Digi-Dana won’t be on permanent display inside the Las Vegas Sphere, however. And that’s because the hologram was commissioned by UFC, not the Sphere itself. So it will be powered down and removed immediately following UFC 306’s 10 “Riyadh Season Noche” bouts.

Joining White’s hologram in the Sphere’s Aura Gallery — that creepy hall where robots with lifelike expressions answer questions but ignore anyone trying to get fresh with them — will be holograms of your “favorite fighters” for “an unprecedented selfie experience.”

This is according to a press release from Proto Hologram that does not disclose which fighters will be hologrammed but says they will all be rendered in “life-size, volumetric 4K” without explaining what that is.

“We’re absolutely fired up to see Proto holograms at? Sphere for the first time ever at Noche UFC!” enthused David Nussbaum, CEO of LA-based Proto Inc., with standard press release enthusiasm.

Ridiculously, the company expected us to transform its rice paper-thin press release into a story without even furnishing a photo of what its Dana White hologram looks like.

“I understand completely but they are holding back any visuals on it,” the PR rep emailed us.

So we summoned an image from the sinister wizards of dark-web machine learning. But alas, our free program, Microsoft Designer, is a piece of garbage forbidden from generating the faces of celebrities.

But Dana White’s back looks incredibly realistic, don’t you think? There’s no way the real fake Dana White’s back will look any better than ours, which you got to see for free instead of $5,000.

And you totally didn’t even notice that errant white beard, did you?

As we reported yesterday, production costs for UFC 306 were initially supposed to be $8 million, an astronomical figure that instigated White to charge record-setting face values of up to $23K per ticket. But production costs have now reportedly ballooned to $20 million, while reseller ticket prices have plummeted to a sixth of their face value and are still plummeting.

Of course, since most modern holograms talk, ours would say, as the real Dana White reportedly did to MMA journalist John Morgan recently: “We’re not ever doing an event at the Sphere again.”

The post Sphere to Unveil Hologram of Dana White, Who Vows Never to Stage UFC There Again appeared first on Casino.org.

Tickets for UFC 306 sported the highest face value of any event ever staged in Las Vegas. They started at $2,500 for seats in the rafters and topped off at $23,437.50 for floor seats to the right of the Octagon.

As of Wednesday evening, only a few hundred of those face-value seats remained on Ticketmaster out of an original allotment of 18,500.

On Ticketmaster, verified resellers (scalpers, basically) are losing their shirts on full public display. Right behind two of the original $23K seats (FLR3, Row 3, Seats 3-4) are five reseller seats on offer for $5,500 each (FLR3, Row 5, Seats 5-12).

If these seats are still available hours before the event, their prices must be lowered much further if they are to sell at all. That includes the hundreds still listed at face value on Ticketmaster unless UFC gives them away to VIPs, which is likely.

Why So Much?

Branded as Riyadh Season Noche UFC, for Mexican Independence Day two days later, the 10-bout spectacle promises an excellent lineup headlined by bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley defending his title against No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili.

But not $2,500-$23K-a-ticket excellent.

According to Billboard magazine, Dana White felt obligated to charge that much to pay for the show’s $8 million production costs — specifically, producing video content for the Sphere’s massive hi-def screen.

Think about U2,” White told SNY Sports on September 10, referring to the Irish rock band’s Sphere residency last year. “Whatever that cost them, they had 40 nights to amortize those costs. We just have one.”

Now, however, Billboard claims that White’s production costs have ballooned to $20 million, even after UFC partnered with outside producers, including Valerie Bush and Antigravity Academy, who will screen their own 90-second videos between bouts.

Of course, UFC will recoup some of its financial losses via pay-per-view sales, but, as White told MMA reporter John Morgan recently, “We’re not ever doing an event at the Sphere again.”

White Lies

Last October, White told ESPN’s Pat McAfee that “I have become obsessed with the Sphere,” adding that he had his entire production crew check out U2’s residency to conceive of ideas for visuals to envelop the Octagon.

“I’m telling you right now, this place is incredible,” White said.

If the new Billboard story is to be believed, however, White wasn’t being entirely truthful.

That’s the arena that hosted last year’s “Noche UFC,” whose tickets were priced starting at $120 each.

The post Why UFC Vows Never to Return to Vegas Sphere appeared first on Casino.org.

The unscheduled bout took place shortly after the two watched Friday’s Professional Fighters League (PFL) match in the casino’s Hard Rock Live arena.

Vettori, 30, of Italy, initially attempted to punch UFC light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos, according to a report from MMA Mania. Allen, 28, of South Carolina, and Vettori then got into a struggle and repeatedly threw punches, including a few blows to each other’s face.

Fell Onto Roulette Table

At one point, Vettori appears to have fallen onto a roulette table, according to news reports.

The violent outburst attracted a large crowd of onlookers, many of whom recorded the exchange on their cell phone cameras.

Neither of the fighters suffered significant injuries, according to news reports, and no arrests were made.

Here’s one summary of the night’s incident.

Vettori tried to swing at Tuco Tokkos and missed. Michael Johnson then moved everyone out of the way and then Brendan Allen stepped in and hit Vettori with a 1-2, which made him fall into a roulette table,” MMA Mania reported.

The fight later was commented on by Las Vegas-based UFC CEO Dana White, who said on X, it “had to be [the] fight of the night if it was at PFL.”

Later on Friday night, Vettori said in a social media post, “One armed Vettori is unbeaten. Ain’t never missing s**t.”

“Basically he gets popped right on the spot then hide behind his guys get popped again in the chaos then 10 people in between and I think its over they let him he rushes me get caught again in the end All of this one armed Proper sucker,” Vettori added.

Prior Bout Canceled

Allen and Vettori had been scheduled to fight at April’s UFC 240 before Vettori suffered an injury and had to cancel, MMA Junkie reported.

Instead of fighting Vettori, Allen fought Chris Curtis. Allen won by a split decision.

Vettori decided to lambast him in a social media post.

“Allen wtf u calling for the title man you look like dog s**t got rocked every single round and prayed you were getting the takedown just to hang in there. That s**t was embarrassing.”

The post MMA Fighters Brawl on Seminole Hard Rock Gaming Floor — Video appeared first on Casino.org.

As of Wednesday morning, the cheapest tickets available for the September 14 event, officially called Riyadh Season Noche, were $2,757.50.

That price was for 400-level seats in the rafters and it wasn’t inflated by resellers. It was for unsold tickets from Ticketmaster.

U Friggin’ Crazy?

