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‘Is anybody shocked?’ - Dana White reacts to BKFC fighter death, touts UFC’s ‘extensive’ safety protocols

Fighter deaths, especially the ones that happen right after a bout, are always difficult to process. Recently, MMA veteran and bare-knuckle boxer Justin Thornton lost his life after his knockout loss at BKFC 20. He was 39 years young.

UFC president Dana White was asked about it during Tuesday’s Contender Series presser, and this is what he initially said.

First of all, is anybody shocked? In bare-knuckle fighting… I’m not a big fan. I get — I guess I would call it concerned — when I see some of our people when they leave here and they go there.