Dana White gives rare props to Oscar De La Hoya after Noche UFC: "He is an a**hole, but you can't deny what he did"

Dana White surprised many by giving rare praise to longtime rival Oscar De La Hoya following Noche UFC 306. The UFC president has frequently clashed with the boxing promoter over the years, but during the post-fight press conference, White acknowledged De La Hoya’s contributions to combat sports.

UFC Noche 306 event reportedly featured several tributes to Mexican fighters, including De La Hoya, whose achievements were highlighted in in-arena videos. When asked about De La Hoya’s inclusion, White didn’t hold back.

Speaking to a journalist, White said:

“He's an a**hole, but you can't deny what he did. I mean, the guy, you know what I mean? He's a f**king lunatic, but he was a bad boy in his day...before he got his fake abs.”

Check out Dana White's comments below (29:36):

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Dana White shares his take on the UFC Noche 306 event at The Sphere

Dana White expressed immense satisfaction with the inaugural Noche UFC 306 event held at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The event, which featured a captivating film honoring Mexican Independence Day, was a resounding success, garnering praise from fans and critics alike.

White, who was instrumental in organizing the event after a dispute with MGM, highlighted the seamless execution and the unique experience it provided for viewers. He emphasized the event's ability to translate well on television, offering a distinct departure from the typical Saturday night UFC experience:

"Literally the whole thing was seamless. It went perfectly. We didn't have a lot of time to rehearse. That was our big worry coming in here but the team absolutely nailed it... I told you guys leading up to this, the way it played out, tonight was meant to happen. We did it, we killed it! I'm literally getting blown up by everybody about this event. The other thing we accomplished was it translated well on the television too. I felt like it was a different experience then they get on a normal Saturday night."

However, White did express his disappointment with the co-main and main event fights, which saw Valentina Shevchenko and Merab Dvalishvili dominate their opponents, Alexa Grasso and Sean O'Malley, respectively:

"You can put on $20 million worth of production, but you can't control the fights. They're going to be what they are. So I cannot let that drive me crazy... Our fanbase grew 69% during COVID. Some people probably tuned in for the first time, hopefully they turned off before the co-main event."

Check out Dana White's comments below (32:06):