The highest price on Wednesday via Ticketmaster was $15,007.50 for a few floor seats to the right of the Octagon and five rows back. These also aren’t resale prices.

Oh, and that’s before fees or taxes are added in.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, UFC CEO Dana White told reporters: “It will be the biggest gate of all time.”

That was probably an accurate statement. Assuming an average ticket price of $5,000, the gate receipts will be $100 million.

Not that it won’t be an entertaining production. White has said he is spending $17 million on it.

Earlier this month, Sphere Entertainment chair and CEO James Dolan provided a preview of what $2,757.50-$15,007.50 will buy you.

“You’re not going to be just watching guys in the octagon and on the screen,” he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper. “I know Dana is going to use the haptics. When the big guy falls, you’re gonna feel it.”

According to mixonline.com, 10K seats in the Sphere are already equipped with haptic technology produced by moving magnets. According to the venue, this tech “uses an audio signal with ultra-low-frequency reproduction to make the chairs vibrate and shake as desired for each performance.”

As configured for UFC 306, the Sphere can hold up to 20K people — 20K very wealthy people.

The post UFC 306 Tickets at Vegas Sphere START at $2,757.50 appeared first on Casino.org.

Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will defend his title against No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili in the main event on September 14, according to announcements from both Sphere Entertainment and the UFC.

This will be the second time O’Malley defends his title, following wins against Aljamain Sterling and Marlon “Chito” Vera.

In addition, UFC 306 will showcase a co-main event featuring flyweight champion Alexa Grasso taking on former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso captured his title with a fourth-round submission of Shevchenko last year.

Rounding out the pay-per-view event’s highlights is a rescheduled matchup between two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega and top challenger Diego Lopes.

The bouts will be part of UFC’s celebration of Mexican Independence Day, a promotion dubbed “Riyadh Season Noche UFC” due to a sponsorship deal.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, July 31 via Ticketmaster.com.

Here’s the complete lineup:

• Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili
• Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko
• Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
• Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber
• Ode Osbourne vs. Ronaldo Rodríguez
• Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Manuel Torres
• Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
• Kevin Borjas vs. Edgar Chairez
• Yazmin Jáuregui vs. Ketlen Souza
• Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aori Qileng

The post UFC Fight Card Unveiled for First Las Vegas Sphere Sports Event appeared first on Casino.org.

Ever since the WWE and the UFC completed their merger into TKO Group Holdings last September, the two sports entertainment giants have mulled possibilities for crossing over. Reportedly, these include combining their events into a single weekend at a single destination.

The event is still officially in the books for May 26 in Savannah Ga. However, the change has been reported by reliable MMA social-media news sources @PWInsider and @WrestleVotes, the latter of which specified the UFC Apex.

While WWE hasn’t yet confirmed the change, there is already speculation about what’s behind it.

Small World

While WWE is used to its main events selling out big arenas, the audience for its developmental brand is smaller.

Savannah’s Enmarket Arena holds 10K people. Yet, according to The Wrestling Observer newsletter, barely 2,000 tickets have sold so far for this year’s “NXT Battleground.”

A suspected additional, or alternative, reason may be the competition for tickets with an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) event also happening on May 26.

That’s when AEW will hold its “Double or Nothing” event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas. “NXT Battleground” and “Double or Nothing” already went head-to-head against each other last year on May 28.

According to SEScoops.com, WWE is also considering relocating “NXT Deadline” to the UFC Apex.

There’s no word on what will happen if more than 1,000 of the wrestling fans who bought tickets for Savannah still want tickets for Vegas.

The post WWE and UFC to Merge Forces in Vegas Event – Report appeared first on Casino.org.

In an investor note accompanying the Facebook and Instagram owner’s 2023 financial report, Meta said Mark Zuckerberg’s love for combat sports poses a potential risk to the enterprise.

We currently depend on the continued services and performance of our key personnel, including Mark Zuckerberg. Mr. Zuckerberg and certain other members of management participate in various high-risk activities, such as combat sports, extreme sports, and recreational aviation, which carry the risk of serious injury and death,” the company said in its Risks Related to Our Business Operations segment of the annual filing.

“If Mr. Zuckerberg were to become unavailable for any reason, there could be a material adverse impact on our operations,” the notice added.

Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook out of his Harvard dorm in 2004, is worth an estimated $161 billion by Forbes.

Zuck Vs. Musk

Last year, Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, the world’s richest human with an estimated net worth of $198 billion, teased via social media platforms that the two billionaires might square off in a boxing match.

The feud began when Meta announced plans to develop a social media platform to rival Musk’s X. Meta’s Threads operates similarly to X, formerly known as Twitter.

Zuck started the war of words when he said the motivation for Threads was to create a center square social media outlet controlled by a “sane” person — a direct jab at Musk after he took over Twitter in October 2022.

“I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb without other options. At least it will be ‘sane.’ Was worried there for a moment,” Musk tweeted.

When Musk was told he better be careful because the Facebook billionaire is proficient in jujitsu, Musk responded, “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol.”

The joke lit a fire under Zuck. UFC President Dana White said he talked with both tech billionaires about actually coming to blows in the UFC Octagon or another venue of their choosing, perhaps even the Roman Colosseum.

“Zuckerberg hit me up first,” White said. The UFC boss explained that the two agreed that proceeds would go to charity.

White said the bout would be “the biggest fight ever in the history of the world.”

2024 Showdown?

Both Zuck and Musk blamed the other for their fight not coming to fruition. Meta warning investors about the company’s chief executive continuing to participate in combat sports might hint that there’s still a small chance the fight could happen.

Several sportsbooks in the U.S. produced hypothetical odds on a Zuckerberg vs. Musk fight, though no bets were accepted. Oddsmakers made Zuckerberg, 39, the heavy favorite at -435. Musk, 52, was the underdog at +350.

The post Meta Warns Investors About Zuck’s Love of Combat Sports appeared first on Casino.org.

“Mexican Independence Day, we are booked for The Sphere,” White said at the UFC 295 post-fight press conference in New York. “We are already working on the creative for the show. It’s going to be a massive challenge and I love every minute of it. ”

White shared no specifics. However, using characteristic hyperbole, he promised the event would be “the greatest live combat sports show anybody has ever seen.”

Fitting an Octagon into a Spherical Hole

White said his “great relationship” with Sphere and Madison Square Garden Company chief James Dolan helped put together the deal, though he admitted putting that relationship to the test by “terrorizing him about the Sphere.”

In an interview last month with ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show,” the UFC chief said that seeing U2’s residency there set his sights on having his company be the first to broadcast live from the $2.3 billion venue.

