Earlier this week, UFC head honcho Dana White made history with his ambitious $20+ million project, UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche. The event was more so notable for its stunning venue, The Sphere in Las Vegas, rather than its stacked fight card. The Sphere, known for its cutting-edge technology and massive 160,000-square-foot screen, drew significant attention and raised the eyebrows of many critics who expressed dissatisfaction with the fight card.

This list of UFC 306 critics has now been joined by UFC fighter turned podcaster Brendan Schaub, who criticized White for prioritizing the venue over the fight card in a recent social media post. Let’s hear what he had to say.

Brendan Schaub slammed UFC 306

UFC 306 may not have met everyone’s expectations, but it proved to be a profitable venture for the UFC and its CEO Dana White, thanks to its record-breaking live gate of $22 million. This record had previously been set by the Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez fight back in November 20016. While the $22 million was largely attributed to the Sphere’s appeal, Brendan Schaub recently pointed out that the star power of Conor McGregor played a significant role in that record.

Schaub criticized head honcho for overlooking the experience of viewers who watched the fight from home or outside the Sphere, rather than enjoying the Sphere’s marvel in person. He said, “My issue is that the product I paid to watch was not great because it wasn’t pay-per-view-worthy card. The highlight was he Sphere. Therefore, what you’re paying for, unless you’re in person, isn’t that impressive.”

The UFC veteran did not stop there; he went on to criticize UFC 306’s main event (O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili) and co-main event (Grasso vs. Shevchenko), calling them ‘lackluster.’ Schaub also took aim at Dana White’s highly anticipated event, describing it as a game that “UFC gambled and lost.” He added, “ You know what this is? The Sphere. It’s like the Rainforest Cafe, it look fantastic, but the product was sh*t. I loved the Rainforest Cafe.”

Schaub’s statement may seem harsh from a distance, but White and Mark Shapiro’s recent response, when asked if he would consider the Sphere as a venue for future UFC events, was a firm denial, which partly reflects the criticism of the lackluster fight card. He further explained his reasons behind this decision. Let’s see what he actually said.

Dana White and Co. on the UFC Sphere 2.0!

Following the successful run of UFC 306, often dubbed Riyadh Season Noche, fans were eagerly anticipating UFC head honcho Dana White’s announcement regarding a return to the Sphere in Las Vegas. However, White and Mark Shapiro dashed those expectations by disclosed the reasons behind the difficulty of holding future events at the Sphere. The primary issue is cost, the $2.3 billion architectural wonder is not cheap, with the recent event costing the UFC more than $20 million.

Additionally, the Sphere’s design is better suited for movie screenings and concerts rather than UFC events. This sentiment was echoed a few months ago by TKO Group President Mark Shapiro, who stated, “The Sphere in September, UFC 306, although that will be an expensive event to put on, for the record. That’s not a normal event. The Sphere is the Sphere, and it wasn’t necessarily built for UFC events. It will be a one and done. We will do it one and done. That is what Dana White has told us and he’s going to make it extra special.”

What do you think about Brendan Schaub’s remarks on UFC 306? Do you also believe the fight card was ‘lackluster’ and the event'[s success was due to its venue? Share your thoughts in the comments below.