TLDR
- Dana White told a fan to “shut the f*** up” when questioned about two upcoming UFC Vegas cards appearing weak on paper
- UFC 321 set a record with 60 takedowns across 13 fights, leading to less action and fewer knockouts
- White acknowledges not every fight delivers drama and says the promotion moves on quickly when bouts disappoint
- Former UFC legend Rampage Jackson suggests increasing Fight of the Night bonuses to $1 million to encourage exciting fights
- White has expanded into boxing promotion, claiming involvement in two of the three biggest fights in boxing history
Dana White faced criticism from fans this week about the quality of upcoming UFC events. The UFC CEO delivered a blunt response when questioned about two Fight Night cards scheduled in Las Vegas.
A fan asked White why the next two UFC cards looked “so bad” during a live stream appearance. White quickly fired back at the critic. “How’s it bad when it hasn’t even happened yet? Shut the f*** up,” White said.
The UFC boss told the fan to watch the event first before judging. “Watch it tomorrow, and if it’s bad, tell me it’s bad,” he added.
UFC Vegas 110 features featherweight contenders Steve Garcia and David Onama in the main event. Heavyweights Waldo Cortes Acosta and Ante Delija are set for the co-main event. The following weekend, Gabriel Bonfim faces Randy Brown in another Vegas card before UFC 322 on November 15.
Fan frustration comes after UFC 321 set a record for most takedowns in a single event. The card produced 60 takedowns across 13 fights. This style of fighting typically results in less action and fewer finishes.
The Issue of Boring Fights
White has openly discussed the challenge of controlling how fights play out. “We don’t have control over how these fights are going to go,” White said. “You hope that every fight is this absolute war with all kinds of stuff happening and it’s crazy and everything else.”
When fights fall flat, White says the promotion simply moves forward. “But if it isn’t, okay let’s move on here and let’s put on something else for you guys,” he explained.
UFC 322 exemplified this problem with dominant but one-sided performances. Islam Makhachev controlled Jack Della Maddalena throughout their bout. Valentina Shevchenko shut down Zhang Weili in another lopsided contest.
Khamzat Chimaev‘s middleweight title victory over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 showed similar patterns. The wrestling-heavy approach led to a less entertaining spectacle for many viewers.
Campbell McLaren, co-founder of the UFC and current Combate Global CEO, shared his perspective on the issue. “I think fights can be boring and Dana is very much aware of that,” McLaren said. “He doesn’t want boring fights.”
McLaren defines boring fights as “stalling on the ground or standing up, not engaging.” He addresses this in his own promotion by warning commissions beforehand. “We all use the same rules, the unified rules, but what we do is talk to the commission and say our fighters are more stand-up than ground game,” McLaren explained.
Proposed Solutions
UFC legend Rampage Jackson offered a potential solution to the problem. He suggested raising Fight of the Night bonuses to $1 million. “If I were a promoter, and I had the bankroll the UFC had, I would up the Fight of the Night bonus,” Jackson said.
Jackson believes the UFC can afford this increase given their $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount+. “You’re going to get more exciting fights,” he argued.
The current climate may encourage fighters to adopt safer strategies. With championship opportunities serving as major contract leverage, some fighters might prioritize winning over entertainment value.
White has also been busy expanding beyond the UFC into boxing promotion. He claims involvement in two of the three biggest fights in boxing history. White promoted Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor in 2017, which generated 4.3 million pay-per-view buys.
UFC Vegas 110 takes place Saturday night with the main card starting at 11 pm GMT on TNT Sports.
