“Don’t Have the Money” – Taking Shots at Promoters, Dana White Admitted Hardships With Las Vegas Sphere Months Before UFC 306

Dana White has promised that the upcoming UFC 306 card at the iconic Sphere would be an unprecedented event, never to be repeated. The Sphere, which opened last year, promises a unique and immersive audio/visual experience with 16K LED wraparound screens along with 4D effects and a bevy of cutting-edge technologies.

The UFC has planned to put on its UFC Noche card at the iconic venue on September 14 to mark the Mexican Independence Day. And the Power Slap founder thinks that no one else in the combat sports world, especially boxing promoters, could do the same.

Dana White called boxing promoters ‘bums’ over Sphere card

Dana White, at the UFC on ESPN 56 post-fight press conference earlier this week, made some tall claims about the upcoming UFC 306 card at the Sphere. Along with claiming it would be the ‘sickest’ live event in combat sports history, that would never be done again because of a very particular reason: money. Last year, too, the UFC boss had indicated that the promotion had invested significant amounts of money to put on an event at the iconic venue.

He had also called out boxing promoters, claiming that none of them could put on a boxing event there because of the amount of money that needs to be invested to do so. “Plus, the other thing is I will spend the money to make it, right? Boxing is gonna f**k around with them on the tickets, and they don’t have the money to do it. None of those bums got the money to do it. I’ll do it, and boxing, it will be an absolute f***ing nightmare for The Sphere,” he said at the post-fight press conference for Contender Series Season 7, Week 10 as quoted by MMA Fighting. 

While some had felt that given the difficulties in putting on an event at the Sphere, the UFC may have changed its mind, that has not been the case. The challenges have only made the UFC boss more determined to take the UFC to the Sphere.

White is more driven to put on an event at the Sphere due to challenges

On being asked by Kyle Foregard if there were any updates on the Sphere card, Dana White termed UFC 306 the ‘biggest challenge’ of his life after the Covid pandemic, where the UFC, despite the difficulties and restrictions, had managed to put on live fight cards.

“I’m so f***ing pumped for this thing. You know, the last big challenge in my life was Covid, so the next big challenge in my life is the Sphere- how to figure this thing out, and how to turn this into the greatest f**ing live sporting event anybody’s ever seen as far as combat sports go… [I’ve booked it], now I got to figure it out,” he said on the ‘Full Send Podcast’.

After the Covid pandemic hit, it was virtually impossible to put on professional sports events in most parts of the world, given the stringent lockdowns and social distancing mandates imposed there. Dana White, however, was determined to keep the fans entertained and not lay off any of his employees.

This resulted in the UFC tying up with the government of the UAE to requisition an island, called ‘Fight Island’, where the Las Vegas-based promotion would become the only major sport to put on live events during that period. The UFC CEO is determined to do the seemingly impossible once again and put on a fight card at the Sphere.

Do you think UFC 306 would be a massive success as claimed by Dana White? Drop your views in the comments below.