Lifestyle
Dana White Credits Tom Brady W/ Historic UFC Noche Card At Sphere
TMZSports.com
Dana White and the UFC are hosting one of their most ambitious cards ever at the Sphere on Saturday — and that’s saying something for a guy who built an entire “Fight Island” — an event the UFC honcho tells us wouldn’t be happening without Tom Brady!
White joined Babcock on TMZ Sports TV show (airs nightly on FS1) this week … where he revealed TB12 was the inspo behind the first-ever Sphere sporting event.
“I went to the Sphere with Tom Brady. He invited me to come to U2 with him. Had Brady not invited me, I wouldn’t even have been to the Sphere yet. It’s almost like this was meant to be,” the UFC CEO said of the mega event.
FYI, the Sphere is a state-of-the-art venue in Las Vegas that offers an incredibly unique, immersive viewing experience unlike anything the world has ever seen.
In fact, White says his fight promotion is under contract with MGM, and if not for a dispute, UFC 306 almost certainly would’ve gone down at T-Mobile Arena — which is owned in part by the casino giant.
“No matter how it plays out, this was supposed to happen. It’s a one-and-done. I’m under contract with [MGM] and I’ll be back with [them] after this event.”
If you haven’t heard about Saturday’s UFC 306 card, AKA Noche UFC — which comes on Mexican Independence Day weekend — it goes down September 14 in Sin City … and features two title fights, including a matchup pitting “Suga” Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili.
Dana says the ultimate goal was to celebrate the Mexican heritage … and what the people have brought to the world of fighting.
“I call it my love letter to the Mexican people on Mexican Independence Day. We’re going to talk about their traditions, their culture, their history, and their contributions to combat sports,” White told us.
Doing all that wasn’t cheap … but Dana says it looks like the promotion is in for a historic night.
“I’m 20 million into this thing but pre-buys, we’ve had the biggest pre-buys ever in UFC history for any event we’ve ever done. And the gate’s looking like it’s going to be $23 million, which is the biggest gate we’ve ever done.”
Check out the full interview with Dana … he gets into what viewers at home can expect from the event, and he also previews a few of the fights he’s most excited about.
And remember, if you dig it, you can thank the G.O.A.T.!
Life’s too short for small talk. Rachel gets right to the questions that matter most. Once a week, famous guests pull questions from a deck of cards and open up about the kind of stuff we all think about but rarely say out loud. Actors, authors, and thinkers are prompted to talk about everything from their insecurities and dreams to grief and God. Named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, Wild Card stands out among celebrity interview podcasts. When modern life feels chaotic or overwhelming, listen to Wild Card for a joyful, grounding reminder of our shared humanity.
Want to listen to Wild Card sponsor-free? Support NPR by subscribing to Wild Card+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/wildcard.
- NPR App
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Amazon Music
- iHeartRadio
- Youtube Music
- RSS link
Krutzsch says the event was designed to be accessible. “It was critical to make sure that there were affordable opportunities for the community and fans of the World Cup, or any of these countries that are participating, to have a place to come be part of these official celebrations,” he says.
Tickets for FIFA Fan Festival are $10 including fees, with free admission for children ages 12 and under when accompanied by a paid adult. (There is a limit of three free child tickets per one adult ticket purchase.)
TikTok content creator Carlos Maciel plays a game at the DoorDash booth during a media preview of the FIFA Fan Festival.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Meanwhile, reserved club seats and loge boxes are $30 including fees. These premium tickets offer access to shaded lounge areas, enhanced seating, food and beverage offerings and elevated viewing locations overlooking the festival grounds and match screens.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the Coliseum box office on event days when the festival is not sold out. The box office is located at Gate 29. General admission entry will be at Gates 1, 4 and 28.
Kyle Cooke and Ciara Miller in the season 10 reunion of Summer House.
Clifton Prescod/Bravo
hide caption
toggle caption
Clifton Prescod/Bravo
Have you been keeping up with all the drama of Summer House? The cast of the Bravo reality series is currently embroiled in a scandal involving Kyle Cooke, Amanda Batula, West Wilson and Ciara Miller. We’re unpacking why people in and outside the Bravo fandom can’t stop talking about Summer House, what drives the drama of Bravo, and where the franchise might go from here.
Do you like messy and fun reality shows? Check out these episodes:
We’re taking a chaotic trip to ‘Love Island,’ babe
‘Vanderpump Rules,’ ‘Scandoval’ and a fight that never ends
Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
Letterboxd / Facebook
Our weekly newsletter
Support Pop Culture Happy Hour+
-
Science1 minute agoWarning of cuts to medical services, L.A. health officials ask state for emergency funds
-
Sports6 minutes agoCommentary: Cameron Brink is trying to navigate a fouled-up situation
-
World16 minutes agoNigeria killed more than 13,000 ‘terrorists’ in past year, president says
-
News43 minutes agoWhich billionaire said they learned a ‘significant lesson’ this week? The quiz knows
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoFire breaks out under roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoMayor Sheffield absent from People Mover board during alleged wrongdoing
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoDay Around the Bay: All BART Stations In San Francisco Now Have Free Wi-Fi
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoReunion Tower debuts World Cup light show as Dallas welcomes fans
