Now Dana White knows exactly how it feels to be a Mega Man fan. I can think of quite a few childhood memories that can be summed up in the same eloquent phrasing the UFC head honcho uses in regards to the growth of the UFC brand: “I will get to the next level or *expletive* die”. But this isn’t about Mega man (or is it?), this is about the UFC growing at a rapid pace, heading to Fox and putting on thirty four live events next year. Here is what the exhausted but inspired Dana had to say to MMAJunkie.
“This year was a big year for us,” “But the next year is going to be the real big year for mixed martial arts. Next year is going to be the real big year for MMA. Next year is the one that’s going to change everything and take it to the next level.”
“It’s been crazy, but I wouldn’t change a thing. When you want to achieve and you want to do what we’re doing, this is how you do it, and this is what you have to do. In no way, shape or form am I like, ‘I need to lay off; [expletive] this.’
“I love it. We have a plan. The next two years … definitely the next is going to beat the living s— out of me. The next year is going to be a real rough one for me. But I’m down for this. This is what I want to do. I have a plan; I know how I want to execute this next year. Because in my opinion, the next two years are the most important two years for this company and this sport.”
“I think we hit a lot fight fans with that first step (on cable television). Now we’re reaching people that would have never watched us in a million years. It’s the perfect time. We did that first fight on FOX, and it was such a huge success. 2002 we did the ‘Best Damn Sports Show.’ (People say) ‘[S—], we should have gotten that deal then.’ But it wasn’t time. It didn’t happen then because it wasn’t time. We weren’t ready for that. We’re ready now.
“All the ducks are in a row, we’ve got this thing dialed in, we know what we’re doing, we’re the best at what we do, and now we’re going to go out there, and we’re going to f—— nail this in the next two years.”
“Hold this tape and watch what happens at the end of next year and where we are and what we’re talking about. And believe me, I will f——- die before I let this not happen. I don’t give a s—- how many cities or countries I have to fly to in the next 10 days or next year. I am focused and excited and ready to do this.”
Props to Dana and the UFC for blowing up the sport in just under a decade, but this is still more impressive.
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