Noche UFC 2 already has a location booked for 2024, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
The card celebrating Mexican Independence Day will take place at The Sphere in Las Vegas, White said at the post-fight press conference for UFC 295 on Saturday.
The massive circular building, which cost $2.3 billion to build, asw the talk of the town after debuting with concerts from U2 and special screenings of a film shot by Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky.
With huge LED screens surrounding the inside and outside of the building and a state of the art sound system, the buzz about hosting possible live sporting events started almost immediately after opening weekend.
UFC CEO Dana White immediately seized on the possibility, and now he’s confirmed that the promotion will put on a card at The Sphere in September 2024.
“Mexican Independence Day, we are booked for The Sphere,” White revealed at the UFC 295 post-fight press conference. “We are already working on the creative for the show.
“It’s a massive challenge, and I love every minute of it. I can’t wait to dive into this thing. As I get more of the pieces of the puzzle put together, I’ll let you guys know as it comes along. I’m super excited about this. I love challenges.”
The unique issues facing a UFC production largely stem from the design of The Sphere, which has a relatively small staging area and seats that cascade up almost like a movie theater.
Concerts and film screenings seem easy enough, but a live sporting event will present a whole different variety of logistical issues. It’s a problem that White can’t wait to tackle.
“Everybody keeps saying to me, ‘I don’t understand how you’re going to put the octagon in there, I don’t understand how you’re going to do this, I don’t understand how you’re going to do that,’” White said.
“Remember that I said this to you tonight — I’m going to put on the greatest live combat sports show anybody has ever seen.”
On Saturday, UFC 295 took place at Madison Square Garden, which shares the same owners as The Sphere in Las Vegas, a partnership that White wants to expand.
With just under a year to get ready, White can’t wait to face the challenge to promote a live event at the venue, which already reported losses of $98.4 million for the first quarter of business after opening in September.
