Dana White’s UFC 207 scrum notebook

LAS VEGAS – UFC President Dana White said it wasn’t his idea to sit before the MMA media for a scrum.

After years of delivering dozens of soundbites and often-inflammatory quotes, White abruptly stopped the practice in 2014, claiming his words had been twisted by the scribes who cover the sport.

But asked by his PR staff to make an exception, and in light of UFC 207 headliner Ronda Rousey’s very conspicuous absence for the Friday pay-per-event at T-Mobile Arena, White relented and faced the MMA nation.

Fans shouldn’t get used to it, though. He soon plans to trade places with Rousey, saying “probably not” to the idea of doing another scrum.

Here are a few highlights from the affair:

* On Rousey’s pre-fight media blackout, he again defended the ex-champ. Asked about Conor McGregor’s scratch from UFC 200 for turning down press obligations, White indicated she’d already fulfilled her promise to participate in media.

“There’s so many different fighters that I have to deal with, different personalities and whatever it might be, you can’t miss a press conference,” he said. “Ronda asked, from the day that this fight was made, she said I’ll do press – I’ll do press leading up to the event. She went and did the talk shows and did all that stuff, and this is the way she wanted to do it. So I said OK.

“It’s definitely not ideal. It’s what she asked for. Back in the day, Ronda would literally do anything we asked her to do. Anything. If the guys wouldn’t do something, she would pick up the ball and do it herself. So for her to ask for something like this, how can I say no to that?”

* Still, White clarified that Ronda’s absence from future fight-week events would not be the norm going forward, calling her UFC 207 schedule a “one-and-done.” As to whether she’ll speak after Friday’s fight, he said, “I assume she will.”

He added that the choice to let Rousey bow out will not set a precedent for other fighters, saying he would pull those who didn’t show up to press conferences.

* Responding to critics who said the promo for UFC 207 was weighted almost exclusively toward Rousey, White admitted commercials were “Ronda-heavy” and said Nunes would be a breakout star if she wins on Friday night.

* As previously reported, it was confirmed UFC 207 will be longtime commentator Mike Goldberg’s final event for the promotion. He declined to name a replacement, indicating the choice is still in air, and said a new team would probably be in place by July.

* White chuckled at the irony of a possible complaint from Conor McGregor on the UFC’s treatment of Rousey and indicated a meeting he requested with the promotion’s new owners hasn’t taken place yet.

“When Conor’s ready to talk, he knows where I am,” White said.

* On the canceled fight between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum, White confirmed Werdum turned down an offer to fight Junior Dos Santos and then indicated the ex-champ had asked for $800,000 and a portion of pay-per-view proceeds to take the fight.

As MMAjunkie previously reported, Werdum’s manager confirmed the heavyweight asked for additional money and “other financial terms.” Werdum was also offered a fight with Alistair Overeem at UFC 208 and turned down the bout, per White.

* On the pre-fight interview that got Velasquez scratched by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, White said, “It doesn’t sound like he wants to fight to me. When you’re a fighter and you do an interview days before a fight and say you can’t stand for 10 minutes, that’s insanity. You know how irresponsible it would be for the UFC or any athletic commission to allow that fight to happen? It absolutely makes no sense.”

* Rousey’s choice to stick with coach Edmund Tarverdyan doesn’t strike White oddly. “Nobody was complaining when she was on a tear and beating people in record time. That’s her decision. She’s a grown woman, she’s intelligent, and she knows what she’s doing.”

* A bout between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather is “highly unlikely,” though White stopped short of saying it won’t never happen. “There’s nobody better at staying relevant when they’re not doing anything than Conor and Floyd. They’re both masters.”

* If Rousey wins, she’ll stick around the sport. “If she loses, I don’t know what she’s going to do,” White said.

* The UFC tried to make an interim lightweight title fight between between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson, but Ferguson wanted to renegotiate his purse, saying he wouldn’t take the fight unless he makes the same purse as Nurmagomedov.

“Khabib has a different deal, so that ain’t happening,” White said. “Count that one out. He had a contract that he just signed not long ago.”

* White explained why Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeem drives fellow UFC contractees crazy.

* On Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino’s recent disclosure of health problems after a drug positive, White was firm about the promotion’s position. “If she was having health problems that were that bad, she should have brought it to our attention. And when (the drug positive) came back, I wasn’t shocked. It made more sense why she didn’t want to fight for the 145-pound title.”

* Conor McGregor’s layoff is expected to run 10 months from his fight at this past month’s UFC 205.

* Jose Aldo did ask for an interim lightweight title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Nurmagomedov’s father advised against it. “Khabib and Jose Aldo would be fun. I’m in,” White said, but later added the fight is off the table.

* Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie both wanted to fight Justino. Asked whether he regretted the way things played out with the new women’s featherweight division, White revealed a meeting with former UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta prior to her signing a deal with the industry-leader. Per White, her plan was to fight at 135 pounds, so he noted that had to be taken into consideration as to subsequent events.

As for the women’s featherweight title fight, it could headline UFC 208 or be replaced by another bout.

* No new divisions will be added in 2017.

* Fertitta hasn’t advised White since an impasse with former UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman prior to UFC 205.

* There’s no conflict of interest present between the UFC and its owner, led by WME-IMG, over the treatment of Rousey. “Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell are not involved in anything to do with the fights that are being made,” White said. “They’re not involved in the production. Everything is exactly the way it was.”

* After the smashing success of UFC 206 on FOX, White is hopeful that future UFC pay-per-view events will air on Christmas eve.

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For more on UFC 207, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.