Sports

Dana White Fumes Over UFC Broadcast Mistaking Shakur Stevenson for NBA Player

By Michael Aldon Athlon Sports

Dana White was seething at the UFC 329 post-fight press conference after the UFC broadcast team committed a massive blunder involving his newest and most expensive signing. The UFC CEO is notoriously protective of the UFC brand, but this time, his fury was directed squarely at his own staff.

The incident occurred during the live broadcast of the event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the camera panned to boxing star Shakur Stevenson cageside. However, instead of correctly identifying the four-division world champion, the on-screen graphic labeled him as Jalen Williams, a forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

UFC Production Blunder

The error was shown on the Paramount+ broadcast with thousands of viewers watching (via Happy Punch on X):

This mix-up was a catastrophic error given that White had just signed Stevenson to a lucrative, blockbuster deal with Zuffa Boxing just days prior. Stevenson's on-camera appearance at the Conor McGregor fight was supposed to serve as a grand introduction for the newest Zuffa Boxing star to the broader UFC audience.

This is not the first time the UFC has made such an embarrassing error, which only added to White's anger.

The promotion previously infamously misidentified pound-for-pound boxing great Terence Crawford as rapper Kendrick Lamar during UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas in 2024 (via Xcellent MMA):

Dana White Explodes on Staff

White could not contain his fury during the media availability, offering a blistering critique of his production team's repeated failures (via UFC on YouTube).

"I just paid Shakur Stevenson a sh-load of money, and for some reason, we can't figure this celebrity sh- out," White fumed at the press conference.

He pointed out the absurdity of the situation by stating, "They put him up as a f- OKC NBA player. Are you f- kidding me? It's absolutely crazy."

Stevenson, however, took the mix-up in stride with humor. He reacted to White's rant on social media:

White contrasted the embarrassing gaffe with the team's recent, massive success building an arena on the South Lawn of the White House for UFC Freedom 250. The UFC CEO made it clear that the team responsible for the error is not living up to the company's standard of excellence.

White revealed that the frustration boiled over into a backstage screaming match, where he argued with his staff about their incompetence in identifying celebrities.

The production team attempted to defend themselves by comparing their track record to other sports, but White was having none of it.

"I just had this f- debate in the back with my guys while I was screaming at everybody back there, and they said, 'No, soccer's worse. Soccer shows the people, and they don't put up any graphics,'" White recounted.

He then delivered the knockout blow, saying, "Oh no. We put up f- graphics and put the wrong guy's name on it! We win. We're the worst ever to f- do it."

The repetition of the mistake suggests a recurring issue that White seems determined to stamp out, especially when dealing with high-profile talent from other combat sports.

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 3:35 AM.

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