ESPNers Defend MMA Reporter Ariel Helwani After UFC President Dana White Called Him A ‘Douche’ Over Gina Carano Criticism

UFC President Dana White is once again beefing with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, this time it’s over the whole Gina Carano situation.

Last week Carano was fired by Lucasfilm after sharing a post that compared the current political climate in the United States to Nazi Germany which the company deemed as “abhorrent” and “unacceptable.”

Helwani, who is Jewish, posted a long Instagram video talking about why Carano’s post was offensive.

“Obviously I am very disappointed in what she posted. To be honest I haven’t agreed with a lot of the things she has posted over the past year. This last post, essentially comparing being a Republican in America, or having a certain political view, to being a Jew in Nazi Germany during World War 2 is asinine.

“As a Jewish person, and as a human being, it just doesn’t sit well. And I wish she would have never posted that. And quite frankly I wish someone would have talked to her about her social media posts over the past year. Some of them not even political. Just in general, they felt off to me. I am sorry she has gone down this path.”

During the lead up to UFC 258, White showed support for Carano and went on to call Helwani a “douche” for trying to make the controversy “all about him.”

We all make mistakes. For everyone to go in on her… I love how Ariel Helwani made it all about him. It’s all about him. Such a douche.”

Several of Helwani’s ESPN colleagues took to Twitter to defend him from White’s comments.

A number of @arielhelwani’s ESPN colleagues are defending him publicly. pic.twitter.com/batoeidLfk

— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) February 14, 2021

Update: Former ESPN personality Dan Le Batard took a shot at his former employer for staying silent.

ESPN, who has a significant business partnership with the UFC, has chosen to stay silent on the White-Helwani situation.