UFC President and CEO Dana White has stated he will not take disciplinary action against UFC fighter Bryce Mitchell, who recently faced backlash for praising Adolf Hitler, denying the Holocaust, and making offensive comments directed at the LGBTQ and Jewish communities. On the inaugural episode of his ArkanSanity Podcast, Mitchell expressed his belief that Hitler was a “good guy” and even someone he would “go fishing with,” claiming, “I honestly think that Hitler was a good guy, based upon my own research – not my public education indoctrination. I really do think before Hitler got on meth, he was a guy I’d go fishing with.”
He further articulated this controversial view, admiring Hitler’s alleged efforts to “purify” Germany by expelling “greedy Jews,” whom he falsely accused of societal corruption, stating, “He fought for his country, he wanted to purify it by kicking the greedy Jews out that were destroying his country and turning them all into gays.” He continued, “They were gaying out the kids, they were queering out the women, they were queering out the dudes.”
Dana White condemned Mitchell’s remarks as “disgusting” and “ignorant,” noting, “I’ve heard a lot of dumb and ignorant [stuff] said over the years, but this is probably the worst. First of all, when you talk about Hitler, he was responsible for the death of 6 million Jews, and it was his intent to completely eliminate Jewish people. And that’s a guy you would want to go fishing with?” At a subsequent press conference, White further characterized Mitchell’s statements as “beyond disgusting,” asserting, “Hitler is one of the most disgusting and evil human beings to ever walk the Earth, and anyone that even tries to take an opposing position is a moron. That’s the problem with the internet and social media. You provide a platform to a lot of dumb and ignorant people.”
Despite the significant outrage surrounding Mitchell’s comments, White has no plans to impose any penalties, declaring, “It’s free speech. That’s the beautiful thing about this business; for all of you who hate Bryce Mitchell, you get to see him hopefully get his [butt] whooped on global television.”