Over the last few weeks, I have become obsessed with the Sphere,” White said, adding that he had his entire production crew check out “U2:UV Achtung Baby,” just so they can conceive of ideas for visuals to envelop the Octagon as it stands front and center in the world’s largest domed theater.

“I’m telling you right now, this place is incredible,” White told McAfee.

UFC has held the majority of its cards in Las Vegas since its first at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2001. Its next, the welterweight title fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, will held be at T-Mobile Arena on December 16.

This year, UFC’s Mexican Independence Day event, also at T-Mobile, was headlined by a women’s flyweight championship bout between titleholder Alexa Grasso and former champion Valentina Shevchenko. The fight ended in a split draw, with Grasso retaining her title.

The post UFC First Sporting Event to Book Las Vegas Sphere appeared first on Casino.org.

Anheuser-Busch and the UFC, a division of TKO Group Holdings, announced the sponsorship agreement on Tuesday. The news is already generating a flurry of pushback.

Bud Light is trying to revitalize its brand after it faced a mountain of criticism from drinkers earlier this year when the beer debuted a marketing spot with TikTok personality Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light’s loyal drinkers scolded the brand for partnering with Mulvaney, a transgender woman and activist, during the March Madness men’s college basketball tournament.

Bud Light also lost its stronghold on the US beer industry, with Modelo Especial now holding the status as the top-selling beer in the US. Bud Light had held that honor for 20 years.

Modelo became the Official Beer Partner of the UFC in 2017 after Bud Light ended its sponsorship that began in 2008. Modelo’s deal terminates at the end of 2022, and UFC President Dana White decided to renew the UFC’s pact with Bud Light after Anheuser-Busch expressed interest.

UFC to the Rescue

The UFC and its marquee events and fights generate considerable handle and revenue for sportsbooks across the country. The Nevada Gaming Control Board includes mixed martial arts into its “other” category along with boxing. The “other” category won nearly $52.7 million for books last year, with the UFC dominating the class.

The UFC continues to grow in popularity. White, the president and face of the UFC, said the decision to partner with Bud Light wasn’t only about money.

“They were the first beer company that we did business with,” White, a conservative himself and major backer of former President Donald Trump, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “They were our first real big sponsor when we were getting started, and now we’re back with them.”

I know all the controversy … but I want to be with somebody that I’m aligned with. They employ 65,000 Americans. They have thousands of vets who work for them. They spend $700 million a year with US farmers using their crops to make their products,” White continued in comments that Anheuser-Bush executives will be glad to hear.

Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, added, “As one of the largest and longest standing sport sponsors, we are excited to work with UFC to celebrate our passionate fans while always making a positive impact in communities across America.”

Fans Revolt

Many UFC fans were quick to express their displeasure over the league partnering with Bud Light. Some fans canceled their UFC Fight Pass memberships, while others said they’re done purchasing UFC pay-per-view events.

. @danawhite @ufc @budlight
Thanks to your new sponsorship I #CancelFightPass plus Im going to save $80 a month on PPV. Know your audience. pic.twitter.com/CHkMurCHk0

— Matt Allen (@thew92) October 24, 2023

Others, however, said the partnership makes sense, at least for Bud Light.

If there's ONE brand that can save Bud Light, it's @ufc. https://t.co/0dZNydFxLk

— Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) October 25, 2023

While neither the UFC nor Bud Light confirmed the price of the sponsorship, a source not authorized to speak publicly reportedly told Bloomberg that the deal marks the league’s “largest sponsorship ever.” The UFC’s richest sponsorship to date that’s been revealed publicly is a $175 million deal with Crypto.com in 2021.

The post UFC, Bud Light Announce Multiyear Partnership, Ignite Boycott Calls appeared first on Casino.org.

UFC President Dana White has been working behind the scenes to get the two billionaires, who don’t have much affection for one another, in a ring. White believes if the bout happens, it would be “the biggest fight ever in the history of the world.”

Musk tweeted on his X platform, formerly Twitter, Wednesday morning that Zuckerberg is responsible for the delay and possible cancellation of the match.

“I joked on X about fighting Zuck. Zuck then said ‘SEND ME LOCATION.’ Italy graciously offered a Colosseum. Zuck declined,” Musk claimed in his X post.

“I suggested his home as a ‘safe space.’ Tragically, he was, ahem, ‘traveling.’ Is there anywhere he will fight?” Musk pondered.

Zuck’s Rebuttal

On Threads, Zuckerberg and Facebook’s newly launched Twitter rival, the Meta chair and CEO says Musk was never serious about the fight. And it’s time that he stops wasting time on the matter.

I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I offered a real date. Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity. Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead.”

Zuck, however, isn’t fully canning the idea.

“If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously,” Zuckerberg concluded.

The exact fighting conditions were never determined, but Zuckerberg is experienced in jiujitsu, a family of Japanese martial arts.

The fight rumor emerged after Zuckerberg launched Threads to compete with Musk’s Twitter. Zuckerberg said a “sane” person should control the world’s online town square.

That prompted Musk into joking that he’s “up for a cage match” if Zuckerberg is. The two have since been exchanging words and deflecting blame for the fight not being scheduled.

Betting Downer

Though the proceeds would have gone to charity, the proposed Musk vs. Zuck fight likely would have been a major betting event for sportsbooks. That’s should the Nevada Athletic Commission have sanctioned the bout.

Musk’s consensus odds are at +350, which is an implied chance of 22%. A winning $100 bet on that line would net $350.

The post Elon Musk Claims Mark Zuckerberg Stalled, Canceled Their Cage Fight appeared first on Casino.org.

The 45^th US president is a well-known UFC fan, having attended multiple events of the popular combat sport in the past. In addition to a long-standing relationship with White, who spoke before Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination in 2020, the former president has earned praise from UFC fighters Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, and has drawn raucous ovations when he’s announced at UFC events.

Trump, widely viewed as the presumptive GOP nominee in 2024, attended “UFC 290” at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip. He was escorted into the arena by White and commentator Joe Rogan.

Las Vegas Stop Not All Fun, Games for Trump

While Trump stopped by Red Rock, which by some accounts, is the highest-rated casino hotel in Las Vegas, and took in “UFC 290,” the former president’s time in Sin City wasn’t all fun and games.

Trump narrowly lost Nevada to President Biden in 2020, with the current president carrying the state by 2.39%. That was slightly worse than the 2.42% Hillary Clinton beat Trump by in the state in 2016. Nevada has six electoral votes.

While six electoral votes isn’t a massive haul, the narrow margins by which recent presidential candidates have won Nevada in recent elections, coupled with the state’s proximity to Arizona, another swing state, imply 2024 candidates from both parties will be spending significant time in Nevada.

