DANA White is in a meeting.

Or at least, his private security guard describes it this way.

Urging fighters, photographers, even MGM Grand waiters looking to leave the UFC 197 media call through this private corridor — the quickest way, apparently, to both car park and kitchen — to find alternate routes.

For again, the tattooed minder stresses, “Dana is in a meeting”.

And indeed, up the hallway, you can see that unmistakeable shape of the UFC president. Talking, swearing, laughing, frowning.

WATCH LIVE: UFC 197 is this Sunday, April 24 at 12pm AEST via Main Event:

And all towards UFC flyweight champ Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson.

That diminutive superstar who, on a run of seven straight title defences, is thrashing through an incident that, essentially started when the UFC announced he would fight the winner of TUF 24, without telling him.

Describing it soon after as: “Like someone coming to you and saying ‘hey, dude, did you know your wife is pregnant’.”

And so you wait.

Inside Camp Whittaker Rob Whittaker takes you inside his preparations for his fight against Brazilian Rafael Natal at UFC 197

For White, some weeks back, had promised to meet today and talk about rising Aussie middleweight Robert Whittaker.

And true to his word, he does. Eventually, and after staffers have provided a couple of stipulations, giving his sole interview of this particularly torrid Thursday to The Daily Telegraph.

And while our agreement stipulates that Whittaker be the only topic ... well, we have to try on one about Conor McGregor.

“Let me just say this,’’ White starts, knowing a bumper press conference is already scheduled for tomorrow. “This sort of shit, it happens every f***ing day for me.

“Happens every 10 minutes, 365 days a year.

“If Conor never sends out that tweet (about retiring), nobody even knows this is going on. So the only difference between this and so many other things is that Conor tweeted it.”

Although said McGregor post, we should mention, was retweeted 170000 times.

So no, the ongoing saga that is the fighting Irishman’s sensational retirement — and then resurrection within 48 hours — isn’t an everyday occurrence. Not even for White, whose real office across the strip boasts a fossilised sabretooth tiger skull.

I've got my bills paid. My money made. And the entire game slayed. #YourMove pic.twitter.com/wOgbNgUPVd — Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 22, 2016

“But you just saw me talking to Demetrious Johnson,’’ he continues. “We built a great show for him, for the Ultimate Fighter.

“He hears about it and (doesn’t want in). Now he’s here in the hall saying he wants to do the show when I’ve already moved in another direction.

“But this is what we do.

“We’ve got 600 Alpha males and females to deal with. Each one with their own personality, their own issues and everything else.

“And when it becomes public then, yeah, everyone knows about it. Obviously Conor is a big star so it’s a big deal.”

So what does this mean for Whittaker?

Remembering UFC 197, it’s supposed to be his breakout fight here Stateside. But how can that happens if American fight fans, already so caught up in the UFC 200 saga, fail to tune this Saturday night?

Robert Whittaker in Vegas Robert Whittaker goes through final preparations at Sergio Penha's gym in Vegas before his bout at UFC 197

“Listen, wether the Conor stuff is on this week or not, the attention is already on UFC 200,’’ White insists. “It’s the biggest fight of the year. That has always been the case.

“But this isn’t a bad thing for Rob. I believe in the kid. Believe in his style.

“Yes, it’s a tough fight.

“But this is what we do with a guy in his position. When a guy starts to become a star, when he shows what we call promise, we have him fight on a big Las Vegas card.

“And here he is.

“We’re going to find out what he’s got.”

Better, he doesn’t cause you any drama, right?

“Oh, look, I love this f ... en kid. Love his style, the way he fights,’’ White says. “And, yeah, there’s already plenty of guys to keep me busy.

“I don’t need Rob being that way too.”