Dana White Has High Hopes for UFC Freedom 250 Audience Numbers
In an interview with TNT Sports UK, Dana White says he's hoping for a large audience for UFC Freedom 250 this Sunday night.
As UFC Freedom 250 fight week rolls on, UFC CEO Dana White is preparing to put on one of the most anticipated events in the history of the sport of MMA. Barring any inclement weather in the extended forecast for Washington, DC and/or legal challenges quashing the card, the Sunday night showcase will originate from The White House grounds in Washington this weekend.
Inside the United States of America, UFC Freedom 250 will be seen gavel-to-gavel via Paramount Plus beginning at 6 pm ET/ 3 pm PT on Sunday evening. Two title fights will top the bill on the night.
Supremacy in both the lightweight and heavyweight divisions will be on the line. Your co-main event will see the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship at stake when Alex Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) moves up to 265 to challenge incumbent interim titleholder Ciryl Gane (13-2, 1 NC MMA, 10-2, 1 NC UFC.)
The headlining affair on Sunday happens at 155 lbs, when Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) collides with Justin Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in a unification battle. Both fights are an advertised five rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
Dana White Discusses Fight for Respect in Sports Landscape in TNT Interview
Earlier Monday, TNT Sports UK, the rightsholder for UFC events in the United Kingdom, released an interview on its YouTube channel between Adam Catterall and Dana White. A variety of topics were touched on in the sitdown interview, including the promotion waging the war for respect against the viewing public in America in its earliest days.
"When you think about, first of all, where we came from and how this whole sport started and how it was frowned upon in the United States, to now be heading to The White House is pretty surreal," Dana White began. UFC Freedom 250 is part of the Freedom 250 series of events taking place in Washington to commemorate America's 250th birthday.
The card takes place June 14, the 80th birthday of United States President Donald Trump, a colleague and friend of Dana White. He talked about their friendship.
"The President of the United States is a huge fight fan," White continued, "and the guy that's always been in showbusiness and gets it. Nobody loves The White House more than President Trump does."
Dana White on Genesis for UFC Freedom 250 Card
While on the topic of President Trump and visiting The White House in Washington, Dana White mentioned how UFC Freedom 250 came into being from a conversation that he and Trump had in the past.
"There's a sense of pride that he has in that place that is like nothing I've ever seen before," he continued. "We were at a fight, at a UFC fight and he looks at me and he says, 'You know what? We should do a fight at The White House.'
The UFC CEO instantly liked the idea and was in contact with Trump on how to plan the event from the following day onward.
Dana White Aiming for Major Audience Figures for UFC Freedom 250 Sunday
In the United States, there's no bigger single-day sporting event than the Super Bowl. Every February, millions of Americans put their lives on pause on the second Sunday evening of the year's shortest month to watch the NFL's grand finale.
This past winter, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, the home stadium of the San Francisco 49ers, played host to Super Bowl LX, won by the Seattle Seahawks. The Feb. 8 game was viewed by 125.6 million people, placing it at No. 2 on the all-time list of most-watched programs.
Dana White wants to have viewership figures that rival the game this weekend.
"I think that for UFC fans all over the world, this is a very unique experience for everybody," he said. "We're expecting Super Bowl-type numbers for this fight."