Red Rock Trump Ties

Red Rock Resorts (NASDAQ: RRR) is controlled by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who are Trump supporters in their own right.

The labor union is also highly political, and its politics are opposite those of the Fertittas. In 2022, the Culinary Union endorsed Nevada Democrat candidates in, essentially, across-the-board fashion. That despite the fact former Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) shut down casinos in the state during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. While the industry has rebounded, not all of those jobs have returned, as highlighted by the fact that Nevada has an unemployment rate of 5.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the highest in the nation.

The post Donald Trump Seen with UFC Boss White at Red Rock Casino appeared first on Casino.org.

Reports recently surfaced that Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms, Inc., — formerly Facebook Inc., — is developing a social media platform designed to rival Musk’s Twitter. The Facebook Twitter-like app is rumored to be called “Threads” and will operate similarly to Twitter.

Responding to the gossip on Twitter, Musk didn’t seem overly concerned.

“I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane.’ Was worried there for a moment,” Musk tweeted.

When another Twitter user cautioned Musk and said Zuckerberg has been known to do jujitsu, Musk fired back.

I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,” Musk tweeted.

Musk is the world’s richest person with an estimated net worth of $293.5 billion. Zuckerberg ranks ninth with a fortune of about $101.1 billion.

Odds Open

Responding on Instagram, which is owned by Meta, Zuckerberg said in his live story “Send me location” while sharing another Instagram user’s post discussing the Musk fight. That caused a frenzy online about the billionaire bout actually happening.

One offshore sportsbook opened betting on the hypothetical fight with Musk favored at -150 and Zuckerberg the underdog at +110. The odds imply Musk has a 60% chance of winning and Zuckerberg has a 48% of prevailing.

A $100 winning bet on those odds would respectively net $66.67 on Musk and $110 on Zuckerberg.

Another offshore sportsbook has Zuckerberg heavily favored, with the Facebook billionaire at -500 and Musk long at +300.

It’s worth noting that no legal sportsbook operating in the US has yet to unveil actual odds that can be bet on. That won’t happen until the fight is officially booked and the bout is contested under the eyes of a respected regulator such as the Nevada Athletic Commission.

UFC Boss Weighs In

Musk, seemingly becoming increasingly serious about the Zuckerberg fight, has since suggested that the UFC Octagon in Las Vegas would be a most fitting location for the bout. UFC President Dana White said today he has already spoken with the two billionaires and can confirm their intent to actually see the fight through.

I was talking to both Elon and Mark last night. Both guys are absolutely dead serious about this,” White told TMZ.

“Mark Zuckerberg hit me up first and asked if he was serious. I said, ‘I don’t know, let me ask him.’ I asked Elon, and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m dead serious.’ This would be the biggest fight ever in the history of the world,” White declared.

White said such a spectacle would break all pay-per-view records and could raise hundreds of millions of dollars for charity.

“You don’t have to be a fight fan to be interested in this fight,” White added. “Everyone would want to see it.”

The post Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg Cage Match Prompts Hypothetical Odds appeared first on Casino.org.

Using the most recent data from Forbes, Casino.org compiled a list of the 10 richest billionaires who reside in Las Vegas for at least part of every year.

By the way, having $1 billion is no longer even enough to get you on this list. So, sorry, David Copperfield and Robert Bigelow, but there are now a staggering 2,640 members of the 10-figure club in the world.

10. Weili Dai & Sehat Sutardja

Net Worth: $1.2 billion
Source of wealth: semiconductors
World rank: #2,296

Weili Dai co-founded the semiconductor company Marvell Technology with her husband, Sehat Sutardja, in 1995. Dai was the company’s president until she and Sutardja were fired in 2016 amid an internal accounting investigation. No evidence of fraud was uncovered, however. Since 2017, the couple has resided in Las Vegas, where they invest in real estate and technology. Dai co-founded the AI company MeetKai in 2018. Their net worth has decreased from a high of $1.6 billion in 2021.

9. Mark Davis

Net Worth: $1.9 billion
Source of wealth: cheese, football
World rank: #1632

The owner of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces moved to town along with his teams in 2018, building a $14 million mansion in Henderson, Nev. Davis is the son of Al Davis, principal owner of the Raiders from 1972 until his 2011 death. Upon the elder Davis’s death, Mark — along with his mother, Carol Davis — inherited ownership of the Raiders with Mark taking over as operating head of the franchise.

8. Elaine Wynn

Net Worth: $2.1 billion
Source of wealth: casinos, hotels
World rank: #1467

Elaine Wynn, 81, co-founded Mirage Resorts in 1973 and Wynn Resorts in 2002 with her ex-husband, Steve Wynn. Steve stepped down as CEO amid sexual misconduct allegations in 2018, which he denied, sold all his company stock, and left Las Vegas.

7. William Boyd & family

Net worth: $2.3 billion
Source of wealth: casinos, hotels
World rank: #1363

William Boyd, 91, co-founded Boyd Gaming with his father, Sam Boyd, in 1975. The company operates 11 off-Strip casino hotels in Las Vegas. Boyd took over as CEO when his father died in 1993 and served in that position until 2008. He still serves as executive chair and owns 17% of the company.

6. Peggy & Andrew Cherng

Net worth: $2.5 billion
Source of wealth: fast food
World rank: #1217

Andrew and Peggy Cherng co-founded Panda Express in 1982. Though the $3.5 billion Chinese-American fast food chain, which has more than 2,200 locations, is based in Rosemead, Calif., the couple spends at least part of every year in a Henderson, Nev. mansion they purchased in 2018.

5. Frank Fertitta III

Net worth: $2.7 billion
Source of wealth: UFC, casinos
World rank #1104

Frank Fertitta III and his brother, Lorenzo, made the bulk of their fortune through mixed martial arts promoter UFC. The brothers, whose third cousin is fellow billionaire Tilman Fertitta, bought UFC for a measly $2 million in 2001 and sold it to WME-IMG in 2016 for a staggering $4 billion. They sold their remaining stakes in UFC in August 2017 for 5 billion. The Fertittas were raised in Las Vegas after their father, Frank Fertitta Jr., moved there from Texas with his wife in 1960. After Fertitta Jr. retired in 1993, Frank III and Lorenzo led Station Casinos to its IPO, raising $294 million and becoming principal shareholders and co-founders of Station Casinos in the process. Since 2015, Frank has served as CEO of Red Rock Resorts.

