Dana White scorched by Ariel Helwani's hilarious UFC daydream: "As long as I've got Hunter there doing the actual work"

MMA journalist Ariel Helwani stirred laughter online after imagining himself in Dana White’s shoes during a recent podcast segment. Taking a playful jab at the UFC CEO, Helwani joked about what it would be like if he were handed White’s job.

In full character, Helwani mimicked a UFC press conference:

"What's going on, everyone? Who's got the first question? I could do that job. As long as I got Hunter [Campbell]. They're doing the actual work. I'll be okay."

The remark referenced UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, often seen as the behind-the-scenes engine of UFC operations.

The jab follows years of tension between Helwani and White, most notably when he and two colleagues were banned from UFC events.

The bit took a cheeky turn as Helwani mused about who he'd ban if given executive power:

"Who I would ban?... I don't know. I was going to say Marc Raimondi, but he doesn't go anymore... You know, there's so many names that I actually would be like, yeah. You're gone. F**k you."

Check out Ariel Helwani's clip below:

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Why Was Ariel Helwani Banned from the UFC?

Ariel Helwani was banned from UFC events on June 4, 2016, after reporting Brock Lesnar’s return ahead of an official announcement at UFC 199. Helwani and two MMA Fighting colleagues were escorted out, had their credentials revoked, and were told the ban was permanent. The UFC claimed Helwani’s scoop violated journalistic protocol. However, Helwani insisted he was just doing his job.

In an emotional episode of The MMA Hour, Helwani revealed he was accused of being “too negative” and learned the decision came from then-CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.

The backlash from media and fighters like Jon Jones and Chris Weidman was swift. Just two days later, the UFC lifted the ban after discussions with SB Nation. The incident led to the 2017 formation of the Mixed Martial Arts Journalists Association, with Helwani on its board.