One of the biggest stories in the sports media world so far this year is the craziness surrounding the UFC’s “lifetime” ban of MMA journalists including Ariel Helwani, which actually lasted about 48 hours.
It’s been such a huge story that resonates because it gets to the very core values of the media and the lines that can and cannot be crossed by sports organizations and the media itself.
While the UFC and Dana White were hammered by the media and rational-minded fans who value a free press, White initially stuck to his guns. On Monday evening, he said Helwani could only attend UFC 200 if he bought a ticket, seemingly enforcing the ban. Just hours later, the UFC released an official statement saying that it was lifted. When an entire organization is seemingly controlled by the whims and fancies of a megalomaniac like Dana White, these things can apparently change very quickly.
MMAFighting.com released this statement to the UFC’s lifting of the ban, saying they were appreciative of the reconsideration, but standing behind Helwani once again:
After a conversation with UFC officials Monday night, a credential ban on reporter Ariel Helwani, photo journalist Esther Lin and video journalist E. Casey Leydon has been lifted.
MMAFighting.com is appreciative of the fact that the UFC was willing to rethink its stance, however, we respectfully disagree with the UFC’s claim that “recurring tactics used by [Ariel Helwani] extended beyond the purpose of journalism.”
SB Nation and MMA Fighting will continue to stand behind Helwani’s work and the contributions of the rest of the employees on the staff.
MMAFighting.com would like to sincerely thank all the fans, media and fighters who supported us during this time.
While this episode may be over for the time being, time will ultimately be the true test of whether or not UFC has actually evolved and matured or if they’ll remain being as petty as always when it comes to treating members of the media. If White and UFC resort to their dictatorial tactics the next time they don’t like something someone reported, we’ll know nothing really changed and they were just giving in to the pressure of the moment. But if there is some way that White and UFC have actually seen the light here, hopefully it will mean the walls they have tried to put up over the years will start to come down. And the UFC can begin to act the way a professional sports organization should in allowing the media to do their jobs.
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