4. Lorenzo Fertitta

Net worth: $2.8 billion
Source of wealth: UFC, casinos
World rank: #1067

The former chair and CEO of UFC, Lorenzo currently serves as vice chair of Red Rock Resorts. Although he made and sold essentially the same investments, Forbes ranks Lorenzo $100M wealthier than his younger brother.

3. Phil Ruffin

Net worth: $3.3 billion
Source of wealth: casinos, hotels, real estate
World rank: #878

Phil Ruffin, 88, owns the Treasure Island and Circus Circus resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. He’s also half-owner of the Trump International Hotel. He also owns a collection of other casinos, hotels, greyhound racing tracks, and convenience stores, in addition to the world’s largest manufacturer of hand trucks.

2. Nancy Walton Laurie

Net worth: $7.9 billion
Source of wealth: Walmart
World rank: #268

An heir to the Walmart mega-fortune, Laurie, 72, is the younger daughter of Bud Walton, the brother and business partner of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Laurie and her husband, Bill Laurie, split their time primarily between their mansions in Henderson, Nev. and Bel Air, Calif. They also breed appaloosa horses on a farm in Columbia, Mo.

Miriam Adelson & family

Net worth: $38.2 billion
Source of wealth: casinos
World rank: #35

Miriam Adelson, the widow of late Las Vegas Sands founder Sheldon Adelson, easily takes the prize at an estimated net worth of $38.2 billion, up $7.5 billion from a year ago.

Adelson, 77, is the majority owner of Las Vegas Sands and publisher of the Israel Hayom newspaper. Her family also owns the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The richest Israeli in the world, Adelson lives for at least part of every year in the home she and her late husband once shared in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin.

The post Top 10 Richest Las Vegas Billionaires appeared first on Casino.org.

The parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made the declarations in conjunction with its first-quarter earnings update delivered earlier Tuesday. Last month, Endeavor reached a deal to sell IMG Academy for an enterprise value of $1.25 billion. Some of the proceeds from that transaction will be directed to buying back its stock.

Upon close of the sale of IMG Academy, Endeavor expects to commence repurchases of up to $300 million under an event-driven share repurchase authorization and pay down an additional $50 million of debt,” according to statement.

The company had cash and cash equivalents of $718.7 million as of March 31, while debt stood at $5.15 billion, down from $5.16 billion at the end of 2022.

Endeavor Group Rapidly Transforming

In addition to the sale of IMG Academy, Endeavor also announced last month that it’s acquiring World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE: WWE) for $9.3 billion. The buyer is planning to combine WWE with UFC and later change its stock ticker to “TKO.”

The addition of WWE to the Endeavor portfolio could support increased cash flow by way of the target’s advertising and pay-per-view revenue. Over time, that could further enhance the buyer’s efforts to return capital to shareholders via buybacks and dividends. Acquisitions appear to be paying off for Endeavor.

“Sports Data & Technology segment revenue was $100.9 million, up $55.8 million, or 123.9%, compared to the first quarter of 2022,” added the company in the statement. “Growth was driven by the addition of OpenBet, which we acquired in September 2022, as well as growth at IMG ARENA. The segment’s Adjusted EBITDA was $4.5 million for the quarter, down $2.0 million, or 31.0%, year-over-year, which was affected by certain costs at IMG ARENA incurred in advance of the sales cycle.”

Endeavor Dividend Details

Endeavor forecast 2023 revenue of $5.66 billion to $5.81 billion on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $1.220 billion to $1.275 billion.

The company said it will distribute up to $25 million per quarter in the form of dividends and expects to declare its first payout at some point in the third quarter.

Los Angeles-based Endeavor joins a growing list of gaming companies initiating payouts or resuming dividends. As just one example, Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN) said Tuesday it’s restarting its quarterly dividend to the tune of 25 cents a share.

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The suitor, which also owns IMG Arena and operates the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Euroleague, will control 51% of the new company while WWE investors will own the rest. Plans are in place to change the stock ticker of the newly formed company to “TKO,” paying homage to the term “technical knockout.”

Ari Emanuel will remain as CEO of the new company while Dana White will stay as head of UFC. Nick Khan will serve as president of WWE. WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon will also have a leadership role at the new firm, according to a statement.

This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed,” said Emanuel in the press release. “For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together.”

The deal, which is estimated to generate $50 million to $100 million in annual cost savings, is scheduled to close in the second half of this year.

Betting Angles in Endeavor, WWE Marriage

Beyond UFC’s rising popularity with bettors, there are some gaming implications in Endeavor’s bid for the prominent wrestling organization.

Additionally, there’s been recent speculation that WWE approached Colorado, Indiana, and Michigan about allowing wagering on its scripted matches. Gaming regulators in those states later said they either hadn’t been in contact with WWE or that they have no interest in approving betting on events in which the outcome is predetermined.

“The transaction represents a contribution price of WWE of approximately $106 per share (before any post-closing dividend). Additionally, UFC and WWE will each contribute cash to the new company so that it holds approximately $150 million. At closing, Endeavor intends to sweep all excess cash at UFC, and shareholders of the new company (other than Endeavor) are expected to receive a post-closing dividend,” according to the statement.

Other Endeavor, WWE Rumors

Among industry observers, there’s some speculation that Endeavor’s WWE acquisition is modeled after the buyer’s acquisition of UFC, which was completed in 2021. That transaction allowed Dana White to cash out while still maintaining day-to-day operational control. It appears the same will be true of Vince McMahon as he will have a leadership role at the new company.

There’s also chatter that Endeavor could eventually move to spin off UFC and WWE into a separate publicly traded entity to unlock value for shareholders.

Plausible as such a transaction might be, there’s no mention of it in the statement revealing Endeavor’s takeover of WWE.

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Joshua Olds and four other people claim they were assaulted without provocation one night in 2021, according to documents uncovered by KLAS-TV/Las Vegas.

According to the suit filed in Las Vegas? – which claims assault, battery, and negligence – Olds “was severely beaten about his face and person” on Dec. 18, 2021, causing “serious injuries.”

Olds was apparently coming to the aid of hotel guests Julie and Christopher Stellpflug, who filed their own lawsuit against Sonnen in March. The San Luis Obispo, Calif. couple claim they encountered Sonnen, who appeared intoxicated, while walking to their hotel room.

They claim that without provocation, Sonnen punched Christopher in the head multiple times, then tried to choke him, according to the Stellpflugs’ suit. They also claim that Sonnen threw Julie against a light fixture and punched her in the face. Both plaintiffs claim they were left with concussions.

