UFC president Dana White is adamant that fighters can’t take the easy road under his promotion.
Often times in combat sports, you’ll see fighters get “tuneup” bouts. White claims that athletes under the UFC banner can’t get such matchups because the UFC doesn’t have “cans.”
Dana White Dismisses Notion That UFC Has Cans
White spoke to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter and said that there are no shortcuts in the UFC (h/t MMAMania.com).
“It’s just a fact, when you make it to become world champion in UFC, you went through a series of killers from the first day you stepped foot in here,” White told Aaron Bronsteter at TSN. “We don’t do easy fights, we don’t do set-up fights, we don’t have cans, we don’t have professional cans here. It’s just not the way it works.”
Many would disagree with White. Some examples would be former NFL star Greg Hardy’s opponents since entering the Octagon. There’s also Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight debut under the UFC banner against Priscila Cachoeira. The mismatch between Chad Mendes and Cody McKenzie also might ring a bell. There’s also the fact that the UFC signed CM Punk, who had no professional MMA bouts before his promotional debut.
Do you agree with Dana White that the UFC doesn’t have “cans?”