'If you don’t like it ... he’s gonna get punched in the face': Dana White stands by fighters' right to express any view they want

UFC President Dana White continued his defense of First Amendment principles, insisting that fighters can present any political or personal views they wish, without any pressure from the company.

White discussed company politics, business, and more with former Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy on "The Truth Podcast." Ramaswamy asked the fight promoter about his hiring practices in relation to beliefs.

White quickly went in-depth on Tyron Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion who was a staunch supporter of Black Lives Matter.

"We had a guy early on when the COVID thing started, Tyron Woodley. He came out in Black Lives Matter everything. I think he had Black Lives Matter socks on, covered head to toe in Black Lives Matter," White explained.

"At the press conference leading up to his fight, they would ask him a question and he would say, ‘Black Lives Matter.’ They’d ask him another one – ‘Black Lives Matter.' I didn’t say s*** to him, knock yourself out," he added.

White also spoke about fighter Colby Covington, a Trump supporter who once took a call from the president after a victory, as well as Sean Strickland, another UFC champion who made international headlines after a spat with a Canadian reporter about Strickland's remarks on transgender people.

"This is America. Everybody can have their own opinion. I’m not telling anybody what to do, what to say, what to think, how to feel. We’re human beings in America, do your thing, knock yourself out, I’ve got the platform," White went on. "People get pissed off, people get offended, people get this and that. We just had it happen with Sean Strickland."

In addition to letting fighters express their preferred political views without reprisal, White explained that the UFC doesn't even inject impartial political matters into the workplace.

"I have the best team in the world and we're all aligned no matter what our political views," the company president said. "Nothing ever goes out here like 'hey the elections are coming up, get out there and vote!' ... You're all grown men and women, you know the election's coming up. If you want to vote, vote. If you don't, don't."

White later offered advice he would give an up-and-coming professional or even his younger self and said "don't listen to anyone."

"The hardest thing in life is figuring out who you are and what you want to do for the rest of your life. ... Once you figure that out, you wake up every day and work toward it."

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