Dana White Slams UFC Broadcast for Misidentifying Shakur Stevenson as NBA Player

During the live telecast of UFC 329 on July 11, 2026, a lower-third graphic displayed the name “Jalen Williams” over a shot of undefeated boxing champion Shakur Stevenson sitting cageside. The on-air commentators correctly identified Stevenson and pointed out the error in real time, but the graphic remained on screen, prompting immediate backlash from UFC president Dana White.

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Earlier in the week, White announced that Stevenson had signed a multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing, the new boxing promotion launched by UFC parent company Zuffa. White called the acquisition “the biggest signing in Zuffa Boxing history” and highlighted Stevenson as “one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.” The mistake occurred just as the promotion was using celebrity appearances—such as NBA guard Jalen Williams and WNBA star Sophie Cunningham—to market its inaugural boxing events. A similar on-air misidentification happened at UFC 306 in 2024, when Terence Crawford was labeled “Kendrick Lamar.”

UFC botches Shakur Stevenson name in broadcast blunder

White addressed the graphic blunder at the post-fight press conference, acknowledging the promotion’s recent production successes (including a live arena built on the White House South Lawn) before launching into a profanity-laden critique of his own staff. He described the incident as evidence that UFC “is the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing” and said the error had sparked a heated backstage debate with his production team. No corrective steps or timeline for improving graphics were disclosed.

Complex

The misidentification strikes at UFC’s effort to position Zuffa Boxing as a credible player in the sport. Accurate celebrity graphics are intended to enhance viewer engagement and validate the promotion’s investment in high-profile athletes. Repeated mistakes risk undermining confidence among sponsors, broadcasters, and the boxing community, especially as UFC leverages celebrity cross-overs to broaden its audience.

UFC botches Shakur Stevenson name in broadcast blunder

All eight source excerpts consistently report the same date, venue (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas), and content of White’s remarks. No source provides details on any internal review, technical cause of the graphic error, or planned remediation, leaving a gap in understanding how UFC intends to prevent future misidentifications.

The Oklahoman

• “I just paid Shakur Stevenson a s---load of money, and for some reason we can't figure this celebrity s--- out,” — Dana White

The Oklahoman

• “They put him up as a f---ing OKC NBA player. Are you f---ing 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.” — Dana White

The Oklahoman

• “We are the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing.” — Dana White

The Oklahoman

• “We'll put up f---ing graphics — and put the wrong guy's name on it. We win. We're the worst,” — Dana White

The Oklahoman