Dana White and his spouse obtained right into a bodily altercation whereas on trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico throughout New 12 months’s Eve with the entire incident caught on digital camera.
In a video launched by TMZ on Monday, White will be seen speaking to his spouse Anne, who has her arms over her face earlier than he grabs her wrist and he or she responds by slapping him within the face. White then reacts by slapping his spouse within the face as different individuals within the group get between them whereas the argument continues.
White addressed his actions in a separate interview with TMZ.
“My spouse and I had been out on Saturday evening on New 12 months’s Eve, and sadly that’s what occurred,” White stated. “I’m one of many guys, you’ve heard me say for years, there’s by no means, ever an excuse for man to place his arms on a lady, and now right here I’m on TMZ speaking about it. My spouse and I’ve been married for nearly 30 years, we’ve identified one another since we had been 12 years outdated. We’ve clearly been by some s*** collectively, we’ve obtained three youngsters and that is a kind of conditions that’s horrible, I’m embarrassed, however it’s additionally a kind of conditions that proper now, we’re extra involved about our children.
“We’ve got three youngsters and clearly because the video popped up, we’ve proven the youngsters the video. We’re extra targeted on our household proper now. Individuals are going to have opinions on this, and the general public’s opinions could be proper, particularly in my case. You don’t put your arms on a lady ever. My spouse and I like one another, we’ve been collectively for a really very long time. We’ve identified one another since we had been little or no, and that is simply a kind of unlucky conditions.”
Eyewitnesses on the identical nightclub that evening instructed TMZ that each White and his spouse seemed to be closely intoxicated previous to the bodily altercation that unfolded.
White stated that the whole incident lasted lower than a minute, and he and his spouse reconciled afterward and. remained on trip collectively in Mexico.
“There was positively quite a lot of alcohol concerned, however that’s no excuse,” White stated. “I actually am making no excuses for this in any respect. It’s by no means occurred earlier than. It’s the primary time that it’s ever occurred, and persons are going to say what they’re going to say. It’s what it’s, and no matter individuals do say is deserved. I deserve it. It occurred. I don’t know why it occurred.
“My spouse and I’ve apologized to one another. We’ve apologized to our children, and that is a kind of issues the place everyone goes to chime in. I might care much less what anyone else thinks about this. Proper now what we’re extra involved about are our children and taking good care of our household. That was the start of it and the top of it. We’re nonetheless on trip. We’re clearly greatest mates, she’s my spouse and we had an excessive amount of to drink, and no matter occurred that evening occurred. That was it and it was executed.”
A UFC rep declined extra touch upon the incident and referred MMA Preventing to the TMZ story. A message to UFC dad or mum firm Endeavor wasn’t instantly returned.
In a separate assertion issued to TMZ, Anne White backed up her husband’s assertion, claiming he had by no means bodily assaulted her previous to the incident that occurred in Mexico.
“Dana and I’ve been married for nearly 30 years,” Anne stated. “To say that is out of character for him is an understatement — nothing like this has ever occurred earlier than. Sadly, we had been each consuming an excessive amount of on New 12 months’s Eve and issues obtained uncontrolled, on either side.
“We’ve talked this by as a household and apologized to one another. I simply hope individuals will respect our privateness for the sake of our children.”
Based mostly on the data accessible, police didn’t get entangled, and there have been no cost filed towards anyone within the incident. White and his spouse had been sitting in a VIP part of the membership, and it doesn’t seem that safety needed to intervene after mates of the couple obtained between them after the altercation first occurred.
White stated due to the quantity of alcohol he imbibed that he doesn’t really bear in mind a lot in regards to the evening in query, and proper now all he’s involved about is coping with the scenario privately together with his household.
“Clearly, it’s a kind of conditions, it’s embarrassing for each of us however what we’re extra involved about is our children,” White stated. “No person is aware of you higher than your youngsters know you. They develop up in your own home, they see every part, they hear every part, they know every part.
“Everyone at all times asks me questions on do I care about this, do I care about that? My legacy and all this different stuff with work doesn’t imply something to me. It’s all about your loved ones. It’s about your spouse and youngsters. This case, too, everyone’s going to have an opinion. We’re simply anxious about our household and targeted on our children proper now. However me and my spouse are cool, we’re good.”
As of now, Endeavor — the corporate that owns a controlling curiosity within the UFC — has not issued any form of assertion concerning White’s actions or any potential punishment he could face consequently.
