“MMA is in a recession. We know this is cyclical, but let’s be honest—other factors are at play,” warned renowned journalist Ariel Helwani, suggesting the sport is entering a period of slowdown. What began as a personal opinion quickly ignited a fiery debate across the MMA community. Despite the fireworks at UFC 315, many fans argue the UFC’s overall event quality has dipped. But guess who’s stepped up to defend Dana White? Ironically, it’s none other than Helwani himself.
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Helwani addressed those claiming the promotion might be struggling due to lackluster fights. He shared the clip on his X handle with the caption that read, “The ‘UFC is cooked’ comments are getting out of hand. Sure, May wasn’t the strongest month. Saturday was a wacky and weird event[referring to the Maycee Barber fiasco, for which the main event was cancelled]. But the biggest fight of the month, JDM x Belal, overdelivered.”
He further added, “And look at June. It’s going to be fantastic. July, as well. May wasn’t great, but this is not an indication that the sport is washed or that the UFC is going down the tubes. It was just a bad month on paper that, for the most part, led to a pretty bad month as far as results are concerned. We move on, and it will be a distant memory.
Well, Helwani was also criticized by the community, who believed he was speaking out due to his personal differences with UFC CEO Dana White. In another video, the MMA journalist clarified that he was referring to the entire MMA industry being in a recession, not just the UFC. “It’s so crazy how it gets painted this way—‘Oh, you said the UFC is in a recession.’ I never said that. I said MMA is in a recession. There’s a big difference. I’m talking about the business.”
The ‘UFC is cooked’ comments are getting out of hand. Sure, May wasn’t the strongest month. Saturday was a wacky and weird event. But the biggest fight of the month, JDM x Belal, overdelivered.
And look at June. It’s going to be fantastic. July, as well.
May wasn’t great, but… pic.twitter.com/CAwKnc6ZVy
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 2, 2025
The promotion is growing tremendously; however, there is still buzz across the MMA community suggesting that the Dana White-led organization might be reaching its saturation point, beyond which further growth may not be possible. According to community sentiment, the absence of major stars and the lack of American champions have sparked a wildfire of criticism.
This discontent, now visible as a subtle mist of doubt within the community, stems from the belief that the promotion is delivering lackluster fights. Amid the chaos, rumors of UFC CEO Dana White’s potential retirement have further rattled the community.
Dana White retirement rumors discussed by UFC insider
The absence of the UFC CEO from core meetings, as well as the recent pay-per-view event, was a sign too significant for the MMA community to ignore. Despite previously stating that he might never retire from the sport, Dana White’s current actions appear contradictory. According to UFC insider Josh Thomson, White may be seriously considering retirement after spending decades in the game.
While having a conversation on the Weighing-In podcast, Josh Thomson has stepped forward to share his insights on this potential leadership shift: “I do believe I read he [Dana White] is still part owner. Whether it’s 5%, 10%, you know, whatever it is. But he is still part owner; he got paid out on his ownership though from the first time, which gave him the $700 million or whatever that he made, and he’s still part owner in this. Also, I think that he’s got—he’s got his kids getting older,” said Thompson
He further added, “I believe one of his sons plays football at Bishop Gorman, and there are commitments. “Like he said, and he’s talked about his staff as well. If you’ve got kids that have a performance or they’ve got a game that night, I better not get you at work. And that’s one thing I admire about Dana now. I don’t know—I would imagine it’s true.”
Dana White has three children: Dana White III, Aidan Charles White, and Savannah White. Both his sons are football players. In fact, Aiden not only plays football but also boxes. Spending time with his family might be one of the reasons for his retirement, but is it the only one? What are your thoughts on it? State your opinion in the comments below.
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