Ariel Helwani: MMA Media Is Asking 'Wrong' Free Speech Question to Dana White

A veteran of the MMA media scene for two decades, Ariel Helwani has seen it all, done it all and heard the worst of all.

When it comes to his relationship with Dana White, the story begins and ends with a difference of opinion in the ways in which proper ethical journalism should be done.

In the last several years, White has become extremely laissez-faire, letting his fighters do and say whatever they please with little to no repercussion whatsoever.

When the latest incident between a fighter and media member arose ahead of UFC 297 two weeks ago, which saw Sean Strickland and Alexander Lee get into an exchange over previous comments the former middleweight champion had made surrounding the LQBTQ community, White didn’t discipline his fighter.

By not suspending him, Helwani said Monday on Pablo Torre’s podcast that White went against his 2013 comments that saw him suspend former TUF contestant Matt Mitrione for remarks made toward Fallon Fox, a fighter who was making waves at the time for being transgender. 

“What I said to the audience, and indirectly to the media [on The MMA Hour], is you’re asking the wrong question,” Helwani said. “They continued to ask Sean Strickland, Dana White and others, ‘Where is the line? How do you police this? What do you need to do? What do you say to your fighters if it goes too far, etc. etc.’ That’s not the question to ask anymore. The question has always been, ‘What has changed. What’s the difference?’”

Helwani went onto talk about his time at ESPN, the UFC’s mainstream appeal and fairer coverage of the fighters and athletes.

Nonetheless, it remains to be seen, whether or not the promotion ever changes its stance on free speech, and what the fighters can say, without repercussion and harmfulness towards others.