According to a Feb. 3 report from MMA Fighting, UFC President Dana White admits he has no respect for MMA legend Randy Couture.
"I don't respect him at all," White said. "Not even a little bit. Randy Couture, the only time Randy Couture is a man is when he sets foot in the cage. As soon as his big toe steps out of that cage, he's the furthest thing from it. That's it, that's the way I feel about it."
White is furious that Couture decided to sign on as as coach for Bellator's new reality show.
"I called Randy, called him over and over again and wouldn't answer his phone," White said. "Three hours later, he texts me. And I said ‘did you or did you not do a deal with these guys?'"
According to White, Couture denied doing business with Bellator during his conversation with White.
"He says ‘I did not sign a deal with Spike and Bellator, but I'm talking to two other networks right now.' I said ‘If you tell me that you did not bail on my last fight to go do a deal with them, I don't give a s-- what networks you sign with. I don't care if its friggin' HBO and The Food Network, I could care less who it is. ... "He said ‘I did not sign a deal. Stop worrying, relax and have a great Christmas. We'll talk later.' To this f-- day, standing right here, right now, we still have not talked."
To make matters even more complicated, Couture's son Ryan was recently added to the UFC roster.
"Ask anybody who's ever been in business with Randy Couture if they like being in business with Randy Couture, White said. "There's so much stuff out there that you guys don't even know. Whatever. Guy's going on, he's making a living. There's the whole story. I respect him. There's no more of a man when the cage closes and no less of one when he steps outside of it."
"I called Ryan Couture, I said, you signed a deal for us to fight in the UFC," White said. "I want you here if you want to be here. But I need you to understand this: Me and your dad are not good, me and your dad are never going to be good, ever, ever again, as long as I walk this f-- planet. ... I want to be honest, I want to be upfront, if you want me to release you from your contract so that you can go do a deal with Bellator and have your dad, maybe work with him and go up and do whatever, I would do that.
"He said to me, every kid who's ever strapped on a pair of gloves is dreaming of fighting in the UFC," White continued. "And if they say they're not, they're either lying or stupid. He said, this is my dream, I want to be with you guys, he's my dad and he's always going to be my dad, but this is where I want to be."
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