Will
09-15-2006, 03:38 AM
Think you’re busy? Think again. UFC president Dana White, now that’s a busy guy. The Herald caught up with him Friday in Los Angeles, but only after he spent the day pushing his product to the LA newspapers in anticipation of UFC 63, Sept. 23, at the Pond in Anaheim, Calif.
That’s not all that’s going on with White. The day also had him in meetings with script writers for a pilot movie he’s created for a new TV series on the Irish mob. Spike-TV has already signed off on it. White plans for the show to take place in South Boston, where he used to live, and wants to film it there. “This movie will be completely fictional, but I want to use the real businesses and scenery of South Boston,” White said.
Oh, and there’s the matter of getting into shape. You see, White is scheduled to fight Tito Ortiz ... you know, the former light heavyweight champion.
It seems White and Ortiz used to feud before White convinced Ortiz to come back to the UFC. Ortiz, however, insisted on one stipulation in his contract -- that at some point he would be able to fight White.
White, a former boxer, agreed to a boxing match, not a mixed martial arts bout (“He’d kill me,” he said). The bout will consist of three, three-minute rounds, and he’s currently in the process of getting into shape for it.
Oh yeah, did we mention White just welcomed his third child into the world? A daughter named Savanna.
Still, the former Boston resident took some time to answer a few questions, some relevant, some not so much:
Q: Who was your sports idol growing up?
A: Muhammad Ali. You know who else was? Bruce Lee. I was always a fight freak.
Q: Other than the UFC, what other sport would you like to see do a reality show?
A: This will blow you away, but skateboarding. I love it.
Q: What’s an ideal day for you?
A: A day off. Obviously, we just had a baby and my wife’s been pregnant for nine months. I’d just like to go away with my family and hang out.
Q: What kind of car do you drive?
A: That’s a loaded question. I got like six. (Checks with a colleague in his hotel room): ‘Which one should I mention? The Ferrari?’ OK, the Ferrari.
Q: Two sports stars you’d most like to see square off in The Octagon?
A: Kobe and Shaq. I want to see Shaq kick his ass.
Q: What’s the best UFC fight you’ve ever seen?
A: Matt Hughes-Frank Trigg 2 (UFC 52). Matt Hughes fought him before and choked him out in the first round. Trigg works his way up the ladder for another title shot, and Hughes says he’s never gonna be able to beat him as impressively as he did before. At the start of the fight, Trigg kicks him in the (groin) and the ref doesn’t see it. He gets him on the ground and starts pounding him. Then he starts to choke him out the same way Matt had choked him out in the first fight. Matt gets out of the choke hold, scoops him off the ground, carries him across the Octagon and slams him. The place goes crazy. He turns him around and chokes him out. That was awesome.
Q: Who’s the toughest fighter in the UFC right now?
A: Chuck Liddell. He’s the baddest fighter on the planet. Maybe the greatest light heavyweight of all time.
Q: What’s the worst sport on TV?
A: Golf -- by a long shot.
Q: When will Boston see a UFC fight?
A: You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do a show in Boston. I’ve been trying to make it happen for a long time. I’d love to see it happen by 2008.
Q: Popular and successful fighter Stephan Bonnar recently tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid normally used by veterinarians. Does that make you think that there are more users in the UFC?
A: No, because these guys test. And it’s just a bummer. I don’t know what happened yet. It’s very disappointing. But I’m going to help him however I can. I don’t want his life to go down the tubes because he made a mistake.
Q: What’s your best day?
A: Obviously, personally, most recently it was the day my daughter was born. Professionally, and this is how sick and twisted I am, it’s the day after a great event.
Q: Where do you see the UFC in a year?
A: I see us over in the UK, and creeping out into Europe. Going to Mexico. We’re going after the whole world right now.
Q: Most unlikely UFC fan you know?