According to multiple reports, Sonnen, 45, was initially charged with 10 counts of misdemeanor battery and one of felony battery by strangulation on five people. In March 2022, prosecutors dropped the felony charge and filed an amended criminal complaint reducing Sonnen’s charges to six misdemeanors.

In September 2022, Las Vegas Justice Pro Tem Craig Friedberg dismissed the two remaining counts applying to Stellpflugs’ complaint. Sonnen now faces four misdemeanor battery counts relating to Olds’ complaint.

Not Arrested

According to KLAS, Sonnen was only cited at the scene, not arrested, because police claimed the batteries were misdemeanors that were not witnessed by them. KLAS also reported that Sonnen later told police that he was on Ambien and did not remember either incident.

A bench trial in Sonnen’s criminal case is scheduled for April. Both civil cases requested jury trials.

It is not clear whether the fifth person allegedly injured by Sonnen, believed to be a Four Seasons security guard, is taking legal action.

‘A Passionate Guy’

Sonnen, who resides in Portland, is so highly regarded in the MMA universe, UFC president Dana White once named him as a potential successor to his throne.

“Chael is obviously a passionate guy,” White told MMA Junkie in 2014. “I think he loves [the sport], and he’s great.”

It is not known how the charges affected White’s opinion. But even back then, White expressed his doubts.

“The thing with Chael, though, is that he over-exaggerates too much, and you don’t know what’s real and what’s not,” White said.

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Ontario shut off sports betting on UFC matches in December following an outbreak of reported bets made by fighters themselves. However, the regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), announced Thursday that it’s ending its ban.

The change comes after the UFC teamed up with U.S. Integrity to clean up the sport. The integrity association is behind the initial claims of questionable bets in the organization.

More Transparency in UFC

The UFC’s Executive VP and General Counsel, Riche T. McKnight, helped bring the new partnership with U.S. Integrity to fruition. He said after consummating the deal that it would bring greater strength and transparency to the UFC. McKnight added that the organization will be able to leverage U.S. Integrity’s data intelligence and fraud prevention resources to enhance its public image.

As a result, the AGCO is confident the UFC is making progress in eliminating illegal bets, which could also be triggers of match-fixing. In virtually all sports organizations, athletes are prohibited from placing wagers on their sport.

While the regulator is allowing UFC betting to return, the decision doesn’t mean that it won’t reverse course if there are further indications of illegal bets.

Nevada and the FBI are currently investigating MMA coach James Krause, and believe Molina may have played a “substantial” role in the betting ring. As a result, the NSAC has lengthened his suspension in the face of potential criminal charges.

UFC 283 Hopes to Forget the Past

Saturday’s UFC 283 is the first PPV fight of the year. It includes a headline fight that sees former champion Glover Teixeira take on Jamahal Hill. They’ll be doing battle for a title left undecided after UFC 282 failed to find a winner in the light heavyweight division.

Teixeira (33-8-0), a former UFC light heavyweight world champion, lost to Prochazka last year after clearly ruling the heavyweight space. That’s part of the reason he comes into the contest as the underdog on Saturday. Pundits are favoring Hill (11-1-0), who they believe will find an opening early in the match and take advantage of it to lock up his older opponent.

In the co-main event, Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno star in an evenly-matched – and repeat – bout. They’ve fought for the flyweight title three times already, ending in a record of 1-1-1.

Figueiredo (21-2-1) and Moreno (20-6-2) are almost dead even on the moneyline, an indication of their very similar capabilities.

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White apologized Monday in a video interview with TMZ, conducted while he and his wife were still on vacation.

It happened,” he said, admitting no memory of the incident because of intoxication at the time. “I don’t know why it happened, and my wife and I have apologized to each other, we’ve apologized to our kids, and this is one of those things that everyone is going to chime in. I could care less what people think about this. We’re more concerned about our kids and taking care of our family.”

Dana and Ann White, who have been married for 26 years and live in Las Vegas, were ushering in the new year with friends at the El Squid Roe bar in Cabo San Lucas. Things took a turn shortly after midnight.

Another Problematic Video

The PR nightmare now for White is another video – a 2014 interview that resurfaced following the incident – showing his response to news that Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was arrested and charged with assaulting his fiancée.

“There’s one thing that you never bounce back from and that’s putting your hands on a woman,”?White?told Fox Sports Live. “Been that way in the UFC since we started here. You don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman.”

This second video sparked a widely circulating opinion column by The Guardian reporter Karim Zidan, which questions whether White should remain at the UFC helm.

“Despite White’s attempt to control the narrative, his decision to physically assault his wife raises questions about whether the UFC president is fit to continue running the world’s largest mixed martial arts organization,” Zidan wrote. “It is difficult to imagine a commissioner for a major sports league such as the NBA or NFL striking their partner without facing significant consequences.”

In a separate statement provided to TMZ, Anne White described the incident as isolated.

“Dana and I have been married for almost 30 years,” she said. “To say this is out of character for him is an understatement. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Unfortunately, we were both drinking too much on New Year’s Eve and things got out of control, on both sides.”

In his opinion column, Zidan conceded how unlikely it would be for White to face consequences for his actions from the UFC. Taking his own slap at White, he explained: “There are plenty of examples of UFC fighters who continued to fight for the organization over the years despite allegations of domestic or sexual assault.”

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Baroni, 46, was arrested by State Tourist Police on New Year’s Day after flagging down officers for help because his girlfriend was unresponsive. Authorities say they found a deceased woman, identified only as Paola, bruised and covered by a sheet in a room at the Jardin San Pancho Hotel, just north of Puerto Vallarta.

A Load of Baroni?

According to the newspaper, Baroni told police that around 3 p.m. on Sunday, he and Paola were both smoking marijuana and drinking beer inside their hotel room when she admitted to cheating on him, and an argument broke out.

He then asked her to shower, but she refused. So he grabbed her and threw her into the shower, where she hit her head and slipped on the floor, causing her to hit her head a second time.

Baroni is in custody at the Juzgado Administrativo de Valle de Banderas while an autopsy is being conducted to determine Paola’s cause of death. The Associated Press reported that an initial hearing in the case will be held on Monday. It’s not clear whether Baroni has legal representation.

Fellow Fighter Reacts

Former UFC champ Josh Barnett, Baroni’s friend for two decades, said he believes Baroni wasn’t thinking straight because of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the progressive brain condition attributed to repeated blows to the head.

I’ve seen the decline from the man I have been friends with for so long to where he was last I saw him and it’s heartbreaking,” Barnett tweeted on Tuesday. “Now with what has happened in MX it’s just so awful … Fighters need to take (care) of themselves and those around them need to be vigilant and watchful as well.”

