UFC News: Dana White Drops Bombshell Vegas Sphere Prediction
UFC CEO Dana White is in his home city of Las Vegas, Nevada, where the UFC promotional headquarters are based. It is also the week of Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, making a Radio Row appearance for White inevitable as a significant sports personality.
White sat down with ex-Colts punter and well-known sports media personality Pat McAfee on his podcast to discuss all things UFC and MMA-related.
Topics included UFC 300, which White remained silent on, a failed attempt at a Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight announcement, free speech, and an update on the promotion's plans to host an event at the MSG Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, later in the year.
The 54-year-old fight promoter said the wheels are in motion for a groundbreaking event.
"[Seeing] U2 is what made me want to do [a UFC event there]," White said on February 7. "They're using this much of the capabilities of the Sphere. I'm using this much."
By "this much," White means the Sphere has the capability for an attendee to sit in their seats and have a non-obstructed view, as the venue holds 20,000. Additionally, White revealed it could be used as multipurpose, meaning various audio feeds, including English, Spanish, and French, would be accessible for a ticket buyer to have their own live experience.
"I'm gonna put on the greatest live sporting event anybody has ever seen," White remarked.
White said he is embracing the challenges of putting on live sports in an arena primarily known for concerts.
"After they did the [U2] show and people started looking at it like, 'Oh, this is cool for concerts, but you can't do live events here,' White said. "I love hearing that."
While nothing has been confirmed outside of White's remarks, the UFC event at the Sphere will likely be the promotion's second installment of "Noche UFC 2" on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
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