All articles tagged with #dana white
Jon Jones says he is retiring from fighting after being unable to headline UFC's White House event; he claims his gloves are hung up and he’s moving on to business, following a 2024 return and his last Octagon appearance against Stipe Miocic amid Dana White’s refusal to include him on the White House card.
Dana White says the UFC's White House card on June 14 will be staged on the South Lawn with a protective structure around the octagon; rain, heavy winds, or bugs won't derail the event, but lightning could force a delay while crews wait it out. Preparations began in May with the production lead already in DC, and a preview of the setup will air during UFC 327 from Miami, where President Trump is expected to attend.
Alexa Grasso defeated Maycee Barber at UFC Seattle in Round 1 (KO at 2:42) with a left hand KO followed by a rear-naked choke after Barber was knocked unconscious, a moment Dana White called one of the sport’s greatest finishes, marking a standout win after recent losses and fueling Grasso’s title-contender trajectory.
Dana White told reporters that Jon Jones won’t be on the UFC White House card due to reliability concerns, despite Jones claiming a $15 million offer; White says negotiations produced other matchups and, with the card finalized, Jones isn’t participating.
Brock Lesnar went from WWE to UFC, after Dana White initially wouldn’t return his calls; a bold one-fight deal against Frank Mir, boosted by strong PPV numbers, convinced White to sign him to a long-term UFC contract, initiating a heavyweight title run that was later affected by diverticulitis and a return to WWE.
Nate Diaz has signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions to fight Mike Perry on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card in California, a move that could keep the door open for a UFC return; Dana White said Diaz received an offer he couldn’t refuse and hasn’t ruled out a future UFC comeback, while Perry says it’s the biggest payday of his career.
Danny Silva stunned Kurtis Campbell with a second-round KO at UFC London and then revealed he’s broke, saying he can’t afford future training camps, reigniting criticism of fighter pay and calls for Dana White to pay unranked fighters more fairly.
Dana White branded Michael Page’s UFC London performance a “bad fight” after Page won a three-round decision over Sam Patterson, with Page landing 33 strikes on 61 attempts and drawing boos from the home crowd; White reportedly left the arena early. Page remains 4-1 in the UFC, with his last knockout in Bellator (2019) and a 2023 leg‑kick finish before joining UFC.
Michael Page defeated Sam Patterson by unanimous decision at UFC London in a largely uneventful bout, leaving his UFC record at 4-1 and drawing sharp criticism from observers including Joe Rogan who called it “crazy bad.” Dana White reportedly walked out of the arena during Page’s victory, prompting Page to urge White to be mindful of his public impact. Page also attributed the bland performance to Patterson’s reluctance to engage and noted questions about his place on the roster after another subdued showing.
Eddie Hearn, representing UFC heavyweight champ, blasted Tom Aspinall's UFC contract as a 'disgrace' and criticized pay levels as Aspinall prepares to return from a first‑round no‑contest with Ciryl Gane; he questioned why Aspinall would stay with a deal that under-mines potential rematches with Gane or Pereira, noting taxes and team costs erode earnings.
President Trump praised Dana White and the UFC's White House event but said he isn’t sure the lineup is finalized; fans and some fighters criticized the concept, Dana White reportedly tried to add an extra fight, and Bo Nickal is seeking to switch opponents.
Dana White announced that UFC plans to ticket 85,000 fans for a White House event in Washington, D.C., with tickets to be given away for free, potentially setting a new UFC attendance record well above the current 57,127 at UFC 243. The June 14 show features a Topuria–Gaethje main event and comes amid questions about which stars will participate, with President Trump showing support.
Dana White announced that Khamzat Chimaev will face Sean Strickland in the UFC 328 main event on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, finally settling their feud. Strickland earned a title shot after knocking out Anthony Hernandez, while Chimaev remains undefeated and a heavy favorite. The card also features Volkov vs Cortes-Acosta, with Brady vs Buckley and Blachowicz vs Guskov among other bouts.
Muhammad Mokaev headlines a submission-only grappling match against Arman Tsarukyan at Hype Brazil, hoping a decisive win could grab UFC president Dana White’s attention and earn him a return to the promotion after his 2024 departure.
Ronda Rousey used a Netflix press event for her fight with Gina Carano to rail against UFC fighter pay, arguing many fighters, even top ones, live at poverty level despite the company’s huge earnings (about $7.7 billion); the piece also notes Jon Jones’ request to be released from his UFC contract amid a dispute and Dana White’s claim that Jones wasn’t in contention for the UFC White House card due to arthritis.