UFC President Dana White is preparing to go toe-to-toe with a Canelo Alvarez card as his MMA organization stages a first combat sports event at the newly-opened Las Vegas Sphere in a few weeks’ time. However, after a fall-out with the hierarchy at the MGM, White made a shocking claim regarding the gate for Canelo’s upcoming fight night.
Alvarez has made a habit of fighting on or around both Cinco De Mayo (May 1st) and Mexican Independence Day (September 15th) during recent years, fighting on at least one of those dates in nine of the last ten years.
Although, that September date at the T-Mobile Arena was occupied by the UFC during 2023, meaning Canelo instead faced Jermell Charlo on September 30th, two weeks after Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko fought to a draw at the Las Vegas venue.
This time around, Canelo (61-2-2) will resume his routine and take to the ring on September 14th against New York’s Edgar Berlanga (22-0) – who won each of his first 16 professional contests via first-round knockout.
Yet, in an interview on The Mac Life YouTube channel, Dana White insinuated that he was frustrated by the MGM’s decision to stage the Canelo fight without first speaking with him, before going on to reveal that the MGM has guaranteed the gate to both Alvarez and Berlanga.
“I am going to go for Mexican Independence Day every year here, for the rest of my career at least, no matter what is going on.
“I didn’t determine whether to go up against him [Canelo], we were already going. That was our date, we were going on that date and then they announced that they were going [on that date too]. Listen, MGM is guaranteeing the gate for that fight, so why would they not go on that date, if MGM is going to put up all of the money?”
“We went there [at the MGM] last year. That was our date last year. Then, without even asking us or talking to us, they gave the date away. That is why I am at the Sphere, I couldn’t do the sphere because I am under contract with MGM. But, because they f***ed us, they let us do it.”
It is reported that Canelo’s showdown with Charlo, on a similar date at the same venue last year, generated a gate of around $20 million, and was reportedly a sell-out. So Canelo-Berlanga’s guarantee can be expected to be a similarly sized deal, with both men benefiting respectively, although the Mexican would assumably receive the lion’s share.
Meanwhile, White and the UFC will battle directly with one of boxing’s long-standing cash-cow’s as they air UFC 306 simultaneously in another pay-per-view event. There, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley will attempt to defend his UFC Bantamweight Title for the second time, facing Georgan-born Merab Dvalishvili – who is on a ten-fight winning streak and currently sits at #1 in the bantamweight rankings.
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