“Manchester or London?” – Dana White sends fans into frenzy with stunning 2024 UFC England tease

Dana White hints that with two active serving British champions on the roster, UFC gets to return to London soon enough for a spectacular fight card.

“Manchester or London?” – Dana White sends fans into frenzy with stunning 2024 UFC England tease

Dana White says UFC's return to Lodon is a sure thing (Source: IMAGO/Instagram)

Early on at the UFC 2024 seasonal press conference, Dana White had let in on a few fight cards. The company started with UFC Fight Night: Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker 2, and moved on to the more historic UFC 300. The April fight card marks a landmark premier combat sports promotion event. Major titles have already changed hands at UFC 297 and UFC 298. Major cards are also to happen in Brazil, Abu Dhabi, Australia, and at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Now, London gets into the mix yet again. White recently had yet another conversation with Adam Catterall. Speaking to UFC on TNT Sports, he revealed that England fit into the puzzle with major titles defended at other cards. With two English combatants as champs – Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards, White indicated at a PPV card in the UK. This is what White said:

Two champs now in England... We're going to England. We're coming. I got great fights lined up for the UK fans.
Dana White via TNT Sports
YouTube video

A prime reaction on X (@McDainMMA) wrote – “LETS FU*KING GO!!! Been waiting in this announcement for months! Question is – Manchester or London!” Dana White’s UFC has a handful of Britons serving the active roster. Hence, this isn’t the only reaction to the matter. Many fight fans have nudged similar sentiments.

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Aspinall serves as the interim heavyweight titleholder. After receiving a hero’s welcome at Villa Park, during Aston Villa’s home win against Burnley, Edwards hinted at talks about a title defense at UFC 300. And a subsequent summertime appearance on home turf. By all appearances, the latter now has the go-ahead, sending fans into frenzies.

Fight fans react to UFC’s return to England

UFC 38 – July 13th, 2002 – Royal Albert Hall drew a mere attendance of just 3,800. While modern stats dwarf this number, it marked a historic inception of the promotion to appear in new soil. A tradition that succeeded UFC 85 – June 7th, 2008 – O2 Arena which, concurrently, marked the UK market seeing a $3 million rise in revenue.

The more recent UFC Fight Night 84 – O2 Arena accordingly marked Anderson Silva and Michael Bispings’ epic affair. London’s own Jimi Manuwa‘s performance at UFC Fight Night 107 was also quite a good one. Moroever, after Leon Edwards’s historic UFC 286 title defense, another UK PPV card remains massive.

Dana White's UFC London tease can imply big names on the card
Dana White’s UFC London tease can imply big names on the card (Source: Twitter/UFC.go.com)

Hence, the MMA community is always anticipating yet another return, snubbing the usual spots like Las Vegas. Here’s how they have reacted to such a tease from Dana White:

Accordingly, some fans have jibed at UK PPV buyout costs being effectively more. UFC 286 – the UFC London 2023 PPV needed £19.95 to access the live broadcast of the show.

However, other excited fans have invoked big possible names to the card. Belal Muhammad recently reunited with team Khabib and American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) peers for a possible welterweight title showdown. He has had quite a banter going on with current champ Leon Edwards.

https://twitter.com/TsMMATips/status/1772625422846472692?s=20

Alongside, as per Dana White, Tom Aspinall might finally get to unify his interim hardware, going on a lengthy tirade after Jon Jones’ rant about his unproven legacy. Michael ‘Venom’ Page and Paddy Pimblett are other names that have similarly expressed interest before.

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