A: Dr. Phil. I was on his show. I didn’t know much about him, but he had some UFC type subject matter going on. We do the show and he’s the greatest guy I ever met. He’s a fan, he’s a cool guy and I like him a lot.
Credit:The Boston Herald
That’s not all that’s going on with White. The day also had him in meetings with script writers for a pilot movie he’s created for a new TV series on the Irish mob. Spike-TV has already signed off on it. White plans for the show to take place in South Boston, where he used to live, and wants to film it there. “This movie will be completely fictional, but I want to use the real businesses and scenery of South Boston,” White said.
Oh, and there’s the matter of getting into shape. You see, White is scheduled to fight Tito Ortiz ... you know, the former light heavyweight champion.
It seems White and Ortiz used to feud before White convinced Ortiz to come back to the UFC. Ortiz, however, insisted on one stipulation in his contract -- that at some point he would be able to fight White.
White, a former boxer, agreed to a boxing match, not a mixed martial arts bout (“He’d kill me,” he said). The bout will consist of three, three-minute rounds, and he’s currently in the process of getting into shape for it.
Oh yeah, did we mention White just welcomed his third child into the world? A daughter named Savanna.
Still, the former Boston resident took some time to answer a few questions, some relevant, some not so much:
Q: Who was your sports idol growing up?
A: Muhammad Ali. You know who else was? Bruce Lee. I was always a fight freak.
Q: Other than the UFC, what other sport would you like to see do a reality show?
A: This will blow you away, but skateboarding. I love it.
Q: What’s an ideal day for you?
A: A day off. Obviously, we just had a baby and my wife’s been pregnant for nine months. I’d just like to go away with my family and hang out.
Q: What kind of car do you drive?
A: That’s a loaded question. I got like six. (Checks with a colleague in his hotel room): ‘Which one should I mention? The Ferrari?’ OK, the Ferrari.
Q: Two sports stars you’d most like to see square off in The Octagon?
A: Kobe and Shaq. I want to see Shaq kick his ass.
Q: What’s the best UFC fight you’ve ever seen?
A: Matt Hughes-Frank Trigg 2 (UFC 52). Matt Hughes fought him before and choked him out in the first round. Trigg works his way up the ladder for another title shot, and Hughes says he’s never gonna be able to beat him as impressively as he did before. At the start of the fight, Trigg kicks him in the (groin) and the ref doesn’t see it. He gets him on the ground and starts pounding him. Then he starts to choke him out the same way Matt had choked him out in the first fight. Matt gets out of the choke hold, scoops him off the ground, carries him across the Octagon and slams him. The place goes crazy. He turns him around and chokes him out. That was awesome.
Q: Who’s the toughest fighter in the UFC right now?
A: Chuck Liddell. He’s the baddest fighter on the planet. Maybe the greatest light heavyweight of all time.
Q: What’s the worst sport on TV?
A: Golf -- by a long shot.
Q: When will Boston see a UFC fight?
A: You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do a show in Boston. I’ve been trying to make it happen for a long time. I’d love to see it happen by 2008.
Q: Popular and successful fighter Stephan Bonnar recently tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid normally used by veterinarians. Does that make you think that there are more users in the UFC?
A: No, because these guys test. And it’s just a bummer. I don’t know what happened yet. It’s very disappointing. But I’m going to help him however I can. I don’t want his life to go down the tubes because he made a mistake.
Q: What’s your best day?
A: Obviously, personally, most recently it was the day my daughter was born. Professionally, and this is how sick and twisted I am, it’s the day after a great event.
Q: Where do you see the UFC in a year?
A: I see us over in the UK, and creeping out into Europe. Going to Mexico. We’re going after the whole world right now.
Q: Most unlikely UFC fan you know?
A: Dr. Phil. I was on his show. I didn’t know much about him, but he had some UFC type subject matter going on. We do the show and he’s the greatest guy I ever met. He’s a fan, he’s a cool guy and I like him a lot.
Credit:The Boston Herald