UFC President Dana White launched a fiery, profanity-laced tirade against his own production team following an embarrassing identification error during Saturday night’s UFC 329 broadcast.
While showcasing high-profile celebrities in attendance, the UFC broadcast team incorrectly labeled world-champion boxer Shakur Stevenson as NBA player Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
An expensive oversight
The timing of the gaffe was particularly frustrating for White as Stevenson – a four-division world title holder – had just signed with Zuffa Boxing, the promotional company owned by TKO, the UFC’s parent firm, only days earlier.
White expressed his disbelief during the post-fight press conference, stating, “I just paid Shakur Stevenson a sh**tload of money and for some reason, we can’t figure this celebrity sh**t out. They put him up as a f*cking OKC NBA player. Are you kidding me?”
A pattern of celebrity confusion
This incident marks yet another high-profile blunder for the promotion. Fans and critics quickly pointed out that the UFC has a history of such mistakes. Most notably, during UFC 306 in 2024, the production team infamously misidentified legendary boxer Terence “Bud” Crawford as Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Comparing standards
White admitted that the promotion consistently falls short when it comes to identifying stars in the crowd. Comparing the technical complexity of hosting massive events – such as their recent production on the White House south lawn – to the simple task of on-screen labeling, he conceded, “We are the absolute worst to ever do this celebrity thing.”
