UFC 306, or ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ might be one of the most ambitious undertakings by UFC CEO Dana White. In a recent conversation with Kevin Iole, the UFC boss had revealed that he’s expecting a live gate of “$25-27 million” and that the landmark event is something that “…has never been done before” by any promotion.

But is it possible that the UFC boss might have made a miscalculation? Recent reports have indicated that ‘The Sphere’ tickets are yet to be sold out. As such, the promotion has decided to switch up the pricing for the so-called ‘cheap seats’ in an effort to ensure the second-ever ‘Noche UFC’ event lives up to the massive expectations. After all, Dana White had already spent around $17 million for the event months before September was even on the horizon!

Dana White and UFC left in a bind as ticket prices for ‘Noche UFC Sphere’ get slashed  

According to a recent post on X shared by ‘Wrestle Tix’, the tickets for UFC 306 are still not sold out with 2,929 seats yet to be claimed. According to Ticketmaster, the high-end tickets cost an eye-popping $12,000 with the lowest seats being priced at $3,000. Headlined by a bantamweight title fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, along with several high-profile matchups, it’s a worrying trend that the massive event is struggling to draw in the fans.

So how does the promotion plan to address this staggering loss in ticket sales? According to a recent post shared on social media by ‘XcellentMMA’, it was revealed that, “Cheapest UFC Noche tickets have been slashed from $3,000 to $1,000.”

This is the second time the promotion is honoring the Mexican Independence Day with a fight card. The first ‘Noche UFC’ took place on September 16 last year and was headlined by a women’s flyweight championship rematch between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. This time though, the pair is featured as the co-main event for ‘The Sphere’ at UFC 306 as they aim to throw down in a highly anticipated trilogy bout.

As ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ prepares to make history, it faces the challenge of matching its hype with actual turnout. The next few days will be crucial in determining whether the event can overcome its early struggles and deliver the unforgettable experience the promotion and Dana White have been promising. Because in a recent interview, the UFC boss confessed that the promotion originally had different plans for the event that were derailed due to friction with MGM!

White reveals he headed to ‘The Sphere’ because MGM “f—ed us”  

In the city of bright lights and high stakes, where every move is a calculated gamble, the UFC and Dana White found themselves at odds with one of their oldest partners, T-Mobile Arena. The venue is owned by MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). While the UFC has a partnership with MGM, the drama began when White discovered that the date they had secured last year for ‘Noche UFC’ had been quietly handed over to another event.

A furious UFC boss shared during a recent DWCS (Dana White Contender Series) post-fight press conference that, “We went there last year. That was our date last year, and then without even asking us, or talking to us, they gave the date away”. Unable to book T-Mobile Arena, White took the UFC to ‘The Sphere’, a venue he couldn’t have used under his contract with MGM. In his trademark manner, White shared that, “I couldn’t do the Sphere because I’m under contract with MGM, but because they f—ed us, they let us do it.”

The ‘T-Mobile- Arena, the venue in question, will be featuring Canelo Alvarez taking on Edgar Berlanga on September 14, the same date as the UFC plans to host its event. Last year, the UFC was able to secure the arena and Alvarez had to wait till September 30 to take on Jermell Charlo for their bout. It appears that the tables have been turned this time around!

This last-minute shift not only disrupted the UFC’s plans but also highlighted the tension brewing behind the scenes for ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’.  As the UFC attempts to fill the seats at ‘The Sphere’ with a shift in ticket prices, it remains to be seen whether Dana White’s gamble at setting up a historic event pays off. Do you think ‘UFC 306’ at ‘The Sphere’ will be able to break live-gate records for the promotion? Will slashing ticket prices help to draw more fans to the event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!