Dana White reveals problem behind hosting fight at 85,000 capacity venue in Spain

Dana White talks about the problem with setting up a fight in Spain.

Dana White reveals problem behind hosting fight at 85,000 capacity venue in Spain

Dana White on Ilia Topuria and Spain (Image via Imago)

UFC CEO, Dana White has some big dreams for the company. When White started UFC, he was looking for venues in different states that would host the violent sport of MMA. Now he is still looking for venues, but they are multi-million dollar establishments for his champions like Ilia Topuria and Dricus Du Plessis. 

Dana White recently sat down to have a conversation on TNT Sports. While interacting with Adam Catterall, White talked about a potential UFC event in Spain. White wants to take the UFC to the European peninsula, but there is a problem with what featherweight champion Ilia Topuria demanded.

The problem with Topuria and Spain is Spain's venues are so backed up since COVID. They have so many events going on. It's hard to get a venue there. But when we can, we will definitely do that.
Dana White on TNT Sports
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Ilia Topuria defeated Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. The undefeated UFC champion then expressed his desire to take the UFC to Spain and headline at the home stadium of Spain’s Real Madrid with a seating capacity of over 80,000 people.

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However, that is not where Dana White’s plans end. The UFC’s head honcho also has plans to take the UFC to Africa. Interestingly, the UFC CEO highlighted that the prime location to host a UFC event in the continent is Dricus Du Plessis‘s South Africa. However, White has plans to take the UFC to the rest of Africa too.

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Dana White on hosting a UFC fight in Africa

Dana White talked about the middleweight championship and agreed that a title fight should be headlined in South Africa. Middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis had expressed his desire to take the UFC to his hometown. The head honcho addressed this in his recent chat with Catterall.

Dana White talks about setting up a fight in Africa
Dana White talks about setting up a fight in Africa (Image via Imago)

The African champion has a fight coming up this August against former champion Israel Adesanya. Dana White revealed that the promotion is in the works to set up a fight in the African continent. White said that in his attempt to bring the UFC to other parts of the world, Africa would be a “no-brainer.”

 I wanna go to Africa. We're still working on an Africa fight; not just South Africa, but Africa. You know, 'cause everybody will make the argument, 'If you go to South Africa, that's not really Africa.' That's Africa to me. But we'll still look to go to other parts of Africa. It's important to me.
Dana White on TNT Sports

Turns out that if du Plessis wins his upcoming fight at UFC 305, the next title fight could be at his home ground in South Africa. Moreover, White also talked about establishing a UFC PI (Performance Institute) in Africa. Although setting up these institutes is not cheap, that is what Dana White has planned to do next.

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