UFC: Dana White trademarks John Oliver’s ‘UF-Sea’ suggestion but tells him ‘I’m not giving you a cut’

White, who accused Oliver of using ‘selective facts’ last week, confirmed his lawyer secured the trademark

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Andrew McNicol

Published: 3:03pm, 29 May 2020

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UFC president Dana White has popular TV satirist John Oliver to thank for the promotion’s newest trademark for his upcoming “Fight Island” mission.

Oliver, whose HBO show Last Week Tonight talked about the risk of recommencing sport in the US during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic last week, joked about why the UFC had not thought of the pun “UF-Sea” for the venture.

“He didn't even go with the obvious name for an island where you'd stage UFC fights which is simply UF-Sea. Look at me, Dana, why didn't you call it UF-Sea? It's perfect,” said Oliver, who White accused of using “selective facts” in the over-20 minute monologue.

In April, White said he had secured a private island for fights in response to the ongoing pandemic. The UFC is considered one of the first sports to have returned to action after its UFC 249 event on May 9.

“That's the guy, so what's his name, the guy that came out and said ... yeah, John Oliver came out with the piece with some selective facts about what we had done in Florida and all that stuff with the UFC,” White told ESPN MMA on Thursday.

While White acknowledged Oliver’s suitable alternate name for what is widely referred to as “Fight Island”, he joked he would not be giving the Briton any of the royalties.

“So I told my lawyer and said ‘see if the trademark's there for UF-Sea’ so obviously he did. I think we got it. Thanks, John Oliver. I'm not giving you a cut,” he said.

White has doubled down on criticism towards holding events despite scheduled fighter Jacare Souza and two of his coaching staff testing positive for the coronavirus one day before UFC 249.

He posted a video of his experience with the notoriously uncomfortable test swab in the lead up to this weekend’s UFC Fight Night headlined by Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns at the UFC Apex Arena in Las Vegas.

“Covid-19 test number [four] for this Saturday[,] Woodley vs Burns Live on ESPN,” tweeted White, who appeared to choke a little as the health worker moved a tongue compressor towards the back of his throat.

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