The event is slated to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with approximately ten weeks remaining until fight night. While several fights on the card have already been revealed by UFC matchmakers, the identity of the fighters headlining the event remains a mystery.

Numerous potential main event matchups have been speculated in the media, such as Conor McGregor versus Michael Chandler. However, indications suggest that this bout is more likely to occur later in the summer. Another rumored option is Dricus du Plessis defending his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev.

Dana White, addressing the fans on Instagram Live, stated that, as of now, no main event for UFC 300 has been finalized. He assured fans that the UFC is considering a couple of different options and emphasized that when the main event is eventually revealed, it will be nothing short of “crazy.”

During the Instagram Live session, White shared insights into the ongoing preparations for UFC 300, mentioning the recent signing of two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison, who is set to face Holly Holm on the card.

White added, “When will you get the main event? You guys can’t even handle the main event. We’re working on a couple of different options. Trust me, the UFC 300 main event is going to be crazy. We have a couple of options for the main event. I’m still playing with it, I’m still playing with it. When it’s time, I will give it to you.”

While White’s comments provide some information on the ongoing deliberations, he ruled out the inclusion of past UFC stars such as Brock Lesnar, Georges St-Pierre, or Ronda Rousey in the headline fight. With no official announcement yet, fans are left eagerly anticipating the unveiling of the main event for UFC 300.

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In a hard-fought battle for the promotion’s middleweight championship, South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis emerged victorious by split decision, securing the title previously held by his opponent, Sean Strickland.

In the aftermath of the bout, the prevailing sentiment within the MMA community over the past couple of days suggests that Strickland claimed the first and fifth rounds, while Du Plessis secured the victory by taking three of the rounds — leaving the closely contested second round as the pivotal factor.

MMA Decisions, a media scoring aggregator, indicates that reporters’ assessments of the fight were nearly evenly divided, with a slight majority favoring Du Plessis by a three-rounds-to-two margin.

However, UFC CEO Dana White, addressing the media, admitted to being in the minority camp with his assessment. White expressed the belief that Strickland had done enough to win the decision.

“We were just looking at how the media had scored it and right down the middle,” White responded to The Mac Life’s question. “I had it 2-2 going into the last round, and I thought that Strickland won the last round. Guys who were sitting at the same table had it the other way. It was a close fight.”

White praised Strickland’s performance in the early rounds, highlighting the effectiveness of his jab. He noted Strickland’s visible success as both of Du Plessis’s eyes were swollen shut.

However, White observed a slowdown in Strickland’s pace in the third and fourth rounds while Du Plessis maintained forward momentum.

“I had it even going to the fifth round,” White stated. “And was like, ‘This is the round … see who wants it.’ They both started to turn it up a little bit. It’s just one of those tight fights. But, I’m also one of these guys … I believe you have to take it from the champion.”

In response to White’s comments, Du Plessis had a succinct reply to his boss’s assessment: “Dana said I lost the fight? Well, bullshit.”

The post Dana White says he thought Sean Strickland won UFC 297 main event appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

The connection between McGregor and Chandler dates back to their roles as opposing coaches on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter last spring. Although initially planned for UFC 296 in December, the bout was delayed due to concerns about McGregor’s eligibility. Subsequent rumors placed them at April’s UFC 300 event, but that arrangement also failed to materialize.

Contrary to McGregor’s announcement, UFC CEO Dana White, responding to a reporter’s inquiry at the UFC 297 post-fight press conference, indicated that McGregor will not be returning to the octagon in June. White offered a straightforward response: “Uhh, no. If and when Conor is ready to fight, you know we’ll announce it.”

Adding an element of uncertainty, Dana White has not committed to Michael Chandler being McGregor’s comeback opponent. Before UFC 297, White shared thoughts with Sportsnet, stating, “So, McGregor will be back this year, possibly him and Chandler. We’ll see how this whole thing plays out.”

The question remains whether Conor McGregor will indeed make a return to the octagon in 2024, leaving fans in suspense about the fate of his much-anticipated comeback.

The post Dana White, UFC CEO, Asserts Conor McGregor Won’t Fight in June: “When Conor’s ready to fight, you know we’ll announce it” appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Speculation has arisen suggesting that UFC officials might be endeavoring to persuade iconic figures from the organization’s history to make a one-night comeback, akin to Brock Lesnar’s appearance at UFC 200 in July 2016.

However, Dana White has quashed such expectations, stating that there are no plans for the likes of Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, or Georges St-Pierre to don their 4oz gloves once more at the event, scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 13.

White emphasized that Ronda Rousey, Georges St-Pierre, and the aforementioned Lesnar are not on the list of potential returnees. Lesnar’s last professional fight was against Mark Hunt at UFC 200, while Georges St-Pierre retired shortly after winning the middleweight title in November 2017. Ronda Rousey’s final MMA bout occurred in December 2016, resulting in a loss to Amanda Nunes.

Although the main event for UFC 300 is yet to be determined, two title bouts have been announced. The first all-Chinese title fight in UFC history will feature women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili defending her title against compatriot Yan Xioanan. Additionally, Justin Gaethje will defend the ‘BMF’ title against former featherweight kingpin Max Holloway. Aljamain Sterling is set to make his 145-pound debut against Calvin Kattar and confirmed participants include Jiri Prochazka and Bo Nickal.

Further announcements regarding UFC 300 matchups, including the eagerly awaited main event, are expected in the upcoming days.

The post Dana White Responds to UFC 300 Speculation Involving Lesnar, Rousey, and GSP appeared first on Sports Al Dente.