UFC CEO Dana White stated that the promotion does not plan to host Pride Nights, citing his philosophy of not focusing on personal identities within the organization.
In a June 23 interview with Tomi Lahren, White explained his reasoning when asked about the absence of specific Pride Month celebrations from the UFC. "I don’t care what you are, who you are, what you do," White said. "We don’t talk about that, any of that stuff."
He acknowledged that the UFC has fighters who are openly gay, including female fighters, but indicated that their personal lives are not a subject for the promotion. "I know that we have gay female fighters. I don’t give a s***," White stated.
The UFC has, however, featured events celebrating specific cultures and national identities. The promotion hosted "Noche UFC" to celebrate Mexican culture and the "UFC Freedom 250" event on June 14. The latter took place on the White House South Lawn and coincided with President Donald Trump's birthday.
White mentioned that the UFC does offer a T-shirt featuring a rainbow flag. "Everybody, do your own thing. I’m just not into it," he added regarding the idea of dedicated Pride events.
White's comments come amid a history of him defending free speech within the UFC, even when fighters have made controversial remarks or engaged in public altercations. He also expressed lingering frustration over comments made by UFC heavyweight Josh Hokit about former first lady Michelle Obama during the UFC Freedom 250 event.
While White's stance on Pride Nights is clear, the UFC has continued to host events that highlight various cultural and national themes.