[Cat--Smasher]

Dana White: UFC fighters turning down fights are 'worried about losing'

"[Turning down fights] is a lot more normal for guys who are worried about losing," White told MMAmania.com in a media scrum following the UFC 154 post-fight press conference in Montreal. "Guys who feel like they're in a position where they lose, you know what I mean? You're either fighters of you're not.

"You come out and you fight and put it all on the line and if you win, you win. If you lose, back to the drawing board. I mean that's the business that they're in. But, you turn down a fight then you turn down a fight."

While the UFC boss considers turning down a fighter regardless of the circumstances to be a black and white issue, Kongo seems to think otherwise.

"I did NOT REFUSE to FIGHT Roy Nelson," Kongo wrote on his official Twitter account. "I REFUSED to TAKE A FIGHT on SHORT NOTICE. Which is NOT THE SAME AT ALL."

White says the December bout with Nelson was the second fight offer in a row the Frenchman has turned down.

To White, it doesn't matter what Kongo's reasoning for turning down the fight is, was or will possibly be in the future. He simply just does not like this precedent of his athletes trying to pick and choose, believing it goes against what makes fighters, "fighters."

"Listen, if you turn down fights, I'm going to (expletive) say it," said White. "And if you turn down a fight at least admit you turned down a fight.

"He turned down a fight, whether it's on short notice or not, he turned down a fight."

Dana White: UFC fighters turning down fights are 'worried about losing' - MMAmania.com