It seems the UFC 329 main event wasn’t the only moment that left fans stunned. By now, the story is well known: Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon came to a heartbreaking end after just 69 seconds when his compromised right knee gave way, forcing the fight to be stopped. The Irishman reportedly suffered an ACL or meniscus tear and was unable to continue, handing Max Holloway a first-round TKO victory.
But while McGregor’s injury dominated the headlines, another unexpected moment unfolded after the event when Dana White unleashed a furious rant over a production blunder during the broadcast. The mistake? Newly signed Zuffa Boxing star Shakur Stevenson was mistakenly identified on-screen as Oklahoma City Thunder forward and 2025 NBA champion Jalen Williams.
UFC broadcast thought Shakur Stevenson was Jalen Williams from the OKC Thunder 😭 #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/YxIXh1252b
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 12, 2026
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The error came just days after Stevenson signed a lucrative multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing, making the mix-up even more embarrassing for the promotion. White didn’t hold back during the UFC 329 post-fight press conference.
He said, “So, I tell you all the time, my production team is amazing. We just did the White House. We built a arena on the South Lawn of the White House, and it was the greatest fucking thing in the world to be there live and to watch it on TV. I just paid Shakur Stevenson a shit load of money, and for some reason, we can’t figure this celebrity thing out.”
The UFC CEO continued, “They put him up as a fucking OKC NBA player. Are you kidding me? It’s absolutely crazy. We are the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing. When we put celebrities up, we are the worst.”
White then doubled down, arguing that even sports broadcasts that don’t identify celebrities on screen are doing a better job than the UFC. Recalling his heated exchange with the production crew backstage, he said, “I just had this debate in the back with my guys while I was screaming at everybody back there, and they said, ‘No, soccer’s worse. Soccer shows the people, and they don’t put up any graphics.’ Oh no. We put up fucking graphics and put the wrong guy’s name on them. We win. We’re the worst ever do it.”
Yea Dana 😂🔥 #FireTheyAss https://t.co/3opexAShWa
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) July 12, 2026
Ironically, this is far from the first time the UFC’s celebrity graphics have gone spectacularly wrong. At UFC 306 two years ago, boxing superstar Terence Crawford was mistakenly identified as Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar. Before that, at UFC 264, the broadcast focused on Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto, only for the lower-third graphic to label him as actor Scott Eastwood.
The errors weren’t limited to celebrity guests either. During UFC 282, the production team accidentally identified UFC analyst Laura Sanko as fellow reporter Megan Olivi during a cageside segment. Even Stevenson took the mistake in stride and even joined White in poking fun at the production crew. Reacting on social media, he wrote, “Yea Dana #FireTheyAss.”
From Terence Crawford being labeled Kendrick Lamar to Shakur Stevenson being mistaken for Jalen Williams, the UFC’s celebrity graphics have developed an unfortunate reputation for high-profile blunders. The encouraging part for the promotion is that White publicly acknowledged the repeated mistakes. The concerning part is that, despite multiple embarrassing incidents over the years, the same production errors continue to resurface.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
