Dana White has message for those supporting him after incident with wife

Jun 11, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; UFC president Dana White during weigh ins for UFC 263 at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Dana White has said there is no excuse for the physical altercation he had with his wife earlier this month, and the UFC president does not want any of his fans trying to justify his actions, either.

White spoke with reporters this week about the video that showed him and his wife slapping each other at a nightclub in Mexico on New Year’s Eve. He specifically addressed those who have supported and defended him after the incident. White’s message to those people was to stop.

“One thing that I do want to clarify that I didn’t talk about on TMZ, because I didn’t expect it and I didn’t see it coming, is the people who are defending me,” White said. “There’s never an excuse. There’s no defense for this. People should not be defending me over this thing no matter what. All the criticism I have received this week, and will receive in the future, is 100 percent warranted.”

Dana White addresses domestic violence incident with his wife pic.twitter.com/c119LUDvLm

— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) January 11, 2023

White, 53, made similar remarks when he spoke with TMZ days after the altercation. He confirmed that both he and his wife had been drinking heavily, but he said there is nothing that would justify him putting his hands on a woman.

White’s wife Anne also issued a statement and said the incident was “out of character” for White. Both apologized to one another, and White said they were more concerned about how their actions have impacted their three children.

Dana and Anne met in the eighth grade and have been married since 1996. They have two sons and a daughter together.