UFC CEO Dana White generally lets fighters say whatever they want to help promote themselves (or a fight), even when it devolves into hate speech.
Hate speech is still free speech, according to White.
UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell unloaded a pro-Hitler rant on YouTube (sample it here) earlier this week, praising Hitler as a “good guy” with the best of intentions.
Guess we can go ahead and crown a new DMF champion.
PowerSlap 11 press conference. “When you talk about Hitler, he’s responsible for the death of six million jews and he tried to completely eliminate a race of people. World War 2 was the deadliest war in history. 15 million military deaths, 45 million civilians, and 25 million soldiers were killed in World War 2.”
“Second of all, Hitler is one of the most disgusting and evil human beings to ever walk the earth and anyone who even tries to take an opposing position is a moron,” White continued. “That’s a problem with the Internet — and social media. You provide a platform for a lot of dumb, ignorant people. We’ve obviously reached out to Bryce and when we read what he said and let him know how we feel about it … we’re beyond disgusted.”
Mitchell is not expected to face any punishment for his comments.
“It’s free speech,” White insisted. “I don’t have to love it, you don’t have to love it.”
previously suspended heavyweight fighter Matt Mitrione for “transphobic comments” directed toward Fallon Fox. In addition, bantamweight bruiser Miguel Torres was released by the promotion for his rape joke on social media. Even Nate Diaz found himself on the hot seat for this now-deleted tweet.
The 30 year-old Mitchell (17-2) is coming off a knockout victory over Kron Gracie at UFC 310 last December and is expected to make his Octagon return in early spring.
