Dana White dismisses talk of Nick Newell fighting in UFC, Newell still determined to prove he belongs
Earlier this summer, former World Series of Fighting standout Nick Newell got the opportunity to earn a UFC contract on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Unfortunately for Newell and his throngs of fans, this opportunity didn’t go as he planned, as he lost a decision to his foe Alex Munoz.
Speaking shortly after this season of the Contender Series wrapped up, White seemed to close the door on Newell ever fighting in the UFC. In his eyes, the Octagon is not a place for a congenital amputee.
“I respect that kid very much,” White told said (via MMAjunkie). “Obviously that’s why I gave him an opportunity. I always believed that the UFC was a tough place for Nick. This a tough place with two arms and two legs. This is the real deal. I put him in the Contender Series to see if he could make it to the UFC. He didn’t make it.”
While these comments from White are probably going to disappoint a lot of Nick Newell fans, the fighter himself is undeterred.
Tons of people lost on TUF & bounced back great. Dillashaw, Pettis, Shogun, Lesnar & Condit all lost their UFC debuts & ended up winning titles. Theres wilder shit in this world then a one handed guy competing w/ elite in MMA. I will prove I belong.
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) August 8, 2018
“Tons of people lost on [The Ultimate Fighter] & bounced back great,” Newell said on Twitter. “[TJ] Dillashaw, [Anthony] Pettis, Shogun [Rua], [Brock] Lesnar & [Carlos] Condit all lost their UFC debuts & ended up winning titles. Theres wilder shit in this world then a one handed guy competing w/ elite in MMA. I will prove I belong.”
While Newell seems hellbent on proving that he belongs on the UFC, he’s also recently flirted with a move to Bellator, the sport’s second biggest promotion.
Responding to a fan on Twitter, Newell assured he’d make a lucrative addition to the upcoming Bellator 207 card.
I would sell that place out easy. WSOF have me 25k in tickets for Foxwoods & I personally sold them no problem. I could do 30k easy at Mohegan. CT has my back. https://t.co/hHT4FbzHdN
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) August 9, 2018
“I would sell that place out easy,” Newell said of the Mohegan Sun arena. “[World Series of Fighting] gave me 25k in tickets for Foxwoods & I personally sold them no problem. I could do 30k easy at Mohegan. CT has my back.”
Do you think we’ll ever see Nick Newell in the Octagon or the Bellator cage?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 8/10/2018.
Topics:
Dana White Nick Newell
