Earlier in the evening, one of White’s least favorite ex-UFC champions, Francis Ngannou, took to the hexagon as he dispatched former UFC veteran Philipe Lins<\/a> by TKO in his long-awaited return to the sport following a brief boxing stint (one that included subsequent defeats from Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua).<\/p>\n As Ngannou made his entrance before his eventual win, the UFC dropped a bombshell announcement: McGregor vs. Holloway 2<\/a>, exclusively from White’s Instagram Live session. The MMA community lost it as the focus shifted from MVP to the UFC in a matter of seconds, with midnight ET becoming a focal point of the night’s festivities.<\/p>\n White, who attended Brand Risk 14, headlined by former Heisman Trophy winner-turned NFL draft bust Johnny Manziel’s first-round TKO win vs. social media personality. Bob Menery<\/a>, in an amateur 205-pound MMA fight, responded to those who suggested the UFC had planned to sabotage Ngannou’s real-time Netflix momentum.<\/p>\n Dana White Clarifies UFC’s Motive To Announce Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 (Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n In a few words, White was having none of it. Not even for a second, even if the community still suggested he was lying.<\/p>\n “Not a coincidence,” White told Fred Talks Fighting<\/a>. “I had a f****** [UFC] fight here that night. Anybody who thinks that I gave a s*** what was going on anywhere else is out of their f****** minds.”<\/p>\n Despite White’s passion, it isn’t the first time the UFC has counter-programmed a rival promoter. Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva moved up to light heavyweight to challenge James Irvin in July 2008 in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card.<\/p>\n UFC Has Tried To Outdue Other Marquee MMA Events In Real-Time Zuffa LLC<\/p>\n Simultaneously, the UFC’s then-rival and now-defunct Affliction MMA had a pay-per-view<\/a> the same night that featured Fedor Emelianenko’s rear-naked choke over former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia. With Silva and Emelianenko’s victories, MMA fans won either way. There were talking points to be had.<\/p>\n In this instance, even if White fiercely denied it, similar tactics were easy to spot nearly 20 years later.<\/p>\n And that’s MMA, in a nutshell, in 2026.<\/p>\n![\"UFC](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kr2fwmh7zen4qazpmx.jpg\" "\\"UFC")
<\/p>\n![\"UFC](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01jva7g9ge0z7z81dj46.jpg\" "\\"UFC")
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