What can $1.1 billion a year buy? Apparently, not a talented production crew to create a promo video. Just hours ago, Donald Trump revealed the poster for the UFC Freedom 250 card, instantly sparking conversation across the MMA world. While some fans had their reservations about the fight card itself, the overall reception to the poster leaned positive. However, that goodwill didn’t last very long.

The world’s biggest MMA promotion, despite its recent $7.7 billion seven-year Paramount deal, has now drawn criticism after seemingly dropping the ball with a newly released promo video for the same event, scheduled for June 14 at the White House lawn.

“HISTORY AWAITS,” the Ultimate Fighting Championship captioned in a post on X, as the company began pushing ticket sales and amplifying anticipation for the card.

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Along with the caption, the UFC shared a promo video that was supposed to spotlight some of its biggest stars: Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, Alex Pereira, and Ciryl Gane. On paper, it sounded like a compelling mix of personalities and star power.

In execution, though, the result felt underwhelming. The fighters and even Dana White don’t truly ‘feature’ in the video in the traditional sense. Instead, the promotion appears to have leaned heavily on AI-generated visuals, a choice that becomes obvious almost as soon as the video begins.

“America was built on bold ideas,” Dana White says in the video. “And on June 14, on one night and one night only, we are gonna pull off the boldest idea in sports’ history.”

Despite the strong, motivational tone of White’s message, the impact is largely diluted by the artificial presentation surrounding it. While there are brief flashes of real fight footage sprinkled throughout, they are overshadowed by the AI-generated elements that dominate the video.

The overall effect leaves the promo feeling less authentic and more like a rushed, cost-efficient production rather than a premium build-up for a major event. That perception could only fuel criticism. After all, the decision feels particularly puzzling given the UFC’s financial standing. 

The promotion reportedly earns around $1.1 billion annually from its broadcast deal with Paramount. Not to mention additional revenue streams from sponsorships, pay-per-view buys, and consistently strong ticket sales. The decision to use AI has led fans to mock the promotion, questioning why a company with a reported $1.1 billion annual broadcast deal would resort to what many perceive as a low-effort promotional tactic.

MMA world claims Dana White is disrespecting fans

As soon as the video dropped, the criticism started pouring in. One fan even poked fun at the AI-generated version of Dana White, highlighting just how noticeable the effect was. The user posted: “AI Dana be lookin like a deepfake NPC.” While the digital version does resemble White at a glance, it quickly stands out for all the wrong reasons, falling squarely into the uncanny valley.

Meanwhile, this user saw the move from UFC to use AI as disrespect towards the fans. “Surely it’s not too much to ask to at least respect your fans,” the user commented. But this is just the beginning, as AI advances, companies will increasingly rely on AI as much as they can to save money. After all, that’s the main goal of any business. 

The next user was puzzled about the decision. “Really used AI to make the promo for one of the MOST popular fighting events of the year. Wow. Couldn’t actually just film one,” the user wrote. That would cost money and time, which the UFC may feel can be used elsewhere. 

Someone else had something similar to say. “Y’all have too many talented editors to be using AI, man,” the fan claimed. If this goes on, some people in the UFC might be out of jobs. 

Another user questioned whether the promotion was cutting corners due to financial concerns. “What f—k UFC, you seriously using AI for your promos now. UFC must be losing money,” the user wrote. However, the numbers suggest otherwise. The promotion reportedly generated over $1.5 billion in revenue in 2025, along with $851 million in adjusted EBITDA—hardly the signs of a company under financial strain being forced to depend on AI content.

An optimist might argue the UFC was simply experimenting with a new style, but the outcome has left many fans feeling cynical instead. Still, the widespread backlash could serve a purpose. If anything, it might push the promotion to rethink this approach.