When Baroni announced his retirement via Twitter last year, he wrote: “Thanks for the memories. It should have been over a long time ago.”

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The president of the MMA giant told ESPN that it “could be possible” that match-fixing occurred in the controversial November 5 fight between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke. He quickly added that an investigation was ongoing and he “can’t talk about any of this stuff.”

On November 11, he said there was “absolutely zero proof that anybody that was involved bet on” the bout.

In the aftermath, sportsbooks reported an avalanche of suspicious bets coming in on a Nuerdanbieke win in the first.

Late to the Party

Minner and his coach, James Krause, have since been suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), pending the result of investigations by several agencies, including the FBI. The UFC has banned all fighters trained by Krause from participating in its contests during these investigations.

Krause operated an MMA betting Discord page and, podcast and is known to have been an enthusiastic bettor on bouts.

Previous rules merely prohibited UFC fighters from betting on bouts they were directly involved in. All major US leagues, whose games are arguably harder to fix, have long had strict betting bans in place. Meanwhile, NASCAR was criticized for reacting slowly when it introduced a similar ban back in 2019.

Banned in Ontario

The controversy sent reverberations around the betting markets. That was particularly true in Ontario and Alberta, which suspended the lines on all UFC contests, citing fears around integrity.

“Am I shocked the Canadian government overreacted? I am not,” White told ESPN.

In every sport, somebody thinks they’re smarter than everybody else when really they’re the dumbest guy in the room,” White added. “And you will get caught — you will get caught and you will go to prison. It is what it is.

“If you’re that dumb and you’re willing to take that risk for money, ruin your life for money. We can tell people until we’re blue in the face. Same thing as steroids, performance-enhancing drugs. ‘Don’t do it, USADA is testing, you’re gonna get caught.’ But this is a whole other level. … If you’re that stupid, have fun in prison.”

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Thompson (16-6-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) will seek to end a two-loss streak on Saturday. Those losses came against Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad, two experienced heavyweight prospects. In both cases, Thompson was brought down by superior wrestling from his opponents. He’s not going to make that mistake again, and has been practicing his wrestling techniques ahead of the match.

Saturday’s preliminary and main cards are jam-packed with bouts in all categories. However, fight fans will be disappointed to learn that Derek Brunson and Jack Hermansson won’t be doing battle, as Brunson is out because of injury.

Thompson Expecting Trouble

The 39-year-old Thompson, who has also appeared in the Netflix show “Cobra Kai,” has been in combat sports almost his whole life. He was an accomplished kickboxer before transitioning to the MMA. There, he quickly rose in the ranks. Although he missed two opportunities to claim the welterweight gold, he’s always a favorite to succeed.

The two fights he lost against Burns and Muhammad came only because his opponents outmaneuvered him, not necessarily because they dominated him. His only KO was in March 2019, when he lost to Anthony Pettis.

After losing two consecutive fights, Thompson is desperate to win this fight against Holland (23-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC). He already threatened to retire once before returning for Saturday’s match. Unfortunately for Thompson, DraftKings has Holland in front at -170 to his +145.

Holland, a seven-year vet, is extremely versatile. He prefers to attack with his legs, but also knows when to throw in some jabs to catch his opponents off guard. One solid hit finding its target, and it’s all over for Thompson.

Also on tap for Saturday is Marcelo Rojo, one of Argentina’s premier MMA fighters, returning to the UFC octagon. He’s coming into a tough match against an undefeated MMA fighter, Francis Marshall.

With two consecutive losses against Charles Jourdain and Kyller Phillips, “El Pitbull” will be in charge of welcoming Marshall to the UFC. Rojo will have to rely on his experience against the undefeated 6-0 rival.

DraftKings gives this bout to Marshall at -155. Rojo is a little rusty, which is why he’s getting +135.

UFC Wins with LaLiga, Fails with Canada

LaLiga North America and UFC announced a promotional partnership this week. The arrangement will benefit both organizations, providing opportunities to engage with fans through social media collaborations, on-site coverage, digital content creation, activations with athletes, and more.

The creation of this partnership stems from an initial collaboration between the two as Spain’s current LaLiga season was getting underway. UFC fighters Brandon Moreno and Ilia Topuria inaugurated the partnership, traveling to Spain to watch a LaLiga match, meet with players from Valencia CF and Atlético de Madrid, and create content. That content later made its way to LaLiga’s social media channels, along with the soccer clubs and the athletic platforms in Europe and North America.

Recent concerns that match-fixing might be taking place in the UFC have cost sportsbooks. Canada’s province of Ontario has temporarily suspended all sports betting on UFC fights, effective immediately.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced the order on Thursday. As the provincial gaming regulator, it has full control over all of the betting activity that takes place. It isn’t clear how long the suspension will remain in effect.

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For much of the fight, Adesanya was in control. He took advantage of his kicks and quick punches to the face of his Brazilian opponent, who ended up staying alive thanks to the bell.

Despite trailing in the matchup, Pereira began hurting Adesanya in the fourth round. He stepped in mostly with overhand punches that continued to pummel his opponent into the fifth and final round.

Adesanya Loses Crown

Pereira took down Adesanya by TKO to win the middleweight belt. He landed several hooks until referee Marc Goddard intervened to prevent further damage. At the end of the fight, the new champ raised his hand to display ‘3-0,’ a reference to the number of times he has beaten Adesanya.

Pereira and Adesanya traded punches and takedowns for five rounds, and it was late in the final round when the South American pressured the former champion to the fence. He then finished him off with some power shots that forced the ref’s intervention.

It was in the fifth and final round that Pereira truly demonstrated his power by throwing different combinations. He came at his opponent with a right overhand and a couple of hooks that were simply too much for Adesanya, ending the fight.

Pereira scored the knockout and the title with just two minutes remaining in the fight. With just four fights under his belt in the UFC, the Brazilian became the king of the middleweights.

The UFC celebrated on Saturday night, but mourned the following day. Two-time UFC title contender Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, 38, died of a “mysterious illness,” according to multiple media reports.

Johnson had previously admitted on several occasions that his health was declining. Rumble only fought once last year and was to return this year before his health issues forced the cancellation of a fight.

Winners and Losers

He may have lost in the octagon, but Adesanya didn’t lose in the wallet. UFC data estimates that he took home $1.79M for the fight – $1M for appearing, $42K through sponsorships, and $750K in PPV sales.

