Dana White on Noche UFC: “Does it work? Is it great? … We won’t know until it’s over” | Cageside

UFC CEO and President Dana White spoke to Grind City Media’s John Morgan ahead of Riyadh Season Noche UFC, formerly known as “UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili,” where the promotion is planning a one-of-a-kind event at the technological marvel known as Sphere Las Vegas.
White discusses the challenge of not only producing the event in the building, but also for an ESPN+ pay-per-view audience. He also discusses what it means for Canelo Alvarez to be facing Edgar Berlanga the same night in Las Vegas at the UFC’s usual home of T-Mobile Arena, addresses Oscar De La Hoya’s recent message, the future of Noche UFC, and more, including some thoughts on the retirement of former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, why he continues to stress the pound-for-pound status of Jon Jones, and more.
Riyadh Season Noche UFC takes place Saturday, September 14.
Timecodes
0:00 – “The level of difficulty and the complication of this event, is at a whole ’nother level
1:14 – “If you’re Mexican or of Mexican descent, you’re going to be blown away”
2:01 – “People, wouldn’t even understand how hard and challenging this thing really was and is”
4:12 – “Sports and entertainment are truly going to come together at the same time”
6:02 – “What I don’t know is if this works”
8:08 – Is this a head-to-head battle with Canelo Alvarez?
9:16 – Oscar De La Hoya? “I don’t know where he’s getting his tickets from, but he definitely isn’t getting it from me”
10:26 – “Who’s defended Demetrious Johnson more than me?”
11:05 – Jon Jones pound-for-pound best? Trust the experts.
12:36 – Sphere Las Vegas works, is Allegiant Stadium next?
13:48 – Sphere future uncertain, but Noche UFC “will be a tentpole event every year now”
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