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Brendan Schaub: UFC-ESPN deal only boosts Dana White’s popularity

Retired UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub has turned into the company’s staunchest critics. As of late, he has been attacking his former employers for the new UFC-ESPN deal that puts all pay-per-view broadcasts under one platform, which Schaub says killed the superstar model that boosted the likes of Conor McGregor, Brock Lesnar, and Ronda Rousey, to name a few.

Schaub doubled down on this theory in the most recent episode of his Below the Belt podcast, connecting it to the failed negotiations to re-sign former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

“We heard Brock Lesnar turned down the deal,” Schaub said (transcript via BJPenn.