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In a recent interview during NESN's Playback Perspective, UFC president Dana White shared his enthusiastic opinion about hockey players after reviewing fight clips. White deeply admired the toughness and skill exhibited by these athletes.
During the interview, while watching the clip of a fight between two players from the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings, White said:
"Yeah, listen, all these hockey dudes are tough, man. I have nothing but respect for guys who play hockey."
Acknowledging the physicality of the sport, Dana White emphasized the potential for intense confrontations and fistfights even while on skates.
"These guys were on skates, their stick is crooked, they are bent over, and they are going 100 miles an hour, right?" White said. "And they are shooting at a net where the guy who's standing in front of it is as big as the net and anybody can take your head off at any moment. And you actually have the fistfight on skates."
Additionally, White praised hockey players for their overall athleticism, while pointing out their leg strength, balance, speed, and accuracy.
"These guys are incredibly talented, incredibly tough. And all around great athletes," White said. "The leg strength, the balance, the speed, the accuracy that everything you have to be a hockey player, is very impressive."
This positive perspective from Dana White marks a shift from his previous criticisms of the NHL's marketing strategies.
Last year, White openly criticized the league for what he deemed as outdated marketing philosophies and expressed disappointment over potential endorsement deals falling through.
UFC President Dana White criticized NHL in June 2023
During a conversation with the Nelk Boys in June 2023, Dana White openly criticized the NHL's marketing strategies, particularly in reaching a younger audience. He expressed frustration, labeling NHL executives as "old dumb people" who are disconnected from today's world.
"F**k them. They're all old dumb fu**ing people that have no idea what's going on," White said. "They have no idea where this younger generation is, how you reach them, any of that sh*t."
White highlighted the stark contrast in video views between the NHL's conference finals, which garnered 25 million views, and his own content, Power Slap, which amassed 90 million views.
The UFC head honcho perceived a gap in the NHL's ability to adapt to changing times and reach the demographic that forms a significant portion of sports consumers.
