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Major Hiccup for Dana White as Khamzat Chimaev vs Robert Whittaker Saudi Arabia Card Faced With Huge Controversy

Published 03/30/2024, 3:08 AM EDT

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The UFC’s first Saudi Arabia card may be in jeopardy! In a recent update, UFC CEO Dana White laid out the plans for the promotion’s first foray into the region. However, in the past, there had been conversations online about the host country rejecting the UFC’s initial proposal regarding a fight card for the landmark event. The UFC boss addressed these rumors at the UFC 297 press conference, where he stated, “Total bull****. That’s a straight out f****** lie.”

But in a recent update shared on social media, the UFC and White have found questions being raised yet again about their recent fight offerings for the Saudi Arabia event. In a stunning disclosure, a representative for one of the fighters on the card has revealed that things may not be as smooth as they seem for the event.

UFC and Dana White’s Saudi Arabia venture faces a hurdle with the co-main event

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Dana White recently announced that the UFC will be “heading to Saudi Arabia for the first time with a BAD A** card…” according to the caption for the update on X. In the video, White stated, “…the main event will be, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker versus 13-0, undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev to see who will be the number 1 contender for the UFC middleweight championship.”

He also revealed more names for the card as the co-main was announced to be a heavyweight clash between Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov.

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The announcement of the fight came as a surprise as the MMA world was buzzing earlier this week when reports emerged of a heavyweight bout between Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida slated for UFC 302.

Therefore, the change in announcements led to a recent reveal shared by ‘Championship Rounds’ on X which stated, “According to Sergei Pavlovich’s team, both sides were surprised by the announcement of their fight at #UFCSaudiArabia: ‘Strange news for us. Neither party have consent to the fight. Unclear situation.’”

This unexpected twist raises doubts about the UFC’s plans for their debut in the region as the co-main bout seems to now be up in the air, based on the reports shared online. It remains to be seen whether the UFC and CEO Dana White will take the time to address the above claims, as fans await more clarity surrounding the situation.

Nevertheless, despite the questions surrounding the fights for the Saudi Arabia card, White recently revealed that the upcoming UFC 300 card is a spectacular event that may overshadow every other combat sports card in history!

White claims UFC 300 will be “the greatest combat sports card ever assembled” 

UFC CEO Dana White is gearing up for a historic moment as the promotion prepares for its landmark UFC 300 event. UFC 100 took place in July 2009, and UFC 200 was held in 2016, and now, 8 years later, the UFC head honcho has revealed the thought process behind setting up the massive PPV event.

In a recent conversation with TNT Sports, White stated, “What I wanted was, I wanted it to be, when the first prelim of the night starts, you have to be in front of your television. You can’t miss one fight on this card.”

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He also revealed the impressive lineup for the card that features 12 current or former/interim UFC champions and a plethora of top-ranked contenders. White further went on to state, “And it’s expected to break every record at the T-Mobile Arena with a $15 million gate. So, UFC 300 is the greatest combat sports card ever assembled.”

As uncertainty looms over the UFC’s inaugural event in Saudi Arabia, all eyes are on the upcoming UFC 300 event to see if it will live up to the hype promised by Dana White.

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Do you think the Saudi Arabia co-main event will be what the UFC promised or will the promotion have to pivot in light of the recent statements by the fighter’s camps? Share your thoughts in the comments below!  

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Written by:

Dushyant Patni

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Dushyant Patni is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. Dushyant brings 8 years of professional writing experience to his coverage of MMA at ES. This literature graduate excels in the coverage of both MMA-related and off-topic subjects.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das