All articles tagged with #danawhite
Dana White reiterates that Francis Ngannou is a 'bad guy' and says he won’t do business with him again, a stance rooted in past contract clashes; White even downplays a Ngannou–Jones showdown, while Ngannou pursues boxing and other promotions.
At the UFC 331 launch press conference, flyweight champion Joshua Van and challenger Alexandre Pantoja nearly sparked a brawl, with UFC chief Dana White stepping in to separate them as Pantoja moved toward Van; Arman Tsarukyan had been on stage earlier. The rematch for the flyweight title is set for Sept. 19 in Los Angeles, and the event’s 13-fight card was announced, including Van vs. Pantoja II and Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy.
Dana White stepped in to separate Arman Tsarukyan and Maurio Ruffy during a UFC 331 press conference faceoff, halting potential chaos given Tsarukyan's recent antics. The event features a lightweight title eliminator between Tsarukyan and Ruffy, with Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja headlining in a flyweight title rematch, and UFC 331 is set for September 19 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Dana White says his production team is developing a new, bigger UFC mega-event after the record-setting White House card, though no specifics were revealed yet; past spectacles like the Sphere card are cited as comparisons, with White insisting nothing will top the White House event in scale.
Dana White addressed Anthony Smith’s arrest in Gretna, Nebraska, for first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats, and first-degree false imprisonment, saying he doesn’t know the details but that “personal experience, it can happen to anybody.” Smith was released on $500,000 bail and ordered to stay away from his wife, with a Sarpy County court date set for Aug. 17. White also referenced his own past incident and noted UFC provides wellness resources for fighters, including former ones.
UFC Freedom 250 was staged on the White House South Lawn for America's 250th birthday, with Donald Trump cage-side as Justin Gaethje upset Ilia Topuria to win the lightweight title and Ciryl Gane knocked out Alex Pereira to capture the interim heavyweight belt; the event drew heavy security and a host of VIPs, while Dana White called it a success and ruled out a repeat.
UFC president Dana White revealed the promotion’s summer fight slate, headlined by UFC 328 in Newark with Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland, plus marquee bouts across Perth, Macau, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. as the company maps out key matchups surrounding its White House trip. The announcements include notable fights such as Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal, Beneil Dariush vs. Quillan Salkilld, Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov 2, and Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim, shaping the division landscape ahead of the summer schedule.
Dana White confirmed the UFC White House card will feature six fights (with a potential seventh) and be revealed this Saturday. Big names like Jon Jones and Conor McGregor remain in consideration, with Jones reportedly in talks for a Pereira showdown. White also said President Trump will not influence matchmaking. The announcement comes amid a busy UFC week surrounding UFC 326 and related events.
At the UFC 316 press conference, Jon Anik predicted a fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall in December, despite Aspinall claiming Jones has retired. The event was marked by crowd chants to strip Jones of his belt and heated exchanges between fighters, with ongoing speculation about Jones's status and the heavyweight division's future.
Oscar De La Hoya, the former boxing champion and promoter, has expressed a willingness to move past his feud with UFC CEO Dana White, particularly over the issue of MMA fighters transitioning into boxing for bigger paydays. Despite White's reluctance to promote crossover fights after Conor McGregor's bout with Floyd Mayweather, De La Hoya believes MMA fighters are drawn to boxing for the financial benefits and the chance to test their skills. This comes in the wake of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou's move to PFL and his upcoming boxing match with Anthony Joshua, highlighting the ongoing debate between the two sports' figures about the value and viability of crossover fights.
Ariel Helwani speculates that the UFC has a surprise in store for the landmark UFC 300 event, despite the absence of big names like Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal from the card. With three fights confirmed, including Sterling vs. Kattar, Rakic vs. Procházka, and Nickal vs. Brundage, Helwani hints at a potential non-main event attraction and expresses his belief that a Conor McGregor comeback would be the most fitting headline for such a significant event. However, he remains skeptical about the current lineup living up to the UFC 300 hype.
UFC 300 is approaching, but the UFC is struggling to find a main event that matches the significance of the milestone event. With Conor McGregor set to return in June and other big names like Israel Adesanya, Jorge Masvidal, and Nate Diaz not expected to be on the card, the promotion is reportedly looking for a "rabbit in their hat" to create a memorable lineup. MMA reporter Ariel Helwani has expressed skepticism about the current options being "300-worthy," indicating that while the UFC is working on something special, it may not be a headline-worthy fight. Fans and insiders are left speculating on what matchup could elevate UFC 300 to meet its historic expectations.
UFC President Dana White has assured that Conor McGregor's return to the octagon is being worked on, following McGregor's expression of frustration over fight delays. McGregor, who has not fought since July 2021 due to a leg injury, was expected to face Michael Chandler after their coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter. While the fight has yet to materialize, White has been in discussions with McGregor and promises more fight announcements for UFC 300, though the main event is still undecided. Fans speculate that McGregor's comeback could potentially headline the event.