UFC CEO Dana White Lays Out 2025 Plans: 'The Biggest Fight in UFC History'

UFC CEO Dana White sat down with ESPN's "First Take" to discuss the promotion's plans for next year.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

UFC CEO Dana White sat with ESPN's "First Take" to chronicle the year that was and begin to anticipate the 2025 schedule.

White Looks Ahead To 2025

Outside of making the best fights possible, White, who enters his 24th year running MMA's biggest promotion, discussed what has made the company grow rapidly.

"I was thinking about this this year in talking to some of my people; we [the UFC] were not allowed to go into New York [to host fights] for a long time," White said. "It was illegal in New York. We are eight of the Top 10 all time biggest gates at Madison Square Garden, now, a few years later, so I would agree with you. I think that our live event is second-to-none."

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) fights Stipe Miocic (blue gloves) in the heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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White went as far as to say the UFC has overtaken boxing in the live event category, given that marquee fights tend to happen when they are supposed to and aren't delayed, like its counterpart.

The biggest fight White said is expected to happen next year is Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall for the heavyweight title. There is no timetable set for when the fight may occur, but White again confirmed Jones-Aspinall is the targeted plan.

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

"He is not afraid to fight Tom Aspinall," White said about Jones. "He will fight Tom Aspinall, and it will be the biggest fight in UFC history."

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The UFC's first-quarter schedule is already beginning to come together with UFC 311 and UFC 312 scheduled for January and February in Los Angeles and Australia, respectively. More fights are getting added to the calendar by the week, as the promotion gears up for its last year under the ESPN television contract in the U.S.

White is showing no signs of slowing down either, despite his numerous business ventures. It's safe to assume he plans to stick around for the forseeable future.

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