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"Oh, I'm so pumped for this fight, so pumped."
Dana White is on the phone from Los Angeles, a few hours before boarding for UFC 230 for her night flight to New York. Weighs and looks are coming to Madison Square Garden, but preparation for Saturday's main event … Defending champion, Daniel Cormier, faces Derrick Lewis, knockout enthusiast and belt enthusiast , was cordial, regardless of Lewis's half-cooked insistence that Cormier did not respect the fried chicken.
Admittedly, the same venom was not thrown up before UFC 229 in Las Vegas, where Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight title by bidding Conor McGregor before defending his honor by jumping into the crowd to attack one of the McGregor's friends. Later in the evening, White appeared in the press conference room, looking tired and embarrassed. "That's not what we're talking about," the UFC president told reporters. "It is not like that we are acting. It's a pity that the night most people watch, this show continues … "
In hindsight – of course, the skirmish at the edge of the cage kept the UFC in the general debate long after its disappearance if McGregor had simply exploited and that was all. There was then the post-fight interview given by Lewis, who first went viral for knocking out Alexander with 11 seconds to lose, then for informing everyone of the temperature of his testicles. No doubt this helped him to mark the opportunity on short notice to fight against Cormier, a UFC legend who plans to retire after his 40th birthday on March 20th.
Three days before the start of the map, White was discussing with SI.com Cormier's cemented legacy, Lewis's unrivaled power, the ramifications of the McGregor-Nurmagomedov brawl and the story he was always telling. about the crime leader of Boston, who died today, Whitey Bulger.
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Sports Illustrated: Describe it to me.
Dana White: The main event?
SI: Yeah.
DW: Well, Cormier, of course, just won his victory over Stipe [Miocic], and he is undefeated as a heavyweight, facing Derrick Lewis. This guy is still in the fight, man. He's swinging against the fences, trying to knock you out. And if he catches you, he usually does.
It is very fun, resistant, durable. I think it will be interesting.
SI: Is it good to have a main card where the biggest beef is about fried chicken?
DW: Yes, it's hilarious. It's funny. Popeyes should like that, right? I mean, come on. Unbelievable.
SI: It seems that there is a respect between these two types, that they recognize how everyone presented themselves.
DW: Oh yes, absolutely. And I think everyone respects Daniel Cormier. He's such a good guy, so smart and so bad guy. His only defeat of his career is against Jon Jones, who I believe is the best of all time, and he never lost with the heavyweight.
SI: Two questions, then. First of all, what is his legacy as it stands today? And what becomes of him if he defends the heavyweight title twice, then withdraws before his birthday, as he said?
DW: I think Cormier is one of the best so far. Two-time world champion in two divisions. Not only what he accomplished in the octagon, as a broadcaster, I feel it's amazing, calling the fights with Rogan. I think this guy has a lot of talent.
SI: I think it's amazing that he's also a high school coach.
DW: This too. When you talk about someone who is your world champion, you could not ask a better human being than Daniel Cormier.
SI: What do you think it says about him?
DW: Since this guy does not have the courage to do it, to be the champion of the UFC and all the broadcasting equipment, so that he spends time beside his family doing it too, speaks again of him as human. to be and a world champion.
SI: put your career arc in context. How unique is it to go from heavyweight to lightweight and back, both at the same time and at the same age?
DW: I was going to say, forget all these other things, just the fact that he's still competing at this level at his age and that he's still one of the best absolutes in the world in two weight classes, it's amazing in itself, not to mention all the others it does.
SI: Is this a risky fight for him?
DW: Every fight is risky. But in the end, he does what a champion does. He fights the world number two. He faces everyone at the heavyweight, then comes to fight Stipe Miocic, finishes him in the first round and is currently fighting against the number two, a guy who knocked out Volkov as he did.
IF: At what point was it decided that it would be the date that Daniel defended?
DW: We had problems with this map of New York. And he is and has always been my favorite companion. I needed him and he said absolutely, I'm going to fight, let's do it.
SI: And how is Derrick selected?
DW: Derrick also wanted the quick turnaround. I think that's what makes the fight so much fun too. These guys are so tough that they take this fight in advance every month.
SI: What was your reaction to Volkov's KO?
DW: Saint – Soi, like the rest of the people who watched when he caught her. But you could see that Derrick was charging, trying to do everything in his power to win this big shot.
SI: Given the origin of Derrick and his fight, would he it is the most unlikely heavyweight champion that the UFC has seen, if he won?
DW: Yeah yeah. I think so. In the end, when you're dealing with heavyweights who know how to hit, anything is possible. When you have a big heavyweight that has the power to eliminate, anything is possible. Look what George Foreman did to Michael Moorer. No matter how old he is, he hits so hard he's still fighting.
SI: Do you remember the first time you heard about this fighter named Derrick Lewis?
DW: From memory, when these guys come into UFC and I start seeing them fight, it's when I really notice them. And I do not remember the fight that happened exactly, but I said, wow, the pleasure of this guy.
SI: Do you have a "My Balls Was Hot" t-shirt?
DW: No. [laughing]
IF: Do you think that contributed to his call for this fight?
DW: His interviews are always interesting. And he has the best Instagram on Instagram. The guy has a nice personality. It's fun to watch and listen to interviews.
IF: Why is this fight technically attractive?
DW: People like heavy trucks. In hell, this fight is not exciting. You can not ask for anything more than a heavyweight fight. Sometimes you can have guys whose style is not very attractive, but these two have attractive styles with exceptional power.
SI: Is the plan for Brock Lesnar always to fight Cormier?
DW: Finally, yes.
IF: Is it already locked? Do you have a targeted date?
DW: I do not. The next year, of course.
SI: What were the latest UFC 229 pay-per-view figures?
DW: Yes. A very well done. One of the biggest pay per view of all time, not just UFC. I mean never.
SI: Where does it rank?
DW: Number four or number five. More than 2 million purchases à la carte.
SI: What is the latest news from the Khabib Nurmagomedov inquiry of the sports commission?
DW: December is the audience.
SI: What are your expectations?
DW: I do not know. I know what I hope. Six months, that's what I hope.
IF: Has the UFC also imposed internal penalties?
DW: No, everything is in the hands of the commission.
SI: The last one. Did you have a closure with Bulger's death?
DW: [Laughs] No, no, my thing was not with Bulger. It was with one of his guys.
SI: You made the headlines yesterday.
DW: Do I really? It's hilarious. People love this exciting story, but it was not with Whitey.
SI: What is the story?
DW: The story was that of Kevin Weeks, Whitey's right hand man. … Have you seen the movie? So, remember when the film starts and the bouncer in the front fights these three or four guys, and that Whitey impresses him so that he becomes his right arm?
It was him. They shook me for money.
SI: Then you had to leave Boston?
DW: So they called me on a Saturday afternoon and they said: you have until tomorrow, 1 hour to pay us. And I said, or what? They said, you will discover. So I literally booked a ticket for Vegas and bounced back.
IF: Wait, is that responsible for why UFC is in Vegas?
DW: Yes, I really got to Vegas a lot faster than I would have been. It's crazy. I have told the story so often. I am tired of history. But people like this story.
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