Dana White and his spouse acquired right into a bodily altercation whereas on trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico throughout New Yr’s Eve with the entire incident caught on digicam.
In a video launched by TMZ on Monday, White might be seen speaking to his spouse Anne, who has her fingers over her face earlier than he grabs her wrist and she or he responds by slapping him within the face. White then reacts by slapping his spouse within the face as different folks within the group get between them whereas the argument continues.
White addressed his actions in a separate interview with TMZ.
“My spouse and I have been out on Saturday evening on New Yr’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 fingers 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 My spouse and I’ve been married for nearly 30 years, we’ve identified one another since we have been 12 years outdated. We’ve clearly been by some s*** collectively, we’ve acquired three children and that is a kind of conditions that’s horrible, I’m embarrassed, but it surely’s additionally a kind of conditions that proper now, we’re extra involved about our youngsters.
“We now have three children and clearly because the video popped up, we’ve proven the children the video. We’re extra centered 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 fingers 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 have been little or no, and that is simply a kind of unlucky conditions.”
Eyewitnesses on the identical nightclub that evening advised TMZ that each White and his spouse gave the impression to be closely intoxicated previous to the bodily altercation that unfolded.
White stated that the complete incident lasted lower than a minute, and he and his spouse reconciled afterward and. remained on trip collectively in Mexico.
“There was positively a whole 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 individuals are going to say what they’re going to say. It’s what it’s, and no matter folks 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 youngsters, and that is a kind of issues the place all people 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 youngsters and caring for our household. That was the start of it and the top of it. We’re nonetheless on trip. We’re clearly greatest pals, 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 performed.”
A UFC rep declined further touch upon the incident and referred MMA Combating to the TMZ story. A message to UFC mother or father 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 have been each consuming an excessive amount of on New Yr’s Eve and issues acquired uncontrolled, on each side.
“We’ve talked this by as a household and apologized to one another. I simply hope folks will respect our privateness for the sake of our youngsters.”
Based mostly on the data out there, police didn’t get entangled, and there have been no cost filed in opposition to anyone within the incident. White and his spouse have been sitting in a VIP part of the membership, and it doesn’t seem that safety needed to intervene after pals of the couple acquired between them after the altercation first occurred.
White stated due to the quantity of alcohol he imbibed that he doesn’t truly bear in mind a lot in regards to the evening in query, and proper now all he’s involved about is coping with the state of affairs privately along 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 youngsters,” White stated. “No one is aware of you higher than your children know you. They develop up in your own home, they see every part, they hear every part, they know every part.
“Everyone all the time 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 children. This case, too, all people’s going to have an opinion. We’re simply fearful about our household and centered on our youngsters 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 sort of assertion concerning White’s actions or any potential punishment he might face in consequence.
