That’s that! UFC 324 just wrapped up—the event had some issues in the beginning. But by the time Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett got to fighting, everyone had forgotten the issues and were immersed in how entertaining the fight was. Now, UFC CEO Dana White has sat down for the post-fight press conference, and there’s plenty to talk about. 

In the latest iteration of MMA News Round-Up, the 56-year-old has shed light on ongoing renegotiations with former double champion Conor McGregor. White also addressed the issues people faced during streaming UFC 324 on Paramount+ and shared an update on the highly anticipated Valentina Shevchenko vs. Silva fight. 

What’s cheap always has issues, says Dana White

With UFC’s move to Paramount+, fans are now paying a monthly subscription fee instead of the traditional pay-per-view model. Naturally, the broadcast featured several ads to offset costs, but some of them aired at questionable moments—appearing during fighters’ octagon walks or while they were in their corners. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t sit well with fans.

When asked about the issue, Dana White explained the rationale behind the decision. “I haven’t seen it yet,” White said during the post-fight press conference. “All this is a work in progress. It’s $8.99. You are not f—king paying however much more [than before]. These guys gotta make some money too.” That, however, wasn’t the only concern White addressed regarding the live stream.

For fans who place bets on UFC fights live, watching the action in real time is crucial. Many viewers have noticed a delay between what’s happening live and what appears on the stream. White touched on this issue as well, stating that the delay isn’t significant enough to impact betting decisions. “Depending on how bad the delay is, you probably wouldn’t be able to live bet,” White later added during the presser. 

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“By the time you want to bet on something, that’ll probably be over. But even the delay’s gotta be 15-20 seconds or something.”

Dana White confirms Natalia Silva vs. Valentina Shevchenko

Natalia Silva may not have delivered a one-sided beatdown against Rose Namajunas, but a win is still a win. The victory was widely viewed as Silva’s ticket to a flyweight title shot against Valentina Shevchenko. Having already defeated elite competition such as Alexa Grasso and Jessica Andrade, Silva had long established herself as a worthy challenger for the reigning champion.

Silva previously revealed that the UFC had asked her to step in for the Namajunas fight on short notice and secure a win. Now that she has done exactly that, Dana White was asked during the post-fight press conference about a potential matchup between Silva and Valentina Shevchenko. The UFC CEO offered a brief but definitive response. “Yes.”

Shevchenko is coming off a dominant win over Zhang Weili at UFC 322 and remains unbeaten in her last three fights. While the Russian did face challenges in her trilogy with Alexa Grasso, Silva’s victory over Grasso in May of last year adds intrigue to the matchup. As a result, a Silva vs. Shevchenko showdown appears poised to become the UFC’s next major women’s fight.

Dana White denies renegotiations with Conor McGregor

Earlier this week, McGregor claimed his UFC contract was “void” following the organisation’s move away from the pay-per-view model. He argued that his deal was heavily tied to PPV sales. Speaking on a live stream, McGregor said, “They’ve got a new deal with Paramount… and my contract essentially is void right now, because there’s no more PPV.” 

“I’m due a new contract. So, we’re going into negotiations in February,” McGregor added. However, when asked about those comments during the UFC 324 press conference on Saturday night, White appeared unaware of any such plans. “I am not,” White said when questioned on whether he knew about renegotiations with McGregor.

McGregor has not fought since July 2021 and is currently serving an 18-month anti-doping suspension, meaning he cannot return to competition before April. Despite that, the 37-year-old has repeatedly pushed for a comeback, including targeting the UFC’s proposed White House event in June.

Meanwhile, White has remained non-committal on McGregor’s future and recently ruled out a long-rumoured fight with Michael Chandler, further clouding the Irishman’s path back to the Octagon.

That said, Dana White struck an optimistic tone about the UFC’s future with Paramount, brushing aside early streaming issues. He also confirmed a blockbuster matchup between Natalia Silva and Valentina Shevchenko. However, White showed no such enthusiasm for a potential renegotiation of McGregor’s contract. Which development excites you most?