‘She should have showed that’ — Dana White shrugs off Contender Series fighter’s big gamble to be on
Alivia Bierley won her Contender Series fight against Summer Onley last night. However, the unanimous decision victory wasn’t enough to snag her one of those entry-level UFC deals.
Bierley came into her tryout fight with a pretty interesting backstory. Her video package discussed how she came to martial arts after being in a domestic abuse situation. And on the walkout the commentary team revealed that she had left her job as a Vice President in the LA Fitness organization to compete in MMA. That job, apparently, was furnishing her with a six-figure income.
Bierley won her bout with 30-27 and two 29-28 scorecards, due mostly to her advantage on the ground. When talking to Lauren Sanko after the fight she said she quit her high-paying job because she felt it was her God given purpose to do so.
When given the chance to appeal directly to Dana White, Bierley said, “Dana White, I didn’t have to be here, but I chose to be here. I have a burning fire in my soul and I’m going to be your next champion.”
That appeal fell on deaf ears, though.
At the end of the show White told Bierley she would not be getting a contract
“Here’s my problem with the first fight, I had it one-to-one going into the third round, and I felt like neither girl really tried to get in there and impose their will and really show that they wanted to win that fight,” said White as Bierley’s smile slowly turned upside down. “I didn’t see that in that third round and that’s what made me make my decision. So, unfortunately, not tonight.”
White then moved on to praise fighters who fought more like he prefers, including Sal Everett (one of his former employees). Bierely ended up as the only winner on the night who did not get a UFC contract.
White talked more about that decision in his post-fight presser.
“I think that a lot of sacrifice is made to try and become professional athletes,” White said, when reminded about Bierely’s story. “And the fact that she did that and sacrificed that for… she should have showed us that in the third round. Both of them! Summer [Onley], too.”
“Neither one of them went after it in that third round,” White continued. “And the whole fight was kind of… I get it, they are both fighting probably the best opponent they have ever fought in their careers, tonight. But that’s what this is all about. Show me you want it. Show me you want to be here. I saw none of that. And I’m not just pointing her out. I didn’t see it from Summer, either.”
Bierley is now 6-1 in her career. She might still make it to the UFC. But even if she does, there’s a very slim chance she’ll make more there than she did back in corporate America.