Dana White responds after UFC's Saudi Arabia main event is 'leaked'

The main event for UFC's first ever card in Saudi Arabia appeared to be leaked online but Dana White has responded.

The MMA promotion have yet to venture to Saudi, which has now become the go-to-place for major fights and sporting events.

Huge boxing bouts involving the likes of Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou, while the WWE, also part of the TKO Group alongside UFC, run regular shows in Riyadh.

UFC are expected to be in the Gulf state in the near future though rumoured delays were said to be because of officials not being satisfied with the fights.

On Tuesday, a picture went viral online and appeared to show the first ever Saudi UFC main event being leaked.

The post appeared to show a screenshot from the Kingdom Arena website, suggesting that a huge bout between Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev would headline the inaugural show.

Image: Getty

June 22 was the date floating around and understandably the MMA community was filled with buzz and excitement.

Yet it later emerged that the arena's legitimate website had not posted any details whatsoever.

And White was quick to confirm the post was in fact fake, before unloading on members of the MMA media world.

Image: Dana White

The UFC chief wrote: “Not happening. It was a fake post. All the MMA Media that ran with it are the problem. Absolute CLOWNS.

"If you hear it from MMA media and NOT us, it's probably bull****."

In January, White fumed when he was asked about reports stating there were disagreements over the fights presented to Saudi chiefs.

At the UFC 297 presser, White vented: "Total bulls***.That's a straight out f****** lie. I don't know who started it or how it started, but not one fight was announced to Saudi. Not one fight was announced to them.

"I called and asked to push the card back. Because we have a couple guys that we want on the card, and they weren't ready. So, listen, you know how we are. "We want to deliver, and if we're going to Saudi Arabia at the level that these guys do things, and it's a Fight Night. But we want to make it the best Fight Night we've ever done."

Saudi will first host a huge PFL vs Bellator card on 24 February at the Kingdom Arena.

Topics: UFC, Saudi Arabia, Dana White

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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