Dana White had an interesting appearance on TSN's Off the Record in promoting UFC 83's main event in Canada. The show features an up front profile on Dana White in which he answers some questions, a panel in which he fires back at critics, and a quick-fire Q&A session from the host of the show. Not only was it entertaining to see White on his heels at times, but we got some solid answers on some of the issues we've wanted to know about for some time. See the entire show here... Props to MMAMania.com for the heads up.

The rundown...

• Is Dana White the star of the UFC? Dana doesn't believe so, and he mentioned Chuck Liddell as being unable to go anywhere without being mobbed by a crowd. 
• Building a brand over building fighting? The UFC was built as a brand, and Dana mentions how competition in this arena has failed, and everyone has their opinions of how he acts, but the business is still very successful. “UFC wasn't allowed on PPV, and porn was allowed on PPV” referencing the early days of the UFC, White was able to get those things to happen later on, testament to his drive and successful work ethic. 
• Marketability and reality vs. entertainment? Dana mentions that reality is better than the scripts that the WWE uses. When upsets happen, rematches, drama, and the elements that can create a prime atmosphere for marketing a fighter. 
• Was PRIDE buyout a mistake? No, they got Wanderlei Silva, other PRIDE fighters, and the video library. Got rid of their top competitor.
• A change in physiques when PRIDE fighters came over? Dana did not dismiss that steroids could have been the cause of this due to non-testing in Japan. 
• Why is it better for fighters to be clean? Careers last longer, mentally and emotionally stable.

The panel...

• Does UFC negotiate for celebrities to appear? No, they come if they like the sport.
  Is CBS in May a threat? No, competition is around all the time and most of them fail. EliteXC lost $27 million while the IFL lost $20 million dollars. Smaller shows breed fighters who want to aspire to be in the UFC. Evan Solomon of CBC News states that Boxing has such large amounts of money thrown around that White can't expect there not to be legitimate competitors in the future. White came back that other competition does improve the sport, but nobody does it better than the UFC. Continuing on the topic, Dana asks if anyone thinks CBS will make money when their ratings on Showtime continually drop after every show. Solomon makes a point that NASCAR moved from cable to network, and it became a huge success, why can't that happen with ProElite and CBS? White states that using Kimbo Slice as a tool to meet that goal is a mistake because that isn't who MMA fighters really are, it will taint the sport. Uneducated fans won't know any better.
  
  White makes a quote that Kimbo is much like many boxers who got into the sport. “If it's not for this thing, this guy would be dead or in jail...”. Dana also talked about hating the freak show aspect of the promotion on CBS.
• UFC in Canada more? UFC will get Toronto and Ontario sanctioned.. it's gonna happen. Side note: Ontario is the only province not allowing MMA competition.
• Would you let your kids compete? White says he has 3 kids, two boys. Dana would let his kids fight no problem, they train right now in it. Dana makes case that football is much worse due to injuries suffered, references Lorenzo Fertitta's shoulder and knee surgeries from HS football. Some panel members offer opposing views to kids competing, violence, hurting their development. Dana states that not everyone likes MMA, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to compete.
• Can sport survive if it crosses the line? Dana says it's inevitable that something will happen, UFC wants fights sanctioned by commissions for safety.

Quick-fire...

• When will Kimbo be in the UFC? “As soon as he beats somebody credible...” 
• Chuck Norris or Rampage Jackson? Rampage
• Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan? Who cares...
• Mir vs. Lesnar? Lesnar showed credibility
• WWE buying UFC before UFC owned it? Very close to happening
• Dana hates Tito? “Yeah, he's a jackass.”
• Aerobics trainer? Dana was apparently one.
• Women's division? Not enough quality women's fighters to make an entire division yet.

Our analysis

White makes some interesting comments over the course of the show. He definitely avoided the questioning early about his own status as the frontman to all the hype revolving around the promotion. Is Dana White actually the star of the UFC? He definitely is part of the fuel that fires up events and matchups, but definitely not the sole star or even the big star of the UFC. He makes a valid point that Liddell does garner a much bigger following.

I also agree that reality is much bigger than scripting fights like the WWE has done for years. Reality TV is all the rage now, and it only continues to grow as people keep watching it. Reality seems to create drama for the UFC, and as long as that works, why stray away from it?

The one thought that I'm still on the fence about is the CBS/ProElite deal. White may be underestimating the mindset of casual fans out there. Hardcore fans like my readership and myself love great matchups, but casual fans will likely see the thuggish look of Kimbo Slice and his pure knockout style as exciting yet attached to the sport. Sure, it may taint what the UFC has built up as MMA being a respectable sport if Kimbo Slice is headlining shows that are grabbing up a lot of viewers on CBS, but this business is about money.

I think overall, the MMA community in general underestimates what casual fans really want. They want knockouts and fast paced action, and Kimbo Slice could very well deliver that. Like I've said in the past, go to a college bar full of frat guys, and you'll see the demographic. Do you really think they care about jiu-jitsu? A handful do, but once you delve into that realm of the sport, you've engulfed yourself enough into the love of what this sport is to call yourself a true hardcore fan.

The PRIDE questioning was definitely intriguing considering rumors out there suggest that contracts were never the UFC's property, and the library in its entirety still has rights with FujiTV, but those are all unconfrimed. The one issue that has recently come up was UFC's intention of putting PRIDE down instead of keeping it's brand alive in Japan, and a lawsuit from former PRIDE owner Nobuyuki Sakakibara stating a misrepresentation of the UFC's intent with the promotion. Did White want to get rid of a competitor instead of keep it alive? It's possible considering the PRIDE brand became tainted, but a misrepresentation of intent in such a large business dealing could sway some large sums of money to be transferred to Sakakibara. It's a long shot, and I doubt it will ever see the light of day, but it's interesting how Dana refers to the buyout as "getting rid of a competitor".