Dana White Says Cocaine Scandal Led To UFC-ESPN Deal – TMZ

A cocaine scandal that rocked the inspiration of ESPN 5 years in the past finally led to a HUGE windfall for the UFC … this based on Dana White.

The boss of the combating org. spelled out the wild story in an interview with Grant Cardone this month … insisting it was all “a real story.”

White defined that again in 2017, the UFC’s cope with Fox was working out … and once they had initially turned to ESPN about consummating a brand new pact — the org. wasn’t .

“You ever hear of John Skipper?” White requested Cardone through the sit-down chat. “John Skipper ran ESPN. Now, I believe he runs DAZN. Runs ESPN, beloved, appears to be like just like the squarest dude on the planet.”

“Older man,” White continued. “Hates UFC. Hates it. Hates UFC. Large soccer man. For no matter motive, totally different folks like various things. And I am not s***ing on John Skipper. However it is a reality, this occurred and it is a true story.”

White says Skipper primarily blocked talks on a deal from ever going via … however abruptly, out of nowhere, the ESPN prez introduced his resignation.

On the time, Skipper stated it was attributable to a battle with “a substance dependancy.” He later revealed in a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he had been a consumer of cocaine, and that “somebody from whom I purchased cocaine tried to extort me.”

“They threatened me, and I understood instantly that menace put me and my household in danger, and this publicity would put my skilled life in danger as nicely,” Skipper stated. “I foreclosed that risk by disclosing the main points to my household, after which once I mentioned it with Bob, he and I agreed that I had positioned the corporate in an untenable place and because of this, I ought to resign.”

White stated that call paved the way in which for a large ESPN-UFC settlement … that is now taken his firm to new heights.

“John Skipper’s cocaine vendor is gonna rat him out,” White stated. “So he has to inform Disney ‘My cocaine vendor is gonna go public’ or no matter, so he has to step down from ESPN, proper on the time we’re attempting to make a brand new TV deal.”

“Who do they put in as the brand new president?” White continued. “Jimmy Pitaro, who ran Yahoo! Sports activities for years. I’ve recognized him a very long time. He is a fantastic dude, and he loves the UFC. Now you bought him, you bought a man named Kevin Mayer, who is actually near [Endeavor CEO] Ari [Emanuel], and we ended up doing the ESPN deal when our deal was up.”

ESPN and UFC ended up agreeing to a 5-year, $1.5 billion deal.