White On UFC 329 Stars Fined For Cage Jumps

Dana White says the Nevada State Athletic Commission should distinguish between celebratory fence jumps and dangerous ones when handing out fines.

The UFC president weighed in after Max Holloway, Paddy Pimblett, and Gable Steveson were each fined for hopping the Octagon fence following victories at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11. Speaking to reporters at a Contender Series event, White said commissions should consider intent before reaching for their wallets.

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White Defends Excited Winners, Draws Line At Violence

"It's one of those tough things because these guys get so excited," White said, per MMA Junkie. "When you're caught up in the moment, when you think about how hard they train, they're gone from their families, they cut weight, they do all this stuff, and then they win, they're not thinking about fines or any of that stuff."

White argued that penalties should be reserved for fighters who leave the cage to start trouble. He pointed to the 2018 brawl when Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped out and attacked Dillon Danis, a member of Conor McGregor's corner. "If you jump out of the cage to do something violent, then you should get fined," he said. "But if you just get overly excited and you jump out of the cage, I don't think that's a big deal."

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The NSAC has defended its strict enforcement by citing the Nurmagomedov incident as justification for cracking down on all fence exits. UFC Hall of Famers Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier have both criticized the commission for taking money from fighters over harmless celebrations.

The UFC has not announced whether it will push the NSAC to revise its policy ahead of its next Nevada card.

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• BJPenn — Dana White reacts to UFC 329 stars being fined over post-fight celebrations: “It’s one of those tough things”