“What a casual!” UFC Apex-praising TKO exec blasted by fans for making STUNNING claims

TKO President Mark Shapiro recently discussed how the UFC can increase revenue by hosting more fight events at the UFC Apex.

“What a casual!” UFC Apex-praising TKO exec blasted by fans for making STUNNING claims

Dana White's associate and TKO President talks about the UFC Apex facility (Image via Reddit/UFC)

The UFC Apex facility officially opened on June 18, 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most UFC events held in the U.S. took place at the Apex without any spectators. The facility continues to host select Fight Night events and now permits a limited number of public spectators. However, its reputation has evolved significantly.

In April 2023, the UFC underwent a significant transformation by merging with the wrestling organization WWE to form TKO Group Holdings. Following this merger, Dana White took on the role of CEO of the promotion, aiming to further elevate the UFC’s status. Recently, Mark Shapiro, the President of TKO, shared his insights on how the promotion could improve its profit margins.

When it comes to UFC, our margin could be higher if we decided to do less international events. Maybe even less domestic touring events and do them in the Apex arena in Las Vegas, where we own the arena, and when you are watching on TV, you can’t tell if you are in a stadium or in an arena or if you are at a small but mighty Apex that we have in Las Vegas.

Mark Shapiro in a press conference (h/t: @OnPointMMA on X)
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Even though the UFC Apex has played a pivotal role in maintaining the interest of onlookers for the promotion, it has also faced intense scrutiny over the years. Notably, a majority of fighters and fans believe that the Apex is not an ideal location for MMA fight events due to its limited seating capacity. However, despite reports of a planned revamp, the Apex continues to host Fight Nights as of now.

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Since its inception, the UFC Apex facility has hosted over 100 Fight Nights and has several upcoming events scheduled. On March 15, Roman Dolidze will face Marvin Vettori at the Apex. Following that, on April 5, undefeated featherweight contender Lerone Murphy will seek a victory against veteran Josh Emmett at the same venue.

Fight fans react to TKO President Mark Shapiro’s words on UFC Apex

The last two Fight Nights at the UFC Apex created significant excitement within the UFC community. Notably, veteran fighter Jared Cannonier delivered an impressive performance, defeating rising prospect Gregory Rodrigues. Additionally, last weekend, Manel Kape emerged as a contender in the UFC flyweight division by defeating Asu Almabayev at the Apex.

UFC Fight Nights at the Apex
UFC Fight Nights at the Apex (Image via MMA Fighting)

Interestingly, TKO President Mark Shapiro’s statements were quite contradictory to the opinions of the general public and UFC fighters regarding the Apex. Consequently, his comments quickly went viral and provoked reactions from netizens. Check out some of the responses below.

Fans of UFC have highlighted the differences between watching fights at the Apex and in a stadium. Meanwhile, many netizens criticized the TKO President for making unnecessary comments. A few have even called on UFC CEO Dana White to address the situation. It will be interesting to see if White responds.

Related: Dana White’s religion: Is the UFC president an atheist?