Don House has been a cutman with UFC since 2001. He’s one of the best in the business. He is one of the most respected men in the fight game. Now, an investigation has been launched, after House simply exercised his First Amendment right.
During a fight in late June, House wore patches on his arm and chest connected to QAnon. The group has long claimed there is a shadowy deep state that is hellbent on destroying America. QAnon, or Q, has introduced many theories about several diabolical plans being carried out by global elites. Q has made its case about the deep state running human trafficking and sex slave rings. It has also produced many interesting ideas about a coordinated effort to bring down President Trump at any cost.
Along with a ‘Q’ patch, House also displayed a ‘WWG1WGA’ patch. That’s a popular Q slogan meaning ‘Where We Go One, We Go All’.
While UFC is ‘looking into’ these patches, the cutman contends he just likes the phraseology.
“I really can’t go into a deep conversation about the Q, but I wasn’t expecting the reaction,” House told Sarah Palin dot com. “But I have been getting great responses. I was the lone wolf on the decision to wear it.”
The message is the key here. That’s what drove the U.S. Army veteran to prominently display these patches during a televised UFC event. “It’s mainly for all of us to come together,” House said.
House is from Grand Rapids, Michigan and he’s been around boxing since 1972. A fighter himself, House posted a lusty mark of 74-3 (40 KOs) while boxing for the Army. “I boxed alongside the late, great Roger Mayweather, a great friend and fighter,” said House. He met the future head of the UFC through boxing as well.
“I have known Dana White since 1995,” House said. “I was using his gym to train Derrick Harmon to prepare him for Roy Jones Jr.,” said House. “Dana asked me to train Tito (Ortiz), and the career started with the UFC.
The soon-to-be 58-year old is loved by so many in combat sports and he has mutual admiration for them, particularly the UFC family. By no means, was House trying to embarrass the organization by wearing his Q patches. But, with the cancel culture vultures on high alert nowadays, any non-liberal message will be picked apart at every turn.
In a statement, the UFC addressed House’s attire saying: “This was a violation of our staff event outfitting policy and the matter will be thoroughly investigated.”
House has given his life to the fight game. His in-ring prowess almost earned him a spot on the 1984 U.S. Olympic boxing team, but a military accident kept him out of the Los Angeles Games. Still, House has made quite a name for himself as a talented cutman, fighter, trainer, and engineer. He’s also the creator of the very exciting sports media entertainment company, Full Throttle Boxing.
In a day and age in which Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe, and many other athletes are praised for kneeling in front of our flag, an act that has led to much divisiveness, it would certainly be a shame to see anything negative thrown at a brave Army veteran and seasoned pro like House, just because he likes a message that he believes speaks of togetherness.
House has an exemplary record in and out of the ring. He has done well for himself, but has also molded the careers of many boxers and UFC fighters. It seems odd that he’d be picked on for simply expressing a particular view.
“I am a strong supporter of our commander-in-chief, our president Donald J. Trump,” House told Sarah Palin dot com. That may explain it. It is, after all, open season on Trump supporters and all things patriotic.
For now, House plans on doing what he’s always done, excelling in the world of combat sports. That’s good news for the fight fan. We look forward to seeing the cutman in the ring again soon. No word on if he’ll be packing Q-tips or another brand of cotton swabs. In America, it should be his choice.
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Follow Kevin Scholla on Twitter @kevinscholla