Dana White on Rousey-Carano, Pereira’s Future, and Chimaev’s Title Defense Plans

UFC CEO Dana White recently addressed several key topics, including the highly anticipated Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight, the potential career paths of UFC champions Alex Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev, and the importance of title defenses.

Rousey vs. Carano: A Long-Awaited Matchup

The upcoming fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, scheduled for May 16 on Netflix, has been a topic of discussion within the MMA community. White revealed that he had been in talks with Rousey about the fight for over a year, but an agreement with the UFC couldn’t be reached. Negotiations instead led to a deal with Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions [Heavy Sports].

“Her and I have been talking about this since last year, and yeah, it just didn’t work out. But I’m happy,” White stated [Cincinnati.com]. He similarly expressed a positive relationship with both fighters, noting, “Me and Gina are in a really good place – we weren’t at one point – and I’m happy for both of them.” [Cincinnati.com]. Rousey herself initiated the conversation with White, seeking to promote the fight, but it ultimately found a home with Most Valuable Promotions [Heavy Sports].

Alex Pereira’s Future in the UFC

White also discussed the future of light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. He indicated a willingness to work with Pereira, acknowledging his reliability and willingness to fight when needed. “Well, you know, he’s one of those guys that always steps up (and) does whatever we need him to do,” White explained [Cincinnati.com]. “Whatever that guy wants to do, we would work with him.”

Khamzat Chimaev’s Title Defense Plans

Regarding middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, White emphasized the importance of establishing himself as a divisional champion through title defenses before considering moves to heavier weight classes. “I’d like to see him defend his title at a weight first,” White said [Cincinnati.com]. This suggests the UFC wants to see Chimaev solidify his position in the middleweight division before exploring other options.