Dan Le Batard was not on good terms with ESPN when he parted ways with the network late last year, and he is once again criticizing his former employer.
MMA star-turned-actor Gina Carano was fired from her role in the series “The Mandalorian” earlier this week over some controversial remarks she made on social media. Carano compared the way German people turned on their Jewish neighbors prior to the Holocaust to the way people have turned against those with right wing political views. ESPN MMA insider Ariel Helwani, who is Jewish, shared his thoughts on Carano’s rant in a video he posted on Instagram.
UFC president Dana White defended Carano for making a mistake and said people should leave her alone. He then chastised Helwani for making it “all about him” and called the journalist a nasty word.
Here's Dana White calling Ariel Helwani – a Jewish man – a "douche" for having an opinion on Carano's repeated, and very public anti-semitism.
Defending MMA (& pro wrestling for that matter) has always been an uphill battle but these last few years have been incredibly trying. pic.twitter.com/DWnmitFCxH
— Ryan McKinnell (@RyanMcKinnell) February 13, 2021
Ryan Glasspiegel reached out to ESPN for a comment on White insulting Helwani, but the network chose not to respond. Le Batard called out ESPN for being “complicit” by not defending Helwani.
If @ESPN is interested in journalism, it can ask some questions here of bully and corporate partner @danawhite. There is certainly a douche here. But it ain’t the journalist @arielhelwani. Pick a side, ESPN. Quiet is complicit. — Dan https://t.co/hPLzHI8v1K
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) February 14, 2021
Helwani is one of the most respected reporters in MMA. Since he’s also Jewish, it makes sense that he addressed Carano’s remarks. You’d expect ESPN to defend him, but perhaps Le Batard is right that the network is being conscious of its business relationship with White.
We know by one of the moves Le Batard pulled before leaving ESPN that he is always looking for an opportunity to take a shot at the network.
