Ariel Helwani Doubts Dana White’s Sincerity in Hinting at Reconciliation Nearly 9 Years After UFC 200 Fallout

MMA journalism is often criticized for revolving around surface-level questions rather than addressing the deeper issues affecting the sport. Ariel Helwani, however, has long stood out as a voice unafraid to confront uncomfortable truths. Whether calling out Dana White for the UFC’s underwhelming UFC 322 main event announcement or questioning the long-term health of the sport under the promotion’s dominance, the Canadian journalist has consistently pushed the conversation forward.

That fearless approach came at a cost. In 2016, Helwani’s directness led to a very public falling out with the UFC, straining his relationship with the company for years. While he continued to appear at certain events afterward, the tension never fully eased. Now, nearly nine years later, there are signs that White may finally be open to burying the hatchet and repairing his fractured relationship with one of MMA’s most influential journalists.

Dana White vs. Ariel Helwani: A Feud That Redefined MMA Journalism

For context, Fox served as the UFC’s official broadcasting partner from 2011 to 2019, and Ariel Helwani played a key role during that era as the network’s MMA insider. His position naturally brought him closer to Dana White, but that relationship eventually soured in dramatic fashion.

Helwani was often first to break major stories, most notably Brock Lesnar’s shocking return at UFC 200 ahead of the company’s official announcement and Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 202. Those scoops didn’t sit well with the promotion, and tensions boiled over at UFC 199, where the news was broken.  

That night, Helwani was escorted out of the arena and told he would never again be credentialed for UFC events. The ban, however, lasted just 48 hours before being lifted, but the fallout left a lasting mark on his relationship with the company.

During an appearance on Logan Paul’s podcast Impaulsive, White was asked about claims from within the MMA community that the UFC is currently lacking superstars. White fired back, asking Paul who made those comments. When Paul revealed it was Ariel Helwani, fans braced themselves for the UFC CEO’s usual scathing remarks toward the journalist.

Instead, White surprised everyone. “How’s he doing?” he asked. Paul explained, “He’s upset that the relationship is what it is with the UFC,” referencing Helwani’s appearance on the show a month earlier. White responded simply, “Yeah?” before adding, “I’m upset about it too.”

He then left the door open for reconciliation. “Maybe we should figure this thing out. We should probably all get back together.” 

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