Tony Bellew has commented on the video footage of Dana White and his wife getting into a physical altercation and subsequent fall out.
The UFC President was seen on camera being slapped by his wife before striking her back, twice. The couple have since both apologised and said that the regretful moment is something that they are working on as a family. They were keen to point out it was the first incident of its kind.
Bellew, a self-confessed fan of the UFC boss, took to Twitter to give his opinion on the matter.
“I don’t condone men hitting women in anyway shape or form but I must also say I don’t condone women slapping men and expecting nothing back! Dana White has owned this an fair play to him. The punishment is his life is played out in public. Imagine others done what he’s done here!”
I don’t condone men hitting women in anyway shape or form but I must also say I don’t condone women slapping men and expecting nothing back! Dana White has owned this an fair play to him. The punishment is his life is played out in public. Imagine others done what he’s done here! https://t.co/ciAlJxSh6j
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) January 13, 2023
The former cruiserweight world champion seemingly believes that White addressing the altercation is punishment enough.
“He’s come out and addressed the situation! People talking about punishment? If she presses charges then lock him up or you gonna lock both of them up? People going on in the social media world don’t give a f**k! People like him usually go silent! He hasn’t. He’s answered.”
Bellew’s wading into the situation was met by a majority of disappointed fans, with claims that it was an ‘awful take’, ‘disappointing’ and ‘gaslighting.’ One accused him of condoning the very thing that he claims to not condone.
The former fighter turned DAZN pundit isn’t the first sports star to fail to call for further punishment to White, but plenty have been brave enough to call him out, too. Some retired UFC stars as well as current lightweight contender, Dustin Poirier, condemned him.
The man himself this week held a press conference in which he urged people not to defend him, although did little in the way to define a punishment.
Instead, he believes that that ‘label’ he will carry with him for the rest of his life is enough, as well as perhaps some people that he works with losing respect for him. White suggested that something like a ’30-day or 60-day absence’ would be futile.