UFC President Dana White claims he's 'securing a private island' to continue fights


Dana White is fighting to keep holding UFC events even amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The plan, White claims? Move them to a private island.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship president revealed his bizarre idea to TMZ this week, claiming he's "a day or two away from securing a private island," as UFC plans to keep "pumping out fights every week" but "I won't be able to get international fighters, all of them, into the U.S."
UFC 249, scheduled for April 18, couldn't move forward at its New York location amid the coronavirus pandemic, and three UFC shows have been canceled due to the coronavirus. But UFC officials have been looking for a new venue to still put on UFC 249, and ESPN reports the "promotion believes it is very close to securing" one.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After April 18, UFC will be "getting back into our regular schedule," White told ESPN. The UFC boss in this ESPN interview also made the reporter literally laugh out loud when he declared, "I've also secured an island. I've got an island." Asked how fighters will get to this mysterious island location, he revealed they'll be flown in without actually knowing where they're going.
"We're going to get the fighters somewhere, and we're going to bring them to this location," White told ESPN. "They won't know where they're headed to."
TMZ perhaps best summed up the series of revelations from White in its story by writing, "YES, THIS IS REAL!!!"
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
'Arise, Sir Goldenballs': David Beckham plays the long game in quest for knighthood
Talking Point Former footballer set to be knighted in King's birthday honours after years of snubs
-
Quiz of The Week: 31 May – 6 June
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The Week Unwrapped: How did Japan become a space superpower?
Podcast Plus, why on earth are Labubu dolls so popular? Will buy-now-pay-later cause a new financial crisis?
-
Trump hits Africa, Middle East with new travel ban
Speed Read The travel ban bars visitors from 12 countries and restricts entry from seven
-
Elon Musk slams Trump's 'pork-filled' signature bill
speed read 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' Musk posted on X
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season begins
speed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge