Dana White is determined to not let ‘piracy’ affect the upcoming UFC 306 ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ event set to go down in Las Vegas at ‘The Sphere’ in September! But is it really that big of an issue? In a previous GQ Sports YouTube video, the UFC boss had shared, “That’s how everybody makes their money. You’re b****** about fighters not making enough money, they get a piece of the pay-per-view. People who steal it are stealing from us and them.”

Illegal UFC streams are a constant whenever there is a big PPV event by the promotion. Over the years, the UFC and Dana White have been trying hard to crack down on ‘piracy’. In a recent press conference, the UFC head honcho bluntly shared what he thinks needs to be done to end the scourge of ‘piracy’ and in his trademark manner, he didn’t hold back at all!

Dana White puts ‘pirates’ on alert with a warning ahead of UFC 306

Back in 2021, Dana White’s campaign against online ‘pirates’ was already in full swing. Before the UFC 257 event that year, White had spoken to reporters at a pre-fight press conference where he’d claimed that the promotion had already got an illegal streamer in its crosshairs. The UFC head honcho proclaimed “We got him. We’re watching this guy right now. All you have to do is turn it on Saturday and we got you, f**ker. I can’t wait.”

But why the intense focus on piracy? As mentioned above, illegal streaming can significantly impact the UFC’s revenue including the money fighters make from a share of the PPV sales. Now, the upcoming UFC 306 event is also facing the prospect of having ‘piracy’ affect the revenue for the once-in-a-lifetime card that has already reached an estimated cost of $20 million to set up.

As such, when the issue of illegal streaming and piracy was brought up at a recent DWCS (Dana White Contender Series) post-event press conference, the UFC CEO was firm in his stance. White shared that, “Trust me, we know exactly how to combat piracy. I will tell you extensively what we do, every event, but we go after piracy hard and you saw a few years ago, we started prosecuting people. That’s how you combat piracy. Start f**king prosecuting people for stealing. There you go.”

White’s message is clear: the UFC is not backing down from the ‘pirates’. Despite the challenges, the organization remains committed to fighting piracy and ensuring that fans who choose to watch the fights do so legally and not on the metaphorical ‘high seas’ of unofficial streams. However, with Dana White’s determination to shut down ‘piracy’, he has also found himself in some strange situations with the people affected by the UFC’s legal campaign against illegally streamed events!

White’s campaign against piracy almost led to a life-threatening situation

In his 2022 appearance on Logan Paul’s ‘Impaulsive’ podcast, the UFC CEO shared a dramatic encounter with those who have tried to undermine the UFC’s pay-per-view events. Dana White recounted catching bars illegally streaming UFC events, an issue he’s taken very seriously, and revealed, ”And these were guys that were doing it in bars. Their bars were stealing.”

The situation became so heated that one bar owner, whom White had put out of business for piracy, even threatened his life. So what happened next? The UFC head honcho shared, “We were doing this wrestling thing and apparently, a guy on that street, I put his bar out of business. And they were threatening that if I walked out, they were gonna shoot me.”

The chilling incident took place in Memphis, Tennessee, and highlights the seriousness of the UFC’s stance on protecting its content and the fall-out that comes along with it. Ultimately, White’s stories and experiences highlight the ongoing challenges and efforts required to protect pay-per-view events. The message from the UFC CEO is clear: while the fight against piracy is tough, it’s essential for the future of the sport.

What are your thoughts on the UFC’s actions in trying to deal with illegal streams and ‘pirates’? Do you agree with Dana White’s stance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.