Following the massively entertaining fights at UFC 311, Dana White sent a shockwave through the fighting community with an announcement. And it was all linked to the renovation going on at the UFC Apex, Las Vegas. The UFC CEO had certainly made some huge plans for the future at Apex. 

During the UFC 311 post-fight press conference, a reporter asked the UFC boss to talk about the rumors of him venturing into the world of boxing alongside GVA head Sheikh Turki Alalshikh. The head honcho refused to add fuel to the rumors but the reporter’s next question forced him to go back to boxing. The reporter asked if UFC Apex would feature boxing matches after its expansion. 

All eyes were glued to White as he sent forth a sly smile. And all he exuded was pride in his words. He said, “I think you can see a lot of things at the Apex after the expansion. The Apex is gonna be bad— when it’s done. It’s like a $26 to $30 million expansion. So, it’s going to be very nice.”

Dana White is a visionary when it comes to sorting out hospitality issues at the arenas. Take UFC 306 for example. The UFC head honcho ensured that he accommodated a crowd of 16,024, and kept them entertained till the very end. Now, White has planned to expand the UFC Apex’s seating capacity to hold more than 1000 fight fans and also plans on adding more restrooms and bathrooms. 

Well, there was no way White was going to give up on the venue that helped the fight promotion grow during the COVID-19 pandemic. But what does the UFC executive David Shaw think of the venue? 

UFC executive weighs in on the expansion of UFC Apex

During the post-fight press conference at UFC Edmonton, back in November, a reporter asked David Shaw about the UFC’s plans for UFC Apex. The executive replied, “There will be an increased number of events outside of the Apex relative to this year as we get into the 2025 schedule. It’s tough for us to anticipate what 2-3 years down the road will look like.”

But would it carry the fight promotion like it did during the COVID-19 pandemic? Well, Shaw was all up for some balance regarding that. He continued, “I think having ‘home games’ and being in the Apex where you can just turn off the lights and lock the door it makes a lot of sense for us. So, will ever get back to pre-COVID of no Apex, I don’t think so. But I think we’re gonna find the right balance for us.”

The Las Vegas venue was closed down for renovations in November 2024. 185fer Jared Cannonier would be the one to headline the first event at UFC Apex after renovation in a bout against Gregory Rodriguez on the 15th of February 2025. Needless to say, the entire fighting community is excited to witness the battle and the new look of the venue. 

Do you think the UFC Apex can become like a mini Sphere with the $30 million spent on renovation? Drop down to the comments below and let us know your thoughts.