"I can't fire Dana White" - Ariel Helwani makes eye-opening argument about MMA media's coverage of Conor McGregor and other controversial UFC stars

Ariel Helwani (left) considers it is vital to cover MMA figures such as Dana White (right). [Images courtesy: Getty and @danawhite on Instagram] — Ariel Helwani (left) considers it is vital to cover MMA figures such as Dana White (right) impartially. [Images courtesy: Getty Images and @danawhite on Instagram]

Ariel Helwani recently provided insight into the state of sports journalism after an individual questioned why MMA media chooses to cover anything involving controversial athletes like Conor McGregor and numerous others. Despite the fighters' problematic past, Helwani asserts that since they are well-known in the combat sports community, they are responsible for reporting on anything that occurs in their lives.

McGregor has been involved in numerous scandals in the past. His reputation suffered a major blow last year when he was found liable for sexual assault on Nikita Hand in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. The civil court ordered him to pay over $250,000 in compensation. The Irishman has vowed to appeal the court's ruling and has since maintained that he was innocent.

Another UFC fighter who made headlines last week was Bryce Mitchell, who received criticism from the entire MMA world for his statements about Adolf H*tler. Mitchell described H*tler as a good man with whom he would go fishing. His statements generated fury among netizens and UFC CEO Dana White.

In an episode of his podcast, The Ariel Helwani Show, the journalist was asked why the MMA media isn't taking stronger action against these controversial circumstances, criticizing White's role in the entire matter. Helwani then discussed how journalism works and how you can't be biased in this industry because they have to chronicle everything that happens in the life of a combat sports player, saying:

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''I can't fire Dana White. He is who he is. He's the most powerful man in the sport. And so are you suggesting that we don't talk about Dana?...It doesn't work that way. And by the way, that's not how journalism works. You want us to ignore Conor McGregor? It doesn't work that way. And that's not how journalism works... I think our duty for talking to as media is to cover people fairly, is to cover people accurately, is to try and cover them without emotion or bias.''

Check out Ariel Helwani's comments below:

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Ariel Helwani commends Dana White for how he handled the Bryce Mitchell incident

Bryce Mitchell came under fire from Dana White for his remarks regarding Adolf H*tler. Mitchell's comments, according to White, were "dumb and ignorant." Following the latest power Slap event in Saudi Arabia, the UFC CEO said:

''H*tler is one of the most disgusting and evil human beings to ever walk the Earth, and anyone that even tries to take an opposing position is a moron. That's the problem with the internet and social media. You provide a platform to a lot of dumb and ignorant people."

Following this, Helwani took to X and praised White, writing: