UFC President Dana White confirmed that former two-division champion Conor McGregor will not return to the Octagon until 2024. The delay is due to a broken toe sustained by McGregor, pushing back his highly anticipated matchup against Michael Chandler.
The UFC has announced its return to the UK, with Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena hosting the event on July 27. However, the decision has drawn criticism from fans due to the late timings of the prelims (11pm BST) and main card (3am BST) to align with US prime time. Despite this, UFC President Dana White expressed excitement about the event, teasing potential title defenses for Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall. Fan favorites Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Arnold Allen, and Michael Page are also expected to feature.
UFC President Dana White has revealed that UFC 304 will take place on July 27th at Co-op Live in Manchester, marking the UFC’s long-awaited return to the city and the first-ever sporting event at the UK’s largest indoor arena. Fight Club members will have early access to tickets on Wednesday, June 5th, followed by a pre-sale for those who register their interest on Thursday, June 6th. Tickets will go on general sale via Ticketmaster on Friday, June 7th. UFC fans can watch all the action on TNT Sports in the UK or stream it on Discovery+, which offers a subscription package that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport, and various entertainment options.
Callum Walsh, a young boxer backed by Dana White, has expressed his disapproval of the upcoming Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. Walsh believes it would tarnish Tyson’s legacy to fight a YouTuber-turned-boxer. Despite initially stating that he would fight Paul for $10,000, Walsh quickly changed his stance upon learning that Tyson could earn upwards of $30 million from the fight.
UFC ticket prices have seen a significant increase despite the declining inflation rates worldwide. The exorbitant cost of tickets, with the cheapest option for UFC 303 featuring Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler priced at $405, has drawn criticism from fans. Such high prices have contributed to the UFC’s massive earnings and net worth, recently declared as the most valuable combat sports promotion by Forbes with a $11.3B net worth. Fans have expressed dissatisfaction over the UFC’s alleged underpayment of fighters despite soaring ticket prices. One fan commented, “Overcharging fans and under paying talent.”
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has received approval from the UFC to pursue a boxing match, but only if it generates significant financial gains. O’Malley has expressed interest in facing Ryan Garcia, who has warned him of the dangers involved. The potential matchup between O’Malley and Garcia could attract considerable attention in the combat sports world.