Esparza couldn’t stand up to her challenger, but still took home $542K for the fight – $500K for appearing, $42K through sponsorships. An additional $150K in PPV sales sweetened the pot. Weili’s purse for the fight was larger, at $667K. That included $210K for the appearance, $100K for the win, $32K in sponsorships, and a $50K performance bonus. She pocketed another $275K in PPV sales.

Sports betting and online gambling fan Drake didn’t do as well as the fighters on Saturday night. The Canadian rapper reportedly lost $2 million after betting on Adesanya to win, which was twice as much as he laid down in the fighter’s UFC 276 bout.

While the loss may have staggered Drake in the short term, he’ll have a chance for redemption, with UFC Fight Night coming this Saturday.

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Two title bouts headline Saturday’s big card, with Adesanya facing Brazilian Alex Pereira. In the second main event, Carla Esparza, with two championships, will defend her strawweight title against Zhang Weili.

Other matches on the card have been drawing a lot of attention as well. Most notably, the Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler lightweight bout, which is expected to turn into a spectacle.

Knives and Machetes Make the Man

Adesanya, “The Last Stylebender,” will make his sixth title defense against Pereira, the only fighter who’s been able to knock him out. Pereira is a former Glory champion and earned his title shot by taking down Sean Strickland at UFC 276.

Adesanya (23-1) and Pereira (6-1) have faced each other twice, with the Brazilian winning both times – one by KO. Adesanya has worked to up his game since then. Most recently, he outlasted Jaren Cannonier in UFC 276 at the beginning of July.

That bout required all five rounds to determine a winner. Although Adesanya has the stamina and endurance to go the distance, he can’t allow Pereira to force him into a full-length fight on Saturday.

Adesanya knows what he’s up against and isn’t likely to take any big risks against Pereira’s powerful attacks. He may have three times as many MMA fights under his belt than does his opponent, but Pereira obviously knows how his opponent fights.

He added that the coach is “always packing.” That’s enough to get anyone to up their game.

Chandler Ready for Poirier

In one of the night’s other big fights, Chandler (23-7) says he isn’t too worried about facing Poirier (28-7) in the octagon. Just days before the fight that could define the next challenger for the lightweight belt, the former Bellator champ explained why he expects to find success quickly.

One of the greatest talents in Bellator history, Chandler will be looking for another shot at the belt. The MMA fighter already fought for the belt in 2021, but was knocked out by Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 262 after an intense first round.

The fight between Esparza (20-6) and China’s Weili (22-3) should be another tough match, as will the battle between Frankie Edgar and Chris Gutiérrez in a bantamweight fight.

New Zealand veteran Dan Hooker (21-12) will have a tough test as well. He faces 12-2 Peruvian Claudio Puelles in a fight for the lightweight division.

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U.S. Integrity (USI), a U.S-based betting integrity company, is investigating the fight, according to a report by ESPN. The investigation comes after multiple sportsbooks across the country reported suspicious wagering on the featherweight contest.

The odds of Nuerdanbieke defeating Minner increased dramatically in the hours before their contest. Bettors began putting money on the Chinese fighter to win and take out his opponent in the first round. So much movement that close to the start of the match didn’t go unnoticed.

It wasn’t just the number of bets that set off alarms, but the number of bettors placing large amounts on Nuerdanbieke winning by knockout in Round 1. After a particularly damaging body kick, Minner seemed to have injured his leg. Nuerdanbieke quickly moved in for victory and ended the fight by landing a big knee, followed by a flurry of blows.

Too Much Action Scares the Books

According to ESPN, Minner had a knee injury before the bout, which could have led to increased betting in favor of his Chinese opponent. His manager, Andrew Lee, denied the rumor.

The odd betting activity caught the attention of the books, who contacted USI to take a closer look. In turn, the integrity association reached out to state gaming regulators and other sportsbooks with which it works. USI reportedly conducted a “thorough analysis” but hasn’t released any details on the outcome of its investigation.

UFC Puts the Brakes on Betting

The UFC recently changed its policy regarding betting by fighters. The practice isn’t welcome in the organization, and almost a complete ban is now in place.

This includes those related to, train with, or working closely with certain athletes. Although this is the same in almost every major sport, there was some resistance from UFC fighters because many depend on the income they receive from betting.

This internal regulation bans fighters from betting on themselves or, more importantly, against themselves. In addition, they can’t place bets on matches, including round- or decision-based lines. The UFC, like other sports, has sponsored the betting industry and can’t afford to show any hint of betting impropriety.

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In total, there will be 11 MMA fights, although Jake Paul’s boxing match against Anderson Silva may steal some of the thunder. The social media influencer-turned-fighter is taking on one of the most experienced UFC fighters ever, Anderson Silva. He’s unable to enter the octagon because, according to him, UFC owner Dana White banned him.

UFC Fight Night will feature Kattar (#5) and Allen (#6) in a five-round duel. One of the two could move much closer to a fight for the division title with a strong performance tonight.

Allen Makes His Debut

Allen (18-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is making his first appearance in a UFC main event as he faces Kattar (23-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC). The hype of the event, coupled with what is expected to be a strong battle, led this to become a five-round fight instead of the normal three.

For Kattar, going five rounds in the octagon is already a regular thing. This is the sixth time he has fought in a UFC main event, making him a veteran who is used to the spotlight.

That could also give him an advantage. In Kattar’s last five headline fights, he went the distance and showed that he can take the punches. Those fights were nothing more than a prelude and a warm-up to tonight’s key battle.

However, for Allen, this is a crucial fight that could set him on a course to jump up in the standings. He has won all nine of his fights in the UFC so far, but has also had to overcome difficulties to get to where he is.

However, he’s now picking up the pace. This past March, he logged a first-round TKO when he fought Dan Hooker at UFC Fight Night 204. Today’s bout offers the perfect opportunity to show the fighting world what he’s made of.

More Fights To Fill Out The Card

In addition to the Kattar-Allen bout, the main event is shared by a welterweight battle between Means and Griffin. Means (32-13-1, 1NC) took a loss to Kevin Holland this past June, his first after three straight wins.

Griffin is the leader in the odds and shouldn’t disappoint. However, Means is going to make sure the fight goes the distance.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta will look to extend his undefeated record in in his heavyweight match against Jared Vanderaa. The former LFA champ has won all seven of his bouts, and isn’t ready to slow down.

Cortes-Acosta (7-0-0) comes into the match after knocking out Dan Suzart in the Contender Series. He has five wins by KO/TKO, which is going to prove to be a problem for the 12-9-0 Vanderaa. Cortes-Acosta is the odds-on favorite to win, and the match will likely end quickly.

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UFC will reportedly launch Dana White’s Power Slap League with inