UFC president Dana White confirmed that he paid Doo Ho Choi his win money despite a majority draw versus Kyle Nelson.
Doo Ho Choi returned to action last weekend after over two years away due to military service. He went toe-to-toe with Kyle Nelson, and given that he had lost three straight, he was hungry for victory.
As a result of the referee deducting a point from him for a controversial illegal headbutt in the third round, the contest ended in a majority draw.
Many pundits expressed their outrage on social media, while White went one step further behind the scenes.
Dana White paid Dooho Choi his full purse after he was “robbed” in a “ridiculous” #UFCVegas68 draw vs. Kyle Nelson.
Full interview: https://t.co/GVyfxnFZfQ pic.twitter.com/7fjjgbH39o
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 5, 2023
“Absolutely not,” White flatly responded when asked if he thought the point deduction was warranted. “I thought it was insane, and it cost him the fight. I paid him his win money. He won that fight, so I paid him. Listen, it was a tough fight.
“In my opinion, Choi won the fight. Sometimes the refereeing and the judging aren’t perfect. Sometimes I do what I can do, take it into my own hands, and I felt like that kid got robbed by that ridiculous call.”
Though Choi didn’t get the kind of return he hoped for in his UFC comeback fight, White will reward him for that with a big name in his next fight.