How Dana White saved the NBA

Why is Donald Sterling banned for life from the NBA?

Dana White, that's why.

Yes, that Dana White.

Yes, the Dana White that runs the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Through all of the news and the hoopla and the opinions and the comments yesterday, one thing stood out to me most. Adam Silver was there to make a point. No apologies, no care in the world, it was Adam Silver's moment. He has only been the commissioner of the NBA for two months, but the entire future of his reign as Commissioner hinged on what happened yesterday.

There are very few poignant moments in someone's career. Adam Silver had to make the best of his yesterday and he did.

David Stern would have never done what Silver did.

And for all the good that David Stern was for the NBA, we all know he would not have acted strongly.

While he was the NBA commissioner, David Stern was the best commissioner and all sports. But he was too laid-back, not assertive enough to make a decision like Adam Silver made.

Not only did Adam Silver make one of the most poignant and harsh statements in the history of professional sports, he did so with a face of disgust and a personal belief that Donald Sterling was so wrong that that was the only choice of recourse.

Cue Dana White.

Through David Stern, Gary Bettman, Roger Goodell and the swarm of others, we have gotten to see so many faces and so many ideals and so many ways how to go about running a professional sports league.

And then Dana White came around and changed the game.

Like Silver on Tuesday, White had his poignant early moment.

"Do you want to be a fucking fighter?," was all Dana White had to say. The Ultimate Fighter television show, the UFC a d the sport of MMA all went through the roof the second he uttered those words. Does every commissioner or person in authority in sports need to be as brash as Dana White? Of course not. But he set the tone that some of his lead needs to be followed.

Why? Because except for a handful of instances, Dana White commands respect. And he gets that respect. He gets respect from fighters, from media, from advertisers and other personalities from other sports.

From the moment he was able to open his mouth on national television, Dana White told the world here I am, this is what's happening and you better get in line do it. And of story. Not demanding, but very commanding.

Adam Silver, whether he knows it or not, followed that lead on Tuesday. His eyes were sharp, his words were hard and he delivered the same message Dana White delivers every time he talks.

The world has changed, respect is very rarely earned the way that it should be. But when you're in a position like Adam Silver or Dana White or any other major sports commissioner is in, you have to take that respect, command it.

Professional sports, whether we look at it or not, changed yesterday because the decision Adam Silver made. It was a huge moment in the history of the sporting industry, and kudos to Adam Silver for having the intestinal fortitude to make the decision and be strong with it.

But let us not forget the kudos to Dana White for stepping up and taking a commanding role first, so people like Adam Silver can do it after him.

Because of that command can fix so many of the wrongs that we see in professional sports today.

The next title fights the UFC should make

It has become a common theme on MMA websites that I frequent to try and play matchmaker. As if Joe Silva or Sean Shelby have it easy. And while those are all good and such, I found myself reading one today and having my own strong feelings on some fights that need to be made for UFC gold.

And no, I don't give a single care about the UFC's rankings when determining this, simply what would be best for business, what would draw interest based slightly on said ratings.

Women's Bantamweight
Who cares? And no that has nothing to do with the gender of the division. Nobody currently in the UFC is going to stop Ronda Rousey. Her next fight is already set and it will end, in my expert opinion, via arm bar. Like all of them. The only draw for a fight she really could have outside of Miesha Tate (and we all knew how that would end), is Cyborg. And that fight isn't happening. The weight classes are different, Dana White isn't risking a Ronda loss and as long as Cyborg has Tito Ortiz representing her, she won't sniff the UFC. What makes this even tougher? The only other fight I could care about is Julianna Pena. Being Tate's right hand woman, her and Rousey's displeasure for each other and her skill level made Pena a clear choice to challenge Ronda had she not torn her entire leg off it's bone (theoretically) and won her next fight.
Next Fight: Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano

