Dana White is recanting recent comments he made in the wake of Farid Basharat’s polarizing UFC exit.
Three months after a decision win over John Garza in July, Basharat announced that he was parting ways with the UFC despite his perfect, undefeated seven-fight run with the promotion. The Garza bout was the last on the 29-year-old bantamweight prospect's contract, and Basharat said the promotion told him he wasn't getting re-signed.
Basharat’s departure drew mixed reactions throughout the community, further highlighting the UFC’s seeming philospohy shift away from decision-heavy fighters. UFC CEO White addressed the promotion's choice to not re-sign Basharat in the days that followed, saying he didn't exactly know why Basharat didn’t get a new contract offer, but indicating that "usually" fighters have done something to keep them from coming back.
At the UFC 333 post-fight press conference on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, White clarified his comments, saying he didn't mean to insinuate Basharat was difficult to work with.
"When I was talking to the media that night, and I was saying reasons that you could not get re-signed. I wasn't saying that about him,” White explained. “I said, 'Well, it's happened before.' There's lots of reasons why guys don't get re-signed. I wasn't talking about him, specifically.
"I actually saw his [response] video on my Instagram, and I was like, 'Oh s***. I didn't mean to do that to that kid.’ And I saw he had said something like, 'If you're not going to re-sign me, don't try to hurt my career.' And in no way, shape, or form did I try to do that."
Basharat and other fighters, including former UFC contenders Muhammad Mokaev and Michael "Venom" Page, have said they believe the promotion has shifted direction. It's less about winning and more about entertaining; that's been the shared sentiment.
For now, Basharat will continue his career outside the promotion. But White didn't shut the door on a Basharat return someday. He just doesn't expect it to be anytime soon.
"I have no problems with him whatsoever, personally or professionally, and I'm sure with his record, and what he's got going on, he'll get signed somewhere," White said.
"I wouldn't say in the near future [he'd be back]. We just let him go. But I'm not saying it's not a possibility that he could come back to the UFC."