What Happened When Dana White’s UFC And Canelo Alvarez Clashed At The Box Office PPV Last Time?

Canelo Alvarez and Dana White

Fans frequently tune in to UFC or boxing events each weekend. While it’s common for these events to overlap, it becomes significant when a major pay-per-view (PPV) from both sports takes place simultaneously, potentially impacting viewership and attendance. As one of the top MMA promotions with a massive fan base, the UFC often competes with boxing’s biggest names, especially when major stars from both sports fight on the same day.

On September 14th, fans will witness such a clash as UFC hosts UFC Noche (UFC 306), one of its biggest events, while boxing superstar Alvarez also fights that same day. However, this isn’t the first time a major UFC PPV has gone head-to-head with a major boxing event.

What Happened When UFC 244 And Canelo Alvarez’s Fight Overlapped?

When UFC 244 and Canelo Alvarez’s fight coincided on the same night, it generated a lot of excitement in the combat sports community. The Mexican star was very confident about the numbers of his event, but the UFC also had strong confidence. Dana White even remarked at the pre-fight press conference that it was a bold move if they planned to go head-to-head. He said,

“If they time it right and they do this thing the right way. It could be very much like the other night. when Gaethje fought ‘Cowboy’, and then the Fury fight was on after. If they time it right, it could work out. But if they want to go head to head, they’re fu**ing n***.”

The event featured the much-anticipated fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz for the BMF title, which created a major buzz among MMA fans. This was a particularly notable event as Dana White introduced the first-ever title that could be contested by challenging the BMF titleholder.

In contrast, the Mexican moved up two weight classes to fight Sergey Kovalev for the WBO light heavyweight title, an anticipated bout that aimed to captivate boxing fans and marked Canelo’s rise through multiple weight classes.

To avoid competing directly with the UFC, DAZN, which had invested heavily in Canelo, chose to delay his fight instead of competing for viewers. They even had the MGM Grand Garden Arena show UFC 244 for fans who were waiting for Canelo’s bout.

That was an unforgettable experience for fans. Now, as September approaches, they might be recalling the clash between Canelo and the UFC event. On September 14th, UFC 306 and Canelo’s fight against Edgar Berlanga will once again overlap. Fans are left wondering which event will come out on top this time.