UFC President Dana White has grown weary of fighters playing matchmaker. Former middleweight champ Luke Rockhold recently criticized the organization for the hold-up in the middleweight division that was to incur with Georges St-Pierre’s return against champ Michael Bisping and was basically calling for a boycott by the division’s top stars.
White responded at the UFC 211 press conference over the weekend. “You got Rockhold right now screaming, ‘I deserve this.’ You just got knocked out in the first round, you don’t deserve anything. You gotta come back and earn it,” he said.
Rockhold fired back on Twitter, saying he never said he deserved a title shot, and asked if you have to “earn your way in this company” then how was St-Pierre supposed to be granted an immediate shot at the middleweight title. Rockhold also told the UFC President to think before he runs his mouth.
@danawhite I never said I deserved a title shot. I said we (middleweights) deserve clarity. We deserve something to fight for.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 16, 2017
@danawhite "You have to earn your way in this company"? Tell me how did GSP earn a middleweight title shot? Think before you run your mouth
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 16, 2017
White replied via Twitter:
“@LukeRockhold I usually never respond but GSP never lost his title. Bisping, GSP and the fans wanted it. Stick to fighting and modeling and leave the matchmaking to us.”
Well, the GSP vs. Bisping fight is off for now anyway, with top contender Yoel Romero getting the rightful shot at the belt next. But who do you side with on this one, does Rockhold have a legitimate gripe against the way things are being run or was White correct to put him in his place on a public forum?
HT: Yahoo Sports