Dana White lights up UFC production staff for identifying boxing star Shakur Stevenson as an NBA player
UFC president Dana White expected Shakur Stevenson to get a hero's welcome at UFC 329.
Instead, the UFC couldn't even perfect the sport, presenting it as an NBA player. The planned accident is one of White's most memorable post-war events in recent memory.
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“So, I tell you all the time, my production team is amazing. We just did the White House … and it was the greatest thing in the world to be there live and watch it on TV,” White told reporters.
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“I just paid Shakur Stevenson a s— a load of money, and for some reason, we can't get this famous thing.”
Shakur Stevenson speaks at a press conference ahead of his WBC and WBO junior lightweight fight with Robson Conceição, at the Prudential Center on September 21, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. (Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
“They put him up as the f—ing OKC NBA player. Are you f—ing kidding me? Totally crazy,” White continued. “We're the worst people ever to do a celebrity thing. When we put celebrities, we're the worst.”
So what makes White shut down?
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Conor McGregor was returning to the Octagon, and the Las Vegas crowd was predicted to be full of A-listers.
During the usual cageside VIPs broadcast, the camera stayed on undefeated four-division boxing champion Shakur Stevenson.
The only problem? He has been identified as Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams drives the paint during the first quarter of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 20, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Yes. Under normal circumstances, that's something you laugh at. But for White it was a costly disgrace.
White had recently spent a lot of money to bring Stevenson to Zuffa Boxing. UFC 329 was supposed to celebrate the signing. Instead, the broadcast made him a member of Fame.
White later revealed that he got into a shouting match backstage with his team, which turned out to be them trying to defend the gaffe by saying that football coverage is bad because they don't use graphics at all.
“No,” replied the White. “We put f—ing pictures and put the wrong person's name on them. We win. We're the worst people ever to do it.”
When White was ready to hand out the pink slips, the participating athletes picked up on the mistake.
Stevenson jumped on social media, tweeting jokingly, “Yes Dana #FireTheyA–.”
Meanwhile, the real Jalen Williams caught wind of his surprise appearance at UFC 329 and posted a screenshot of the broadcast on his Instagram Stories with the caption, “Ehhh close enough.”
And it wasn't the first financial disaster for a UFC celebrity. Fans may remember UFC 306 when the production team referred to legendary boxer Terence Crawford as “Kendrick Lamar.”
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The UFC may put on the biggest live shows in combat sports, but until it hires a pop culture fact-checker in a production truck, no celebrity is safe from a sudden change of ownership.
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