Flyweight
I have no...and I mean no desire to see Demetrious Johnson fight a "super fight" in a division he was just part of not too long ago. He was better than almost everyone there, but not good enough to take the title from a guy who Renan Barao would "dominate" (see the pun?). The tough part for Mighty Mouse is that it doesn't take much to clear out this division. The top three contenders have fallen to Johnson and while I think another Dodson fight would be entertaining, I don't see it going any differently. So this is where I split off and say that someone needs to drop down from 135 to face him and the most logical person is someone I see to be between the biggest rock and hard place at said weight.
Next Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. TJ Dillashaw

Men's Bantamweight
The way last night's fight ended leads to only one conclusion: give the guy ONE MORE SHOT. No one is clamoring to see Raphael Assuncao fight for the title. It would be worse than Ricardo Lamas' featherweight fight last night. And the dude barely (and by barely, I mean not really) beat Dillashaw. McDonald has lost 2 straight, Cruz is still out, Barao just beat Wineland. I see no interest in this division other than rematching what we barely saw last night (thanks Herb Dean).
Next Fight: Renan Barao vs. Urijah Faber 3

Featherweight
So the kingpin has left for 155-ier pastures. Good. Now the next two guys in line without a fight booked can fight for the title right? Think about it, the next featherweight champion of the world is the winner of Chad Mendes and Cub Swanson! Not so fast....I mean, Mendes is ok and I have really grown to like Cub Swanson. But as champion, neither one of them has much more drawing power than stale grilled cheese. We have enough vanilla champions and contenders (see Weidman, Chris and Hendricks, Johny) that we don't need Mendes and I don't think Swanson is championship caliber or would win that fight. There is only one featherweight fight that I am excited about currently, it is already booked (date TBD), so let's make it for the crown. Why not? It may not be the right thing to do, but it will be the most exciting. And hell, at least one of them is ranked high in the division. Time to fill Aldo's impending vacancy.
Next Fight: Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn 3

Lightweight
We already know what the next fight is and it is by far the right one. I lend no credence to any thought that says we need Anthony Pettis/Benson Henderson 3....TJ Grant or Josh Thomson would just make me not care...and while Gilbert Melendez getting a shot is interesting (after all, when WEC and Strikeforce were there, one could make an argument that they had the best lightweights in Pettis and Gil), I think anyone who shays away from Pettis/Aldo is crazy. What is also crazy is that we are more than likely about to see that fight for Pettis' 155-pound title a year after we were supposed to see it for Aldo's 145-pound crown. And honestly, I'd like to see the winner be a duel champion. If Aldo wins, don't make his drop the belt at 145 or if Pettis wins, let him drop down to fight the winner of the vacancy. OR!!!! How about old school WWF title vs. title? Winner take all?
Next Fight: Anthony Pettis vs. Jose Aldo

Welterweight
Here is another division where we already know the next fight, again to fill a vacancy. So I again am just going to skip ahead and pretend that I know that Johny Hendricks is going to win the title. I don't think Dana White dares to not let him. Unless Robbie Lawler knocks him clean out cold, there is no way that Lawler leaves their contest with the belt. And even if he does, there is only one top contender because the rest of the division is just kind of eh. And either way, Hendricks or Lawler get beat down by the top contender in my mind.
Next Fight: Johny Hendricks vs. Carlos Condit

Middleweight
Where to begin. I think Chris Weidman is boring. I think he beat Anderson Silva by doing the thing we all knew would beat Anderson Silva, he caught him not being serious. Demian Maia could have beat Anderson Silva if he wasn't acting dumber. The only other way, which Weidman could also have easily done, is to wrestle Anderson Silva. Chael Sonnen could have beat Anderson Silva if he was paying attention at the end of their fight. And in the second fight, well yeah...fluke. Behind him, I care so little to see Vitor Belfort win the title, but at least he would be exciting. Behind them, nobody cares and Ronaldo Souza, Lyoto Machida shouldn't be ranked so high in a division he's never fought in. So if you are going to make Souza/Machida, then you'd have an ok contender. But you aren't. Souza is facing Francois Carmont, for some reason. And Machida is facing the ninth ranked 205-pounder because why not. So call it homer, call it confusion on the UFC's middleweight booking, but give the Michael Bisping/Tim Kennedy winner the next shot. Because at least their fight makes sense.
Next Fight: Vitor Belfort vs. Michael Bisping 2

Light Heavyweight
This is a stupid question.
Next Fight: Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2

Heavyweight
This is a moot point for a while until the champion is healthy again. And even then, the UFC is currently in a funk that it will continue to be in for a while. That funk: Junior Dos Santos is better than everyone in the division not named Cain Velasquez. So what do you do with that. There are no heavyweight fights or contenders to clamor for. So we might as well get on the hype train.
Next Fight: Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne

An open letter to Mr. Dana White

Dear Dana White,

You are a great businessman. You have taken the UFC to heights that nobody else could have taken them to. Not in the same time, not in the same way. Anyone who doesn't believe in you is a fool.

And the best part of who you are is that you are always 100-percent honest and real with everyone about everything. You know what you want, you have always done it your way. By hook, by crook, by convincing, by demanding. It is Dana White's way or the highway.

But Saturday night wasn't the time or place. You overshadowed your huge 20th anniversary show by buying into a controversy that wasn't so controversial. And you overshadowed the perhaps retirement of arguably the greatest UFC fighter ever. And why? What is your reason?

Because Georges St.Pierre owes you something? Because you need to placate Johny Hendricks' ego with something other than your always go-to "don't leave it in the hands of the judges," belief. Sure, you said that same thing to him post fight, but your conviction didn't support that stance. Not one bit.

And, before we get into the meat and potatoes, about that 20th anniversary? What a huge night! But your spit on Royce Gracie and Rorian Gracie, on Dan Severn and Chuck Liddell, on Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture, on Art Jimmerson and Ken Shamrock....and so, so many others, but letting your hotheaded opinionated self overshadow the event itself. An epic event just because of the magnitude of the anniversary of a sport that was once so dead in the water.

But really, let's strip this down to bear bones Mr. White, let's talk about GSP. You have said, and recently, how he is the biggest draw in the history of your company. Save for an experienced young man losing to Matt Hughes and the most unlikely upset in the history of combat sports to Matt Serra, the man sports a career that is blemish free. He has his haters because he doesn't finish fights. But again, save for a round with Jake Shields and a pair with Carlos Condit (that was more like a solitary kick), he has had no real push until Saturday night. Finish or not, he has systematically picked apart every contender he has been fed from Jon Fitch to Dan Hardy to Nick Diaz.

We will, to save whining, say that he is “arguably” the greatest fighter in the history of your already storied promotion. He has earned you, Frank and Lorenzo millions and millions and millions of dollars. So

what does he really owe you? Hasn't GSP always given you what you wanted? Fight who you want, when you want it, set a record rehab pace coming back from a torn ACL to fight for you. Georges St. Pierre has done everything for the UFC.

On top of all of this is now the report that alleges that St. Pierre wants to take the time off because of an unplanned pregnancy with a woman AND that his father is terminally ill and dying.

So when, if not now, is GSP's turn to be selfish? Anderson Silva has made a mockery at times of the UFC, Jon Jones made you CANCEL a card. Cancel. Not postpone. Cancel. And still, 'Rush' can't take some time away because of an unplanned child and dying father? That is pathetic Dana. If you had a dying father, would you be at a show? Why expect more from GSP than you would expect from yourself?

You are not qualified, nor even slightly allowed to make mental health decisions for Georges St. Pierre. Whether these new rumors are true or not, if GSP is struggling, then he is struggling and the level at which he struggles is not up to you. I don't care if its a dying dad or his favorite Tim Horton's closed. I don't care if it's an unexpected child or he stubbed his toe. GSP's personal life if GSP's personal life and quite frankly sir, it is none of your business.

And don't try to put it on us as fans by saying that Georges St. Pierre owes the fans an immediate rematch with Johny Hendricks. Why should he? Because it was close? Then why didn't Alexander Gustaffson get an immediate rematch against Jon Jones? Pick a precedent and follow it, don't be so fickle. Because true fans, not just Johny Hendricks fans, know that GSP owes us nothing. You say he owes you and the UFC and the fans because you want to cash in on a pay day, nothing more and nothing less and we all know that.

