A Thank You Letter to UFC President Dana White
Dear Dana White,
I just wanted to thank you for your courageous efforts over the past month in order to try and put on events for your fighters, workers, members of the media and fans.
Trying to put on fights during this COVID-19 pandemic was no easy task. Around the world sports have been shut down and other promotions decided to postpone events. While all this was happening, you managed to go the extra mile and found a way to nearly pull off holding an event. Everyone said it was impossible, but when it was all said and done, the UFC was ready to go.
Not only did you find a way to hold an event, but the way that you did it was remarkable. You managed to put the blinders on from what the rest of the world was saying and talk to only the people that matter in order to make your events possible. Your fighters, your employees and health care professionals.
At this very moment, many people around the world are without work. Your efforts over the past month helped individuals continue to make money. You haven’t laid off a single employee and you were willing to book fights in order for your fighters to collect paychecks.
Aside from your company, you also helped the media. MMA journalists that are both full-time or freelancers such as myself, still had content to report on and had the ability to continue to work on our passion of covering the sport. Speaking for myself, I was one of the people laid off from my full time job, giving MMA my full undivided attention. The fact that the biggest promotion in the sport was still booking fights, gave myself and other members of the media the opportunity to continue to work easily on a daily basis.
Finally, whether any of us are fighters, UFC employees or a member of the media, at the end of the day we all share one thing in common with the people who watch the sport on TV, read content or attend events. We are all fans. Every week we all look forward to seeing the next UFC event. You were willing to continue to allow us to have that opportunity even during this difficult time.
Sometimes we must do things in life not because they are easy, but because they are hard. The last few months no doubt were a hard time for you has a promoter and president of a major company. Do not think that your hard work during this time was not noticed. I think I speak for just about everyone when I say THANK YOU! While this weekend won’t be the same without UFC 249, everyone knows that the UFC will be back in action before any other sport.
Sincerely,
John Eric Poli
