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Featured Image Credit: Getty/UFC
Topics: Fan Reactions, UFC, Dana White, MMA
Alex Brotherton
Dana White has been urged to change his mind after fans were left fuming about a detail in the UFC 304 announcement.
On Wednesday UFC announced its return to the UK, with UFC 304 set to take place at Manchester's new Co-op Live arena on July 27.
As part of the announcement statement, UFC President and CEO Dana White said: "I’m so excited to get back to Manchester. And no better time than this summer.
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"We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England!"
The Co-op Live was supposed to open its doors this week, but three performances by comedian Peter Kay were pushed back a week with the venue still under construction.
Attendees at a trial event this week were left shocked by the prices of drinks at the venue, with the cheapest pint of beer costing £8.35.
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However, what has angered UFC fans even more is the start time of UFC 304.
As was the case when UFC 204 took place in Manchester in 2016, the prelims will not begin until 11pm local time.
The main card will not get underway until 3am at the earliest, with organisers looking to cater for the Pay Per View and US audience over local fans.
"Main card at 3am?????? Whole point of it being in the UK is for the UK fans no?? Not the one that," one fan wrote on X, while another asked: "What's the point in holding it here then?"
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Plenty of fans have said they were planning to attend but won't bother now.
"Completely sucked the life out of the event by having it on US time, they’ll probably stop serving alcohol at like 2am as well," complained one disappointed fan.
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Another said: "I was so excited to go. I went to [UFC] 204 and I’m not going to an event at that time again so it’s a pass from me, I’ll watch it the next day."
One fan asked MMA broadcaster Adam Catterall to "speak out on behalf of the British fans please", because they "shouldn't have to accept that start time."
One American fan simply said: "I’m an American and that s*** is stupid as hell."
It looks like Matt Frevola and Paddy Pimblett could be on the card after the American called out the Liverpudlian on social media. The rest rest of the card has not been announced.