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Helwani will be back covering UFC 200. MMA Fighting/SB Nation

UFC rescinds Ariel Helwani's 'life ban' after two days

The organisation say they took their original decision because of the MMAFighting.com reporter’s ‘recurring tactics’.

MMAFIGHTING.COM REPORTER ARIEL Helwani has had his credentials restored by the UFC.

Helwani, along with colleagues Casey Leydon and Esther Lin, were kicked out of UFC 199 on Saturday night and issued with life bans after reporting that Brock Lesner would return to the organisation for UFC 200.

However, in a statement last night, the UFC decided to give MMAFighting.com — part of SB Nation — a second chance:

“Following a conversation with the editorial team at SB Nation, UFC will not prevent MMAFighting.com from receiving media credentials to cover live UFC events. We respect the role the media plays in our sport and beyond, including MMAFighting’s ability to report news.

However, in our opinion, we believe the recurring tactics used by its lead reporter extended beyond the purpose of journalism. We feel confident our position has now been adequately communicated to the SB Nation editorial team.”

On his MMA Hour show yesterday, Helwani went into some detail on his often turbulent relationship with the UFC and what he believed happened.

“The last thing I want to do is sit on news. If you’re sitting on it, you’re not doing it right.

“I felt deep down inside that (Dana White) didn’t want to do that to me but he was doing what he was told by his partner (Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta),” Helwani said.

“He may have been upset that I beat him to the punch on announcing the Lesnar news.”

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    Mute Des Morrissey
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    Jun 7th 2016, 9:42 AM

    Ariel is a man of integrity so I doubt he will change the way he works due to the UFCs bully boy tactics. It is the reason that he’s so well respected by his peers and his fans. I’m glad its resolved but it’s a pity he had to miss Bisping win the belt on Saturday!

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    Mute Marcas Ó Callanáin
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    Jun 7th 2016, 9:59 AM

    The UFC have shot themselves in the foot, yet again, with these bully boy tactics. Dana White is on a serious power-trip if he is trying to silence journalists through intimidation. I hope Ariel can stick to his guns and not let this change the way he operates. The MMA Hour last night was a tough watch, he was visibly impacted by the whole saga.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jun 7th 2016, 1:17 PM

    Ariel himself said it probably wasn’t Dana’s decision

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    Mute Marcas Ó Callanáin
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    Jun 7th 2016, 4:42 PM

    Even so, the way he runs his side of things is embarrassing at times.

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    Mute James Darcy
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    Jun 7th 2016, 8:39 PM

    Hope UFC burns at this stage. The fighters come last in the organisation along with all the other pawns.

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    Mute Rugby Champions Cup
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    Jun 7th 2016, 9:31 AM

    THE NOSE IS FREED!

    but hes limited now on breaking huge news before obvious big announcements made on PPV events

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    Mute Professional Chef
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    Jun 7th 2016, 10:00 AM

    Delighted maybe they will treat him better now and give him his dues for promoting the sport and being ethical and only reporting the truth and not rumours.

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    Mute JP Beirne
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    Jun 7th 2016, 9:22 AM

    Bull crap.

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    Mute Rugby Champions Cup
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    Jun 7th 2016, 3:24 PM

    Going by his podcast Lorenzo had him kicked off UFC Tonight on Fox for promoting free agency previously in his podcast, prior to that he was almost blacklisted by UFC for going to a Bellator media day despite interviewing their fighters lots of times before and reporting their news too

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    Mute Nick Nolan
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    Jun 7th 2016, 2:42 PM

    Knee jerk reaction that has it’s roots in the fact that UFC brass still upset about what they felt was Helwani, on his show, enticing or making free agent status seem appealing to ufc fighters nearing the end of their contracts.

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    Mute Rugby Champions Cup
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    Jun 7th 2016, 8:44 PM

    what started that was Rory McDonald revealing he was going to fight out his contract in an interview with him and some how he got blamed for that

    listening to Ariel a lot of this stuff seems to be Lorenzo Fertita, good news is when they sell a stake to the Chinese thats rumoured to partly be so Lorenzo can step down from any day to day affairs

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    Mute Rob Kavanagh
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    Jun 7th 2016, 1:36 PM

    Knee jerk reaction from Dana & Lorenzo, good that it’s fixed The near 2 hours of Ariel whining on his show was cringeworthy

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    Mute Rugby Champions Cup
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    Jun 7th 2016, 3:23 PM

    yeah f him for caring about his career

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Jun 8th 2016, 1:41 PM

    Common sense prevails. Which means dana probably had nothing to do with it.

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