Former UFC heavyweight and current podcaster Brendan Schaub recently asked an offensive question.
Sometimes you are looking at UFC Tonight and you’re like alright ‘Is that the best panel possible? Or are you just trying to check off the boxes?’ We get it, UFC Tonight on FOX, you’re not racist, we get it you have an all-black panel,” he said. “Whoa, we get it. We get it man. Now I’m going to ask you again, are those the best brains and speakers for the art, for the general audience?
The UFC Tonight panel he referenced was composed of Karyn Bryant, Tyron Woodley, and Yves Edwards. They are the best brains and speakers for the art, for the general audience. Schaub apologized. Everyone says stupid things, it’s part of the human condition. Stupid people especially. All was forgiven.
But Schaub couldn’t leave it alone, and double dumb downed, suggesting Edward’s WTF reaction was because he harbor’s self-doubt about how he got the position.
The indispensable Stephie Haynes reached out to Edwards for BloodyElbow.com with questions about Schaub, and much more.
“When that came up initially … I was offended because he was talking about me or the people that I work with,” explained Edwards. “We’re like a family, and while we don’t spend the amount of time that a traditional family does, when we come together, it’s a real thing. He was either talking about me or my brother or my sister—Tyron, myself or Karyn.”
“I’ve been a bit isolated by way of being a mixed martial artist. Most of my friends are black, white, Brazilian, Hispanic, and my early experience wasn’t one where I grew up in a country where I was a minority. I grew up in a country where most everyone looks like me, and didn’t come to the states until I was 15. Since being here, I have both experiences, so I understand that exists, but I don’t call people a racist, even when they say something that may be racially charged.”
“I wasn’t saying he was a racist. What I was saying, was that when you say these things, you’re saying that someone wasn’t good enough to do the job. Yes, race is a part of that issue, but the bigger picture for me was you’re saying someone’s not good enough and are only there because of a quota.”
“Initially, he was talking about a group of people, and now, he’s giving some kind of analysis on my character, when he has zero qualifications and zero reason to say that I’m insecure or that I’m seeing something, a weakness, in myself. That’s offensive to me.”
“To quote Spiderman, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ You have a responsibility to those massive amounts of people that follow you to be on the level. Denigrating your peers when you’re supposedly trying to address something else leaves behind a lot of collateral damage that can be avoided if you just think first.”
It’s now incumbent on Schaub to reply. He can say something useful and intelligent, or be himself.
Part II of Stephie’s interview coming Saturday at 10:00 a.m. ET.
