UFC president Dana White has suggested he won’t be punished after he slapped his wife at a nightclub on New Year’s Eve.
Speaking at a UFC press event on Wednesday, the 53-year-old said there was “no excuse” for the altercation, but suggested any repercussions would “harm the ‘business”.
“What should be the repercussions? You tell me. I take 30 days off? How does this hurt me? ” he said.
“My leaving hurts the company, hurts my employees, hurts the fighters. It doesn’t hurt me. What’s my punishment? Here’s my punishment: I have to walk as long as I live and that’s how I’m labeled now.
“It was obviously a horrible personal experience. And, you know, there’s no excuse for it. It’s something I’m going to have to deal with and live with for the rest of my life.”
A video, posted by US entertainment site TMZ, appeared to show Mr White and his wife Anne argument on the balcony from the VIP room of a nightclub in the Mexican resort of Cabo San Lucas.
Ms White punches her husband, who then slaps her twice before friends break up the altercation in the short clip recorded by onlookers.
The UFC boss apologized after the incident saying: “You’ve heard me say for years that there’s never, ever an excuse for a man to get his hands on a wife, and now I’m talking about it.
“My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years, we’ve known each other since we were 12, and obviously we’ve been through things together. We have three kids, and this is one of those situations that are horrible.
“I’m embarrassed, but it’s also one of those situations where right now we’re more concerned about our kids.”
