UFC President Dana White Gets Emotional Over Passing of Young Rising MMA Star Shalie Lipp
2 min read
At the UFC Charlotte event on Saturday, UFC President Dana White was visibly emotional during a post-fight press conference, but it had nothing to do with the fights that took place that evening. Instead, he was grieving the loss of a young and promising MMA talent, Shalie Lipp, who tragically passed away in a car accident.
Lipp had spent years honing her skills as an amateur mixed martial artist and was considered to be one of the top prospects in the country. Her life was cut short on May 7th, when she lost her life in a car accident in Minnesota. She was just 21 years old and had dreams of making it to the UFC.
During the press conference, White recounted the impact that Lipp’s death had on him. He said, “That girl hurt me. Bad. It messed me up for a few days. Tragic things happen everyday. That one got me.” He went on to share a heart-wrenching detail about Lipp’s journal, saying, “Her mom found her journal. And was reading her journal and at the end of every entry, she said, ‘Dana White will know my name.’ Mick (Maynard) got a call and called me and said, ‘Hey, I just wanted to tell you the story.’ I was just, like, (gutted).”
White has since reached out to Lipp’s mother to offer his condolences and support. He said, “So I posted about her and I’ve talked to her mom a couple of times. I’ll leave her mom alone, I think I’ve been annoying her mom since I found out. I did the best that I could do over the last several days to kind of… I’m not good with this kind of stuff.”
Lipp had been scheduled to fight on May 20th, but her untimely death meant that she never got the chance to realize her dream. However, her determination and drive had already caught the attention of White, and he most definitely knew her name.
The MMA community has rallied around Lipp’s family and friends, offering condolences and support during this difficult time. Her passing is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment we have.
