UFC Identity Blunder.
Dana White Blasts UFC Production After Shakur Stevenson Mislabeled at High-Profile Event.
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Key Points
1
The on-screen graphic incorrectly identified Shakur Stevenson as 'Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder Guard, 2025 NBA Champion' during UFC 329.
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Stevenson was sitting cageside at UFC 329 in Las Vegas during Conor McGregor's comeback defeat to Max Holloway, underscoring how the mislabeling intersected with a high-profile moment in the arena.
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The incident is described as the second time UFC has botched a boxing star’s name in two years, following Terence Crawford being mislabeled Kendrick Lamar at UFC 306 in 2024.
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White’s post-fight tirade included explicit quotes: 'I just paid Shakur Stevenson a s***load of money,' and 'They put him up as an f***ing OKC NBA player. Are you f***ing kidding me?' as well as calling the crew 'the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing.'
UFC president Dana White erupted at his own production team after the UFC 329 broadcast misidentified boxing star Shakur Stevenson as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams — complete with the on-screen label 'Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder Guard, 2025 NBA Champion.' Bleacher Report and Daily Mail both captured White's explosive post-fight reaction, in which he called the crew 'the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing.'
The blunder hit especially hard because White had just signed Stevenson to Zuffa Boxing — his new boxing venture — for a significant sum. 'I just paid Shakur Stevenson a s***load of money,' White said. 'They put him up as an f***ing OKC NBA player. Are you f***ing kidding me?'
Stevenson Cageside at McGregor's Big Return, Wrong Name Flashed
Stevenson was sitting cageside at UFC 329 in Las Vegas for one of the biggest fights in recent memory — Conor McGregor's comeback bout against Max Holloway, which McGregor lost. It was exactly the kind of high-profile moment where a new Zuffa Boxing signee should get a clean, visible introduction to a massive audience.
Instead, the broadcast flashed Jalen Williams' name and title across the screen. Williams is an NBA player. He has nothing to do with boxing. Bleacher Report noted that the error was glaring and spread quickly on social media, drawing mockery from fans and media figures alike — including television personality Shannon Sharpe, who reacted publicly to the clip.
This Is the Second Time UFC Botched a Boxing Star's Name
The Stevenson mix-up is not an isolated incident. In 2024, during UFC 306, the broadcast incorrectly labeled boxing champion Terence Crawford as rapper Kendrick Lamar. That error also went viral. Two high-profile misidentifications in under two years is a clear pattern — and a damaging one for a company trying to build credibility in boxing.
White did not hold back in linking the two incidents. His post-fight tirade, captured by BJPenn, described the production mistakes as part of a broader failure in how the UFC handles celebrity appearances at its events. He suggested the crew responsible should not be trusted with that responsibility going forward.
Zuffa Boxing's Brand Takes a Hit at the Worst Moment
Zuffa Boxing is White's attempt to bring UFC-style promotion to the boxing world. Signing Stevenson — a former WBO lightweight champion and one of boxing's top pound-for-pound talents — was meant to signal that Zuffa is serious. Putting his face on screen with another man's name does the opposite.
Bleacher Report reported that White made clear the financial stakes of the mistake. He had paid Stevenson a large amount to join the organization, and the misidentification undercut the very introduction that should have boosted the new signing's profile. For a brand still trying to establish itself in boxing, the optics were costly.
White's Tirade Points to Bigger Production Standards Problem
White's reaction was not just about one bad graphic. He framed it as evidence of systemic failure. His words — 'the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing' — suggest deep frustration with a crew that has repeatedly let him down at major events. That kind of public, profanity-laced rebuke is unusual even for White, who is known for blunt talk.
As UFC expands into boxing and courts bigger celebrity appearances, the stakes for accurate, polished production only grow. Boxing News noted that the incident highlights ongoing credibility challenges for UFC's event branding. Getting a boxing champion's name right on screen is the bare minimum — and the UFC failed to clear that bar twice.
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