Dana White, the UFC's CEO, distanced himself from a fighter's disparaging remark about Michelle Obama.

Josh Hokit, during a post-fight interview at the UFC's event at the White House, said, "…Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?''

In a text to TIME magazine, White said, "I understand that the Obama's are public figures but I'm completely against saying nasty and false things about people's families. Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense."

In January, during comments in the Octagon, Hokit similarly targeted Brittney Griner, saying of the basketball star "is a man.''

White later said he'd heard about the comment but hadn't seen it.

"I don't love it,'' he said.

UFC's history of derogatory language

White has never publicly disciplined fighters for the use of slurs or derogatory language while prioritizing "free speech.''

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That includes remarks from Bryce Mitchell, a fighter who during a podcast in January 2025 said Hitler was "a good guy."

Mitchell also said Hitler "fought for his country,'' denied the Holocaust occurred and lashed out at Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities.

"I've heard a lot of dumb and ignorant (expletive) in my day, but this one is probably the worst," White said, on behalf of the UFC, according to CNN. "When you talk about Hitler, he was responsible for the death of six million Jews and he tried to completely eliminate a race of people."

White also said, "Hitler is one of the most disgusting and evil human beings to ever walk the face of the Earth, and anyone that even tries to take an opposing position is a moron."

Mitchell later apologized for his remarks.

Sean Strickland, the UFC's middleweight champion, has used racial and homophobic slurs in public and has not been disciplined.

"I don't agree with 95% of what this guy says, but it's his right to say it,'' White said in a videotaped interview. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UFC fighter unlikely to be disciplined for remark about Michelle Obama