WATCH: Dana White can’t contain his excitement as he describes plans for UFC’s return to England with Leon Edwards’s title defense
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White promises to bring a stacked card to England
Dana White certainly isn’t someone that can handle his excitement after UFC London, imagining the prospects of the UFC’s return to England. Talking to BT Sport, the UFC President repeatedly got goosebumps as he revealed his choice of main event and plans for the company’s return across the pond.
When Leon Edwards won the welterweight championship at UFC 278, one thing was certain in White’s mind, the rematch had to happen in England. “We’re coming back to England with the rematch”, said White as he started to announce his initial plans for the promotion’s grand return to the UK.
Notifying that he was getting goosebumps talking about it, White said, “It’s been so long since we’ve bought a big title fight, back to the UK and that, we’re going to make that card, look like this card(UFC 280) “, said White as he revealed his intentions to return to the country with a star studded card as he revealed again that he was, ” Still getting goosebumps”
“You know how much I love the fans in England and the UK… anyway I’m F***ING PUMPED”, said White about the love and hospitality his promotion has received every time they visited the country.
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Will Dana White mark UFC’s return to England with a stadium show?
Shortly after this segment, White was questioned by Adam Catterall who had a small request. “I know you love the O2, I love the O2, the acoustics are beautiful, “ said Catterall as he propositioned the UFC President to give his country a chance to break the UFC ‘s live gate record.
Currently held by the Marvel Stadium in Australia with 57,127 attending UFC 243. White was propositioned to hold a stadium show in the UK. To the the UFC President asked, “I wanna do it, but what stadium do I do it in if I don’t do the O2? ” specifying that he’d need a venue with a roof to hold a UFC event.
“Fights gonna be in Jan or Feb, you can’t screw around in England without a roof anywhere if we’re doing fights, I mean let’s face it, it rains half of the time there and it’s freezing”, said White as he expressed weather restrictions to be a genuine barrier in holding stadium events in England.
As Catterall suggested The Principality Stadium in Cardiff to be an option, a venue that hold it’s highest gate for a boxing match feature Anthony Joshua , White asked, “You think that if I do it, in a stadium in Cardiff, we sell out? “ After being affirmed by Catteral of it’s certainty to sell out, White promised he’d “look at it”
UK fans have often complained about the heavy pricing and limited availability of UFC tickets whenever the promotion comes back to the country. This move would certainly allow more fans to be a part of the event. Currently Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman have been targeted to headline the event, with White suggesting Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington would also be a part of it.
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