Boxing legends Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. face a warning ahead of their highly anticipated rematch. On September 19, Pacquiao (47) and Mayweather (48) will step into the ring at the $2.3 billion engineering marvel, The Sphere, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao aims to avenge his nine-year-old loss to ‘Money’. But ahead of the showdown, Dana White warned both fighters about the challenges of the iconic venue. The Sphere hosts mostly concerts and live movie events.

However, in September 2024, Dana White & Co. broke the mold by hosting UFC 306, the only combat sports event ever held there. Since then, no other combat sports event has taken place, except for the upcoming Mayweather vs. Pacquiao rematch. For this bout, Manny Pacquiao Promotions and Mayweather Promotions joined forces. And when a reporter at the press conference asked if either team had reached out for guidance on hosting an event at The Sphere.

Dana White flags The Sphere for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao

“Shit, I wonder who’s paying for production,” said Dana White. “They’re in for a big surprise. That is incredibly expensive. Yeah, it’s interesting. They better call somebody to figure that out. Yeah, go ahead.”

The Sphere, which spans 875,000 square feet, is the most expensive entertainment venue in Las Vegas. In addition, its exterior LED surface, a massive arena-like skin that wraps around the building, makes the venue 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide.

Dana White spent over $20 million to build the UFC 306 arena in 2024. While TKO and Saudi promoter Turki Alalshikh contributed financially to the fight card, the live gate fell short of expectations, which had projected $22 million from over 17,000 seats. With a sold-out show, the PPV numbers remain undisclosed. The UFC fight card received praise for the production more than the fights.

Talking about Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao 2, their previous fight reportedly earned over $600 million, and the rematch has already generated enormous hype. As the two legends return to professional boxing after many years, they continue to draw massive attention across PPV and live events. However, it remains uncertain whether fans will change their preferences, as both athletes approach 50.

So far, the promoters have announced only the main card, with more bouts still to come. On the other hand, Dana White aims to set a record for the high-cost production fight event. And the UFC now doubles its investment in production for the upcoming White House event.

UFC White House event set to dwarf The Sphere

The UFC is set to host the White House Card to celebrate America’s 250th year of independence, which coincides with Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. As a result, Dana White and Co. are taking every step to turn it into a memorable event, as they are transforming the White House’s South Lawn into an arena-like setup.

The UFC is funding the entire transformation itself, without using any taxpayer or public money. At the same time, the organization will not generate revenue from the event, as it will not host any live gates. The exclusive, invitation-only event will seat around 5,000 guests, including high-profile figures such as Bill Gates and Elon Musk.

Dana White emphasized that the investment is a “long-term” one. Even so, the cost will surpass that of The Sphere, as the UFC pours significant resources into transforming the presidential residence.

“We are working to determine, on a parallel track, a package of inventory,” TKO president Mark Shapiro told MMA Junkie. “In and around the weekend of events, that we can monetize primarily with corporate partners–B2B players, which will offset half of the spend. Even if that $60(M) goes up, or rides up on us, we believe we can offset half of the spend. Today, we see it as $60(M) offsetting $30(M).”

With the UFC aiming to use the White House to expand MMA in America, the big question is: will this one-time investment pay off for the promotion? Share your thoughts below.