Miguel Torres reinstated

**Odacon** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 9:19am

Dana white announced it at the 141 press conference:

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/12/2...or-controvers/

Miguel Torres Back in the UFC After Making Amends for Controversial Tweet
By Ben Fowlkes
MMA Writer
2342
LAS VEGAS -- Miguel Torres has paid his price, served his penance, and his sins are now forgiven. Just 20 days after being fired from the UFC for an offensive tweet, UFC president Dana White appeared alongside Torres following Wednesday's UFC 141 pre-fight press conference to announce that the former WEC bantamweight champ is officially back in the organization.

"I was on vacation the last ten days, and his manager texted me and asked if they could come meet with me today," White told reporters. "So I said yes -- none of this was planned or anything -- I said yes, and he came in this morning and sat me down and basically said, since the incident happened, he's gone and reached out to every rape crisis center in Chicago and met with the people who run it and sat down and talked to them. He's donated money to all the rape crisis centers. He's been taking rape sensitivity classes, etcetera, etcetera."

A soft-spoken Torres said he visited five different rape crisis centers in the Chicago area, donating money and talking with the people there about the power his words have, even in an off-hand attempt at humor on Twitter, he said.

"I got educated, basically," said Torres. "I got put to school."

White said that Torres undertook that endeavor entirely on his own, and with no prompting or promises from the UFC.

"He wasn't told to do it," White said. "He wasn't told, if you do this, we'll think about bringing you back or if you do this, you'll come back. He wasn't told anything, because we never talked."

Torres again apologized to the people he'd offended with his tweet about a "rape van," and thanked the supporters who stood behind him. As for what he would have done had the UFC not taken him back, he said, there was no back-up plan.

"When I got cut, it showed me that what I say on Twitter, what I say on social media is very powerful. I took a lot of heat for what I said. I manned up and I took it on the chin. I realized that words are very powerful, and I'm very sorry. I know what I say can hurt people."

If anyone could sympathize with a man tormented by the swift retribution for controversial public remarks, it's White. He made repeated reference to a video blog he put out in 2009 where he used homosexual epithets to describe anonymous sources in an article by reporter Loretta Hunt, and said that experience still lingers with him long after he issued a public apology.

"It's hard to explain what you go through when something like this happens," said White. "I've been there and done it. And then you get labeled. I'm labeled as a homophobe. They still come after me for that. It's the furthest thing from the truth. And if I was, I'd tell you, trust me."

But now that Torres has made peace with the UFC and gotten himself back on the roster, what is White planning to ensure these incidents don't happen again? Not much, as it turns out. At least, not officially. If seeing one of their own get cut for such a questionable use of social media didn't make enough of an impact, fighters might have to find out for themselves on a case-by-case basis, White suggested.

When fighters are trying to figure out what will and won't get them in trouble, he said, "It's common sense. And listen, sometimes we've got to go through stuff like this to realize it."

In other words, no formal policy for UFC fighters on matters like these is in the works. And why not?

"Because I don't want to," White said.

"I was criticized for cutting him. Now I'll be criticized for bringing him back," said the UFC president. "The bottom line is I don't give a [expletive] what anybody thinks or what anybody says. I don't give a [expletive] what your opinion is, I'm going to do this the way I want to do it."

**Syphilis** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 9:24am

dana is such a dramawhore creating stupid news stories with his fucking storyline marketing idea WWE style.

**skey91** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 9:47am

Did he get a paycut or is he back on his old contract?

**Holy Moment** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 9:49am

This is a travesty! Now every fighter will think it's ok to make jokes about rape!

I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE OFFENDED!

**CNagy** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 9:49am

Good publicity, some donations to rape crisis centers, Torres' career now recovers from the surprising Dana gave it. Guy never should have been cut, so I'm not too mad that they made a production of bringing him back.

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 10:59am

Originally Posted by Syphilis

dana is such a dramawhore creating stupid news stories with his fucking storyline marketing idea WWE style.

Omega approves of this post.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 3:31pm

I still hate Dana White. What an idiot! The fact that he is allowed to talk on TV is an insult to my intelligence.

**ippwned** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 3:39pm

Originally Posted by Syphilis

dana is such a dramawhore creating stupid news stories with his fucking storyline marketing idea WWE style.

Dana is cleverer than he looks. It's a smart business strategy; more publicity for the UFC and Torres and a boost for UFC ratings when Torres' "return" fight happens.

People may not like it and I sincerely hope that the UFC doesn't develop storylines like WWE, but it is an effective publicity tool...

**Bneterasedmynam** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 4:08pm

Originally Posted by ippwned

Dana is cleverer than he looks. It's a smart business strategy; more publicity for the UFC and Torres and a boost for UFC ratings when Torres' "return" fight happens.

People may not like it and I sincerely hope that the UFC doesn't develop storylines like WWE, but it is an effective publicity tool...

I think they already have the whole drama with jones seems scripted to me. And Dana White should care what other people think especially the fans as they pay his fucking bills.

**elipson** · Posted On: 12/30/2011 4:40pm

I'm totally ok with this entire situation.

Is dana using it to promote the UFC? Of course he is! That's why the UFC is successful and so many other orgs are not! Welcome to the world of business! It's why the UFC can give fighters 6 figure paychecks and health benefits.

Anyone who is involved with the sport knew this was coming and that its mostly a PR scam, but to the masses that only follow the sport casually, they are going to see this and see an organization that actually gives a **** about the character of their employees. Compare this to the NFL or MLB or boxing.

I don't know why people are actually upset with Dana for this ****. MMA has always been considered the sport of thugs and it has a long way to go before it's completely rid of that reputation. Situations like this, which was innocent and somewhat trivial, serve to reinforce the more "professional" image that mma promoters and fighters want to put forth, and distance themselves from the "thug" imagery of MMA.

I would have done the exact same thing if I were in Dana's shoes, knowing full well that Miguel Torres would be back in the UFC.