You don't want Hendricks as your Welterweight champion any more than you want Chris Weidman as your Middleweight champion. He's got a boring personality, he's bland and he's not marketable. The best thing he does is knock people out quickly and who oh who is going to pay $60 to watch him headline a pay per view when the main event, if he wins, will end in 23.6 seconds. All you want is the pay day of the immediate rematch. GSP doesn't owe you anything, you just want to take.

As a fan of the sport, I can tell you that GSP has already given us enough. If he never came back, I wouldn't blame him. If he walked away with your belt and your PPV revenue, I (as one of the UFC's truest fans) wouldn't care one bit. Would I be sad that I don't get to see the greatest of all time perform anymore? Sure. But does GSP owe me more than the years of entertainment that he has already provided? No sir.

And for you to expect more is just cheap and pathetic. Your antics this time don't amuse any UFC fans and I think that you need to know that. That is if you truly have our best interests and opinions at heart.

Sincerely,
A UFC Fan

Diego Sanchez needs to stop taking punishment

Diego Sanchez is likely always going to have a job in the UFC.

On top of being the original Ultimate Fighter, by winning a 185 pound bloat off with Kenny Florian, he always has and always will deliver high octane and exciting fights.

But, that isn't always a good thing for Diego. Saturday night highlighted once again why it may be time for him to leave those gloves laying in the middle of the cage, remembered for what he was while he can still remember anything.

Early victories over Nick Diaz and Joe Riggs showed that a younger, thriving Diego was capable of a lot. After his setbacks to Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck and a drop down to the Lightweight division, he plowed through back to back Fight of the Night honors against Joe Stevenson and an all-time great fight with Clay Guida. Including his 155 pound debut against Stevenson, he was won 5 of his last 9, with six Fight of the Night honors during that stretch. So there is no doubt that entertainment is his forte with his particular style.

The many faces of Diego Sanchez post fight.
They usually have a lot of (red) things in common.

I was excited about his return to 155 pounds, where he had his most success, culminating in a title shot again BJ Penn. It was in that title fight that he was mutilated. But going into Friday's weigh ins for his UFC 166 battle with Gilbert Melendez, Diego looked cut and like he could make another run at the top at 155. What happened after is being considered a fight of the year candidate, but to me that is just surface talk.

The reality, and a sad one to me, is that Gilbert trounced Diego all over that cage. While both men came forward with flurries worthy of being on UFC fight highlights and show openings for years, Melendez landed quicker and more precise. Diego himself, the instigator of the flurries, barely landed.

Instead he left after another decision, this one a loss, with a familiar combination of a massively swollen face and a fountain of blood running into every crevasse on that face. It's years of abuse, it's a lot of scar tissue and it's just in his DNA to bruise easy and bleed heavily.

But it's hard to watch, sad to see and makes me question whether now is the time for Dana White, or somebody else close to Diego, to say that enough is enough. Clearly Dana White has no issue making known how he feels about fighters taking too much punishment. He virtually pushed Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes into retirement, hinted vigorously at Forrest Griffin and after that same UFC 166 card, he was straight forward in how Junior Dos Santos' corner should have thrown in the towel midway through yet another beating at the hands of Cain Velasquez.

So why not feel the same about Diego? Just because the fight was entertaining? Dana has said many times things along the lines of Diego having a heart matched only by his chin. But both having a lot of heart and having a steel chin really only translate to one, similar thing, in MMA: you have, often, gotten the total crap kicked out of you.

When all is said and done, Diego's role in the UFC's development and his credit as perhaps the most entertaining fighter in the sports history, should be enough for Hall of Fame consideration. He will retire, whenever that is, as one of the very better fighters to never wear UFC gold.

But now is the time. Diego has taken too much punishment and is no longer doing himself or anyone else any favors.

13-6 is a respectable mark inside the Octagon, but I would really like to see his 20^th UFC fight as his swan song. Diego deserves a proper sendoff and as one of the guys who really set the UFC off (as much as Griffin and Stephan Bonnar get the most attention for that front, that night and that season of TUF), he absolutely deserves better than what he has been getting.