UFC President Dana White was outspoken about ESPN`s exclusion of a key figure from their list of women`s MMA pioneers.
In recognition of Women`s History Month, ESPN, the official broadcast partner of the UFC, released a list highlighting women who have “broken barriers and significantly elevated women`s MMA in the 21st century.”
The list of ten included notable fighters such as Holly Holm, Megumi Fujii, Miesha Tate, Zhang Weili, Rose Namajunas, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Amanda Nunes.
While acknowledging these women as some of the greatest female fighters, Dana White strongly disagreed with one notable absence from the list.
- READ MORE: Who is Dana White? A profile of the CEO and President of the UFC (Note: Link removed as requested)
Dana White Stunned by Gina Carano’s Omission
Gina Carano made a significant impact on MMA, despite a relatively short fighting career from 2006 to 2009.
The fighter, who achieved a 7-1 record, gained considerable fame before transitioning to acting after a defeat by Cris Cyborg.
Despite never competing in the UFC, White believes Carano`s contributions were substantial enough to warrant inclusion on ESPN`s list of women who positively influenced MMA over the past 25 years.
“@ginajcarano not being on the list is INSANE,” the UFC president commented on ESPN’s social media post.
Josh Thomson, a former UFC fighter, echoed White`s confusion regarding Carano`s exclusion.
He questioned, “How is @ginajcarano not on this list?”
Gina Carano Responds to Snub
Carano expressed her gratitude for White`s support after being left off ESPN`s list of influential women in MMA.
She posted on social media: “Do @espnmma not have qualified journalists who know real WMMA history, or are they trying to rewrite history by keeping me out of it? Even @danawhite called them out.”
“No, they will not be rewriting my history. If anything, they’re writing themselves into mine.”
“When I get through this, I think jaws will drop. Thank you everyone for the support.”
Cris Cyborg, the only fighter to defeat Carano, also supported Carano in the comments.
“You are an absolute legend,” Cyborg stated.
“The significance of our fight and, more importantly, the commercial success it demonstrated for women’s mixed martial arts, changed the sport of MMA forever.
“I will forever be grateful for that opportunity and hope one day it’s recognized in the UFC Hall of Fame for its importance.”
