Oscar De La Hoya recently sounded off on Dana White and explained why the UFC CEO didn't deserve to be lauded for the Noche UFC production. While the boxing icon praised the event and thanked Turki Alalshikh for allegedly footing the bill, he didn't think White had anything to do with the "spectacular" event.
Noche UFC was notably the promotion's way of celebrating and honoring Mexico's contribution to combat sports. The event was specially designed, produced, and planned for The Sphere in Las Vegas and featured stunning audio-visual effects that accompanied an exciting fight card.
In the aftermath, many praised White for making this event a massive success and lauded the UFC CEO's commitment to putting on one-of-a-kind shows for fight fans. However, De La Hoya disagrees with that sentiment.
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In a recent Instagram video, the boxing icon shared his take on the event and outlined his experience witnessing it live. Downplaying White's contribution to its production, he said:
"I was true to my word, I did attend last Saturday. I sat in Turki's box upstairs, and I have to be honest with you, it was beautiful. It was spectacular. It looked really cool. The production value was there. Everything was amazing, the fights were actually really good... And Dana, I know this wasn't your idea or vision. Nothing ever is at the UFC. You're the Fertittas' errand boy... I wanna praise the production. UFC Noche was a good time, and I really enjoyed it."
Dana White gives rare praise to Oscar De La Hoya after Noche UFC event
It's no secret that Dana White and Oscar De La Hoya have no love for each other and rarely have anything nice to say about one another. They also exchange shots on social media/interviews regularly.
Given their rivalry, many were surprised to hear White give De La Hoya his flowers after the Noche UFC event. The Mexican boxing icon's achievements were highlighted during the event, which showcased his contribution to Mexican combat sports.
In the post-fight press conference, White admitted that De La Hoya was a bonafide boxing icon and said:
“He's an a**hole, but you can't deny what he did. I mean, the guy, you know what I mean? He's a f**king lunatic, but he was a bad boy in his day...before he got his fake abs.”
Catch Dana White's comments below (29:36):