Dana White reveals UFC is about to host a REAL fight inside the metaverse – how to join it

CONTROVERSIAL Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White has his eyes set on the metaverse as a new stage for UFC fights. 

The metaverse is the UFC’s most dramatic location selection since staging fights on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

Under White’s leadership the UFC has become one of the most recognizable brands in combat sports

“We’re looking to do a fight in the metaverse,” White said while on the podcast Full Send hosted by the Nelk Boys.

“We’ve been working on it for a while. It’ll be a live fight, an actual fight that takes place inside the metaverse.”

While some once thought that White meant the bout would be a virtual reality fight – meaning no real blows are exchanged as fighters control avatars – White clarified that metaverse users will be able to attend and view a real-life fight like never before.

“It’d be kids at home, you put on your f****n’ goggles and you can f****n’ get up and go walk around,” White clarified while on the podcast.

“It’ll be a real fight,” he added.

UFC has been quick to adopt digital assets.

In July 2021, UFC’s site announced a partnership with Crypto.com and later rolled out an exclusive collection of NFTs.

This February, the metaverse hosted a boxing match between avatars operated by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway.

The match lacked intensity and seemed more like an advertising play for NFTs than the “real fight” White promised. In fact, purchasing an NFT was a prerequisite for entry. 

So far, live events married with a digital audience have featured a digitized version of the performer.

Criticisms of the metaverse include uncomfortable headsets and the legal minefield of online false representation.

Travis Scott’s concert in the Fortnite universe was attended by over 12million people, all watching in awe of Scott’s animated avatar. 

With sports, the expectations might be different. 

UFC bouts are so graphic that anything but real blood might not cut it.

The NBA has tested VR tickets, with select games being broadcast on the Oculus app Horizon Venues.

Oculus users are able to view the game from three angles where cameras have been set up–a far cry from the ability to “get up and walk around” that White implied is the future of UFC events in the metaverse.

It’s not clear if the metaverse can support White’s idea yetGetty Images – Getty