Mandel Nallo Explains the Nose-Pick That Dodged Dana White's Handshake

Mandel Nallo has a 15-4 record, nine knockouts and a reputation as a finisher — but this week he went viral for something that happened fully clothed on a scale. The lightweight was caught picking his nose at a recent UFC weigh-in, moments before Dana White stepped in for the traditional handshake. Now he's explained exactly what was going on, and it's more wholesome than you'd guess.

According to Nallo, the whole thing was a planned signal to his two young sons, aged five and seven, who were watching from home. He'd asked them beforehand what he could do on camera to prove he knew they were tuned in. Their suggestion: pick his nose. Nallo, by his own description a committed nose picker, says he wasn't about to half-ass the assignment.

The Handshake Problem

The gag created an immediate logistical nightmare. Nallo is right-handed, so he went in with his right hand — the same hand White extends for the customary shake. With no time to explain the situation, Nallo improvised a finger point instead of making contact, trying to keep things respectful without owning up to the booger situation in real time.

He compared the whole sequence to a Curb Your Enthusiasm moment: caught holding the evidence, with no good options. Refusing the handshake outright would have looked worse than just rolling with it, so he pointed, smiled and moved on. The clip did the rest.

Why It Actually Matters

Viral weigh-in antics tend to overshadow the résumé, and Nallo's is worth a look. He's coming off a second-round TKO of Nate Landwehr, and his finishing numbers are genuinely balanced — nine KOs and six submissions across 15 wins, meaning all but none of his victories have gone the distance on paper. That's a dangerous mix for an unranked lightweight trying to climb.

For now, Nallo gets to be the guy who turned a dad joke into a national talking point. Two kids got their on-camera shout-out, the internet got its clip, and White got a finger point instead of a handshake he almost certainly didn't want. Everyone wins — except, briefly, hygiene.