Dana White explains why UFC skips Pride Nights: 'I don't care what you are or who you are'

UFC CEO Dana White has defended the promotion’s decision not to host Pride Nights, telling Fox News that his philosophy is to avoid overt messaging of any kind — whether political, social, or cultural.

“I’m staring at my roster of top 15 fighters, I’m assuming we have some gay fighters,” White said. “I don’t know how many of them are openly. I know that we have gay female fighters. I don’t give a shit. I don’t care what you are or who you are or what you do, we don’t talk about that or any of that stuff.”

White’s comments come shortly after the UFC staged a show at the White House — an event widely noted for its patriotic and politically charged atmosphere — and contrast with the approach taken by other major sports organisations. MLB recently faced scrutiny when four San Francisco Giants players drew criticism for their response to a Pride Night event: one declined to wear a Pride-themed hat, while three others wrote a Bible verse on theirs.

White acknowledged that the UFC has sold Pride-themed merchandise in the past, including a T-shirt and shorts bearing rainbow flag colours, but said themed events are not something he pursues. “Everybody do your own thing. I’m just not into it,” he said.

The UFC boss also addressed the broader challenge of managing fighters who make offensive public statements. He cited a recent incident involving Josh Hokit, who directed a grotesque insult at former First Lady Michelle Obama on the night of the White House event.

“You think I’m happy about what Josh Hokit said, the night I’m trying to unify the country?” White said. “But I’m a believer of free speech, too. I let everybody be themselves, do their thing. There’s a lot of things that some of my guys say that I don’t love.”

White also referenced Sean Strickland publicly criticising women’s bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington at a press conference, noting that Pennington herself was unbothered. “They’re powerful strong women, they do their thing,” he said.

White framed the UFC’s culture as distinct from mainstream team sports, arguing that the fight business operates by different norms. “I stay in my lane,” he said. “I do my own thing.”