Once upon a time, UFC president Dana White was an outspoken condemner of domestic violence.

He once famously said, “you don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman.”

And then along came New Year’s 2022/2023.

Dana was filmed slapping his wife Anne during an NYE dispute in a nightclub.

And now, suddenly, we’re upside down, where an outspoken critic of domestic abuse turns out to be the devil he once threw holy water at.

It’s not exactly surprising – “[thou] doth protest too much” is a saying for a reason, after all. It means that the louder someone denies an accusation, the more they’re likely to be hiding.

But this marks a turning point.

If White isn’t punished and punished severely on a professional level, then sports lose a pivotal opportunity to take a hard stance against domestic violence.

If someone like White can get away with it – and he isn’t even an MVP or uniquely valuable asset to the sports world – then it’s a green light for all the players in the shadows secretly abusing their partners.

It’s also a green light for the fans of the UFC whose idols can get away with anything short of murder (and maybe even that).

This is the time when the sports world has to stand up unequivocally and say “no more.”

Both UFC and its parent company, Endeavor, have endeavored to stay out of the conversation, but the clock is ticking. If White doesn’t face punishment, it’s an endorsement of his actions.

White has apologized, but that can’t be enough. After all, you don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman.