Fighter's Hitler comments 'beyond disgusting', says UFC boss White

UFC President Dana White has condemned fighter Bryce Mitchell’s comments about Adolf Hitler, calling them “disgusting.” Mitchell stated on a podcast that the German dictator was a “good guy” and that “the Holocaust wasn’t real.”

The 30-year-old American, currently ranked 13th in the featherweight division, made a series of antisemitic, homophobic, and transphobic remarks in the first episode of his podcast. White stated, “When we read what he said, we immediately reached out to Bryce and made it very clear how we feel about that.”

White added, “But what he said was disgusting, and he needs to get educated on the facts about Hitler and World War II.” Despite White’s condemnation, Mitchell, who has not competed since last December, has not yet faced further penalties for his remarks. White also stated, “Hitler was one of the most despicable, evil human beings on the planet, and anybody who would try to take the opposite stance is an idiot.”

White believes, “That’s the problem with the internet and social media, it gives a platform to a lot of stupid and ignorant people.” As the leader of the Nazi Party, Hitler led Germany into World War II and ordered the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of six million Jews. Mitchell has been competing in the UFC since 2018.

Canadian-American sports journalist Ariel Helwani stated on X, “Every single day, MMA finds a new low. It constantly embarrasses itself and its fans in new ways.” He added, “Nothing will be done, and I don’t even care if anything is done. Say whatever you want. What boggles my mind is that some of the people in or around this sport are so dumb—not to mention how bigoted they are.”

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement to BBC Sport, “I am appalled by this podcast interview. Simply speechless. In a matter of minutes, Mitchell expressed antisemitic, homophobic, and transphobic views.” He added, “We expect the UFC to act immediately and make it clear that these ideas are harmful and have no place in the sport.”