White was asked about the exchange in the press conference afterwards and Owens said that his response was “iconic”.
The UFC President was asked: “Dricus says he’s the real African fighter, and so, you know, Israel dropped some N-words in there tonight.”
White responded: “He’s Black. OK, he’s Black. Who gives a s***?”
The UFC boss was then asked whether he was concerned about the buildup for a likely fight.
White replied: “I could care less. This is the fight business. Israel Adesanya can say whatever he wants to say. Who gives a s***? Are people b****ing about that?”
The reporter replied: “Some people are.”
White hit back, saying: “Of course they are. Oh, f***ing A, got it, too f***ing bad.”
Owens thought that this was the perfect response to the questions and on her podcast, told her listeners: “Iconic response, if you ever watch him in the media he is always like that, he shuts them down immediately.”
Newsweek has contacted Owens’ and the UFC for comment.
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