Veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani recently sounded off on the potential leadership change in the UFC and how it will affect his relationship with the company. Helwani has always been an emblem of journalistic integrity in the sport. He would not shy away from clashing with MMA personalities in his pursuit of finding the most interesting truth.
Helwani's stern belief in seeing things beyond the optics has had him asking questions that can often make MMA promoters, fighters, and other personalities just a bit uncomfortable. This is how the Canadian-American journalist has made a name for himself.
This is also how, for many years now, Helwani has had a rocky relationship with UFC president Dana White, who has been seen and heard publicly antagonizing the renowned journalist.
Here's a video compilation of Dana White clashing with Ariel Helwani uploaded by YouTube channel WAR MMA:
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With the selling of the UFC to WME-IMG in 2016, new management took over with White still sitting as president and official face of the organization. Since the sale, a new management figure has been seen with White in nearly all his public appearances with UFC's Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell.
Campbell, a businessman and lawyer, used to be the UFC's Executive VP and general legal counsel. He is largely seen and speculated to be the successor to White as president and CEO of the company once he officially retires.
Speaking on what he thinks of the more cool-headed Campbell, Helwani said (via the MMA Hour):
"I've never met Hunter Campbell. I've had a conversation via text with him once when he got hired. He reached out to me after I reported him getting hired by the UFC. That's the only time we ever talked. I've heard that he doesn't think badly of me. That he doesn't talk s**t about me or anything like that. In the past when I was on ESPN and in Vegas I did reach out to try to meet but I didn't hear anything back."
Here's the full statement as posted by Jed I. Goodman on X:
Ariel Helwani on Hunter Campbell: "He's the yin to Dana's yang"
Speaking further on Hunter Campbell, Ariel Helwani described the difference between the emotionally subdued lawyer from the often foul-mouthed Dana White. The stark difference between the two spells a good possibility for Helwani to mend things with the UFC.
Ariel Helwani said (via the MMA Hour):
"I've given him [Campbell] compliments here. I think he's an important part of the company, an integral part of the company. Most of the people I speak to - the managers and the fighters - all seem to enjoy working with him and feel like he's fair. Like I said, he's not emotional. He doesn't get personal. He doesn't get too fiery. He's a good yin to Dana's [White's] yang, if you will. But I don't have a relationship with him because I've never met him in person and we never had a conversation... But no issues and I have no idea what would happen if Dana left."
Here's a video of Campbell with Jeff Novitzky addressing the USADA issue in the UFC: