Dana White walks back Basharat comments, leaves door open to UFC return

MMA-TV Newsroom Summarized with AI Saturday at 4:21 AM Updated Yesterday at 1:23 PM AI checked Today at 12:50 AM

The bottom line

Dana White says he never meant to hurt released unbeaten Farid Basharat's career and won't rule out a UFC return, though not soon; Joe Rogan has also criticized the cut.

From 7 reports by 4 outlets

Latest White walks back Basharat comments, says UFC return not ruled out Yesterday at 1:23 PM 4 outlets

Dana White walks back Basharat comments, leaves door open to UFC return — Photo via Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned · added Yesterday at 5:13 PM

What we know

White said he was not saying Basharat was difficult to work with and that he has no problems with him personally or professionally.
White said a UFC return is possible but not in the near future.
Basharat's last fight under his UFC contract was a decision win over John Garza in July, and he says the UFC told him he would not be re-signed.
Of Basharat's seven UFC wins, one was a finish, a submission.
No public reason has been given for the release.

Reported, not confirmed

Rogan said he told Basharat after his last fight that he would surely get a new contract, and that he dislikes the release. MMA Fanatik Slovakia

Saturday at 4:21 AM

Dana White has reversed course on the most damaging part of the Farid Basharat release. After saying fighters usually have done something to keep them from being re-signed, the UFC CEO told the UFC 333 press conference in Abu Dhabi that he was not talking about Basharat specifically.

White said seeing Basharat's response video on Instagram changed his view. "I didn't mean to do that to that kid," he said. Basharat had asked that the UFC not hurt his career if it would not re-sign him. White said he has no problems with the bantamweight, personally or professionally, and expects him to be signed elsewhere.

The door is not closed, but it is not open wide. White said a return is not out of the question, yet he would not put it in the near future. That leaves the underlying question unanswered: no one has publicly explained why a 29-year-old who went 7-0 in the UFC was let go. His last contracted fight was a decision win over John Garza in July.

The usual explanation is style. Heavy noted only one of Basharat's seven UFC wins ended early, a submission. Basharat, Muhammad Mokaev and Michael Page have all said they believe the promotion now values entertainment over winning.

Joe Rogan took that side on his podcast, according to MMA Fanatik. He said he told Basharat in the Octagon after his last fight that a new contract was certain. He admitted he does not know the details and has not spoken with White, Hunter Campbell or Sean Shelby, but said he dislikes cutting an unbeaten fighter for being seen as boring. He suggested matching Basharat with an aggressive opponent instead, and pointed to Khamzat Chimaev's title win over Dricus du Plessis, a fight many found dull.

What to watch now is where Basharat signs and whether he finishes fights there. Heavy's view is that a few wins, ideally stoppages, would bring the UFC back to the table.

Summary: Dana White says he never meant to hurt released unbeaten Farid Basharat's career and won't rule out a UFC return, though not soon; Joe Rogan has also criticized the cut.

Key points (one per line): White said at the UFC 333 press conference he wasn't saying Basharat was difficult to work with.
White said a UFC return is possible but not in the near future.
Joe Rogan criticized the release of the unbeaten Basharat, per MMA Fanatik.