‘A Lot Of People Were Expecting Dana’ – With A No-Show At The UFC Post Fight Press Conference, Is Dana White Pissed At The UFC 315 Main Event Result?

Dana White and post-fight press conferences go together like fighters and weight cuts. The UFC boss rarely misses these media gatherings. He loves to brag about record-breaking gates. He enjoys announcing performance bonuses. Sometimes, he even takes jabs at boxing promoters for good measure. That is why his absence from the UFC 315 post-fight press conference raised so many eyebrows. Instead, senior VP David Shaw filled in.

The timing couldn’t be more suspicious. Jack Della Maddalena just pulled off a massive upset over Belal Muhammad. The Australian striker dismantled the welterweight champion with clinical precision over five rounds. This wasn’t in the script! White had basically confirmed during the pre-fight press conference that the UFC 315 main event would determine Ilia Topuria’s next opponent. He strongly hinted at International Fight Week’s UFC 317 featuring Topuria moving up to lightweight. Now those plans might be in shambles. So, let us dig into the possibilities.

Also Read: UFC Results Last Night – Aiemann Zahabi Wins The Biggest Fight Of His Career With George St. Pierre In The Corner, Calls Out Marlon Vera

The Makhachev-Topuria Money Fight That Didn’t Come To Fruition

The UFC has been building toward a champion vs. champion superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. This matchup had dollar signs written all over it. Two champions with contrasting styles and personalities. The sambo master against the knockout artist. The quiet champion against the outspoken challenger. Remember when Conor McGregor faced Khabib Nurmagomedov? Dana White likely saw similar potential here.

But Della Maddalena threw a wrench into those plans. Now Islam seems focused on moving up to welterweight instead. He immediately tweeted about becoming a double champion after JDM’s victory. This leaves Topuria in an awkward position. Would he fight for an interim belt against Charles Oliveira? These questions needed answers from White.

His absence from the UFC 315 post fight press conference speaks volumes about his frustration. The UFC’s calendar revolves around big events like International Fight Week. Having to scramble for a new main event is exactly the kind of headache White hates.

Dana White’s Disappearing Acts

This isn’t the first time Dana has vanished after results didn’t go his way. Remember UFC 270, when Francis Ngannou defeated Ciryl Gane despite their contract disputes. Dana skipped the post-fight press conference and didn’t wrap the belt around Ngannou’s waist.

The pattern is clear. When Dana White’s plans get derailed, sometimes he just can’t face the music. To be fair, UFC 315 wasn’t a disaster by any means. The fights delivered action. Valentina Shevchenko retained her title in a competitive co-main event. Jose Aldo had an emotional retirement after his loss to Aiemann Zahabi. These moments deserved the UFC CEO’s presence. His absence only fuels speculation about his true feelings toward the main event outcome.

The media certainly noticed, peppering poor David Shaw with questions he wasn’t authorized to answer. Shaw repeatedly deflected questions about UFC 317 and Topuria’s next fight. He couldn’t provide any clarity on whether Islam would vacate his lightweight title to challenge Della Maddalena. One thing is for sure. Dana White’s absence tells fans everything they need to know about how he felt about Jack Della Maddalena crashing the UFC’s carefully laid plans.

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)