Dana White on UFSEA trademark: Thanks John Oliver, but ‘I’m not giving you a cut!’

Earlier in May, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver poked fun at the UFC’s efforts to host shows during a pandemic, specifically mocking the “Fight Island” name. The popular host suggested a simpler “UF-SEA” tag during the segment.

“The UFC is apparently building a facility on a private island that they’re calling ‘Fight Island.’ Now, is that a clever name? No. Is it the perfect name? Yes, because it’s the first thought an idiot would have if they wanted to name a private island where fights happen,” Oliver said on the show.

“They could’ve called it, Brawlhamas or Puerto Ruckus, or Owie Maui, or Slam Miguel, but he didn’t do that. He didn’t even go with the obvious name for an island where you stage UFC fights, which is simply UF-SEA,” he said. “Look at me, Dana. Why didn’t you just call it UF-SEA? It’s perfect.”

In an interesting turn of events, the promotion has since decided to apply for trademarks on the term the show coined. Dana White, who wasn’t happy about the piece, spoke about the trademark and thanked the popular host.

“John Oliver came out and did that piece with some selective facts about what we had done in Florida and all that stuff and UF-SEA, so I told my lawyers after that, see if the trademarks are there for UF-SEA,” White told ESPN. “So obviously they did.”

“Yeah, I think we got it,” White said. “Thanks, John Oliver. I’m not giving you a cut, either.”

In his initial reaction to the segment, White also called it “selective facts” used to “control the narrative.”

White has stated that he plans on hosting events on Fight Island (or UF-SEA) starting July, which would cater to a lot of foreign fighters and circumvent travel restrictions during this pandemic. The US government also recently announced travel exemptions for foreign athletes, which potentially could remove the original need for the island.