{"id":796901,"date":"2026-07-13T05:28:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T05:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/796901\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T05:28:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T05:28:08","slug":"dana-white-lights-up-ufc-production-staff-for-misidentifying-boxing-star-shakur-stevenson-as-an-nba-player-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/796901\/","title":{"rendered":"Dana White lights up UFC production staff for misidentifying boxing star Shakur Stevenson as an NBA player"},"content":{"rendered":"

UFC<\/a> President Dana White expected Shakur Stevenson to get a hero\u2019s welcome at UFC 329.<\/p>\n

Instead, the UFC couldn\u2019t even get the sport right, introducing him as an NBA<\/a> player. The mishap set up for one of White\u2019s most memorable post-fight rants in recent memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I tell you all the time, my production team is amazing. We just did the White House \u2026 and it was the greatest f\u2014ing thing in the world to be there live and to watch it on TV,\u201d White told reporters.<\/p>\n

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM WALKS INTO OCTAGON AS SURPRISE UFC 329 RING GIRL<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI just paid Shakur Stevenson a s\u2014 load of money, and for some reason, we can\u2019t figure this celebrity thing out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey put him up as a f\u2014ing OKC NBA player. Are you f\u2014ing kidding me? It\u2019s absolutely crazy,\u201d White continued. \u201cWe are the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing. When we put celebrities up, we are the worst.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what set White off?<\/p>\n

CONOR MCGREGOR REACTS TO DISASTROUS UFC RETURN: \u2018MY HEAD GASKET IS GONE\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Conor McGregor<\/a> was making his highly anticipated return to the Octagon, and the Las Vegas crowd was predictably packed with A-listers.<\/p>\n

During a routine broadcast sweep of the cageside VIPs, the camera landed on undefeated, four-division boxing champion Shakur Stevenson.<\/p>\n

The only problem? He was identified as Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.<\/a><\/p>\n

Yikes. Under normal circumstances, that\u2019s something you laugh off. But for White, it was an expensive embarrassment.<\/p>\n

White had just spent big to bring Stevenson to Zuffa Boxing. UFC 329 was supposed to celebrate the signing. Instead, the broadcast turned him into a member of the Thunder.<\/p>\n

White later revealed he got into a backstage screaming match with his crew, who apparently tried to defend the gaffe by claiming soccer<\/a> broadcasts are worse because they don\u2019t use graphics at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d White fired back. \u201cWe put up f\u2014ing graphics and put the wrong guy\u2019s name on them. We win. We\u2019re the worst ever to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

While White was ready to hand out pink slips, the athletes involved took the blunder in stride.<\/p>\n

Stevenson hopped on social media, jokingly tweeting, \u201cYea Dana #FireTheyA\u2013.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the real Jalen Williams caught wind of his surprise appearance at UFC 329 and posted a screenshot of the broadcast to his Instagram Stories with the caption, \u201cEhhh close enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

It also wasn\u2019t the UFC\u2019s first celebrity graphic disaster. Fans may remember UFC 306 when the production crew famously labeled world champion boxer Terence Crawford as \u201cKendrick Lamar.\u201d<\/p>\n

The UFC might put on the greatest live spectacles in combat sports, but until it hires a pop culture fact-checker for the production truck, no celebrity sitting cageside is safe from a sudden identity change.<\/p>\n

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com \/ Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela<\/a><\/p>\n