UFC
Dana White doesn't think Fox viewers would have been ready for UFC 139's Henderson-Shogun main event
Nov 20, 2011 - 10:00:54 PM Dana White doesn't think Fox viewers would have been ready for UFC 139's Henderson-Shogun main event

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Last weekend's UFC on Fox debut saw Junior dos Santos knock Cain Velasquez out in 64 seconds to capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Seven days later, Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua engaged in one of the best fights in UFC history in a five round war at UFC 139.

That leads to the obvious thoughts about whether or not it would have been better for the UFC to debut with the Henderson-Shogun fight on Fox over the title fight that was seen. For UFC President Dana White, the answer to that question is simple: not a chance.

"If that fight that happened tonight went on Fox for the first time ever, let me tell you what – I would not be having a good time these last five or six days," White said at the UFC 139 press conference (transcribed by MMAJunkie.com). "We've got to ease our way – look, we live in this bubble, gang. We live in this bubble that the rest of the world doesn't live in and doesn't understand. We're still in an education process and educating the masses about what the sport is and what it's all about.

"Those of us who are in this room and people who have been watching this for a long time just incredibly appreciate what those two did tonight in there, and you can understand what they went through and what's going on. The rest of the world would go, 'Oh my God. What was that?'"

White maintains that he wouldn't have done anything differently with the UFC's Fox debut, and added that Saturday's fight was a classic to knowledgeable fans, but may not have been understood by a wide audience on Fox. Ultimately, if you feel otherwise, White doesn't care.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again: If I could go back in a time machine and do the FOX fight again, it would be done the same exact way – exactly the same way," he said. "The hardcores can [expletive] about that fight. I couldn't care less what they think about that fight. I don't care. People are like, 'Oh, you don't care what your fans think?' No, I do not care what you think. That fight had to go the way that it went because none of you guys understand what goes on behind the scenes."

"Those of you that think we didn't do the right thing on the first FOX fight do not understand what it takes to build this sport beyond national television. So shut up again."

Penick's Analysis: Considering the UFC's first breakout fight on television was the Stephan Bonnar-Forrest Griffin slug fest at The Ultimate Fighter finale, I don't agree with White's assessment on what Shogun-Rua could have meant. A network audience is definitely different, and not everyone would have appreciated what transpired on Saturday in San Jose, but that's a fight that really could have turned heads and gained fans along the way. That's not to say that the Heavyweight Title fight wasn't the right call. I Just disagree with the notion that Saturday's classic couldn't have been effective on Fox. The Heavyweight Title fight drew well, and it was overall a very good introduction to new fans for the the UFC, but Henderson-Rua was a full representation of what can happen in the Octagon, and it was incredible.

[Dana White art by Travis Beaven (c) MMATorch.com]