Dana White: "The mafia is keeping us out of Japan"

Ever since UFC president Dana White and his business partners, the Fertitta brothers, purchased Pride and subsequently closed its doors, the scorn has rained down on them. The MMA hardcores have been particularly forgiving.

"Our goal was to keep Pride alive and running (in Japan)," relayed White as part of a fundraising radio-thon on ESPN 1100 radio in Las Vegas on Friday. The event was held to raise funds for The Caring Place cancer support center.

"I’ve talked about the corruption over there and, basically, the mafia over there is keeping us out of Japan," he explained. "It’s a whole 'nother world over there. It’s a tough place to navigate.

"We’re gonna get to Japan. We just did another television deal over there and we’re gonna figure it out."

Zuffa -- the UFC's parent company -- has kept the brand on life support, even featuring it as part of the UFC Fan Expo that was a large part of the promotion's recent UFC 100 weekend.

But despite their commitment, it hasn't been easy.

"It’s rough though, its’ rough doing business over there," said the brash leader of the UFC.