Fans were shocked. Duncan vs. Duncan? How could a fighter face himself? The confusion stemmed from a simple social media gaffe. Dana White or his team appeared responsible. In a now-deleted X post, the UFC CEO referred to Renato Moicano as “Duncan,” confusing him with Chris Duncan—Moicano’s scheduled opponent at UFC Fight Night—and drawing immediate criticism.

“Duncan has arrived to the Meta Apex,” the post read beneath an image of the Brazilian.

Many fans quickly took to social media, slamming Dana White and his team for a blunder that could have been avoided. With recent issues such as legal battles, business shifts, and widely publicized differences with some of the promotion’s biggest names, UFC management was already facing pressure. This latest instance, where they seemingly mixed up the name of a leading divisional contender, only deepened questions about whether White & Co. still approach the UFC with the same level of seriousness.

“Yeah, Dana White has fully checked out 😭,” wrote fight news account ACD MMA.

Similar reactions came from sports broadcaster Ben Davies, who shared a screengrab of Dana White’s post while stating, “I’m gonna scream.” As of this writing, Moicano secured a victory via a second-round rear-naked choke. The Brazilian returned to winning form after two consecutive losses, including one against then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Even so, the result did little to shift attention away from the confusion surrounding White’s post.

That reaction is not limited to this incident alone. While the UFC has plenty of issues to deal with, fans’ outrage also reflects a broader concern – Dana White’s growing involvement with boxing. Launched last year with Saudi backing, his promotional venture Zuffa has started to build momentum, staging weekly events similar to how the UFC currently operates.

A section of fans, especially diehard UFC followers, remain wary of that shift. Concerns around fighter pay continue to surface, particularly when fans see the purse disparity between MMA fighters and boxers operating under the same parent company.

The reaction to the deleted X post reflects that larger frustration.

Fans slam Dana White, team for name blunder

For instance, one fan did not hold back, berating Dana White. “This is Moicano, you senile old man.” Social media mix-ups are fairly common. But this one stood out. At a time when the organization is already dealing with criticism on multiple fronts, even small mistakes tend to amplify the noise.

Another fan took a more direct shot: “Yeah, Dana doesn’t give a f–k about the sport anymore 😂.” That reaction captures the frustration, though it likely goes too far. With Zuffa Boxing’s fifth event lined up tomorrow, White’s schedule remains packed, which can lead to lapses like this.

One user had a more pragmatic take: “I’d make fun of Dana, but his intern is now out of a job.” Given his responsibilities, White is unlikely to handle his social media accounts directly, meaning the responsibility likely falls on someone else who could face consequences.

Another comment pushed the criticism further. “Not even Dana. It’s his social media team. Everyone is checked out. Dana don’t care, matchmakers don’t care, the production team don’t care—no one cares anymore,” they wrote. The same idea surfaced elsewhere as well. “Dana doesn’t give a f–k about the UFC,” one wrote.

What began as confusion ultimately circled back to reality. It was Moicano vs. Duncan, not Duncan vs. Duncan.

Fans’ anger is understandable. At the same time, White and his team could be given some leeway. It was a minor mix-up that was quickly taken down. But the reaction to it says more about the current perception of the UFC than the mistake itself. What matters more now is how the fighters move forward from the result – Moicano with a win and Duncan with his first loss after four consecutive wins.