White: Will Chope seems to have changed, but…
“Believe me, if there is anyone on this planet into giving second chances,” said Dana White. “As tolerant as I may be, some of our partners may not.”
Last month Bleacher Report reported that featherweight Will Chope had received a bad conduct discharge and five months confinement from the Air Force, for verbally and physically assaulting his wife on multiple occasions, and threatening her with a knife in November of 2009.
Subsequently, the UFC released Chope from his contract, and canceled a fight with Diego Brandao at UFC Fight Night 38.
The UFC paid Brandao both his show money, and his win money. In addition, although he was cut before the fight, Chope also received his show money.
Cope’s ex wife (and current friend) Ashley appeared on a video with the fighter and asked the UFC UFC to reconsider the decision, citing profound changes in Cope’s life.
However, in a recent interview, UFC president Dana White, while expressing a degree of sympathy for Chope, said the decision stands.
“It seems like a great guy and he’s got his stuff together, but a few years ago he didn’t sound like such a great guy,” said White as transcribed by Dave Doyle for MMAFighting. “You put your hands on your girlfriend or your wife and you’re accused of it. You beat her three times or whatever you did, that’s a tough one to overcome.”
“We’re going to have situations where guys have some incidents. It depends on how big your incident is. they’re not all going to be the same … it’s a case by case basis and it depends on how bad it is. His was pretty bad.”
“Believe me, if there is anyone on this planet into giving second chances and we all make mistakes, we’re all human beings … we will guys second chances, but first of all, we’ve got sponsorship partners, we have television partners, and the list goes on and on. As tolerant as I may be, some of our partners may not.”
