Despite an incredible night of fighting at UFC 199, the main talking point in the MMA world this week has been the banning, and subsequent lifting of that ban, of Ariel Helwani by the UFC from him attending any of their events.
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The overwhelming support for Helwani in mainstream media is believed to be what forced the UFC to rethink their decision, as after the MMAFighting.com reporter explained his side of the story on The MMA Hour, it made Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White, and the entire organisation look worryingly petty.
The decision to lift the ban came on Monday night while Joe Rogan was conducting his weekly podcast, so the show took time out to address the news and give their views.
While Rogan spoke positively of Ariel Helwani, a reporter he likes, he explained what he had been told by the UFC which suggested that people's jobs would be in jeopardy if Helwani reported the news early.
Ariel Helwani then took to twitter to explain that the discussion in question never took place.
All due respect to Joe, his account is 100% inaccurate. Never happened. Also, enough with the mole nonsense. https://t.co/m15W2UPNCs
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 8, 2016
It's clear that there is no 'beef' between the two as both have insisted that they respect each other's work, but it appears that Joe Rogan had been told a few porkies by whoever he was talking to at the UFC.
It is promising that the UFC reversed their decision, as with their track record of standing by their actions despite public outcry (poor Stitch) it looked as though it may not happen, but it's clear that the big media names that backed Ariel came up trumps in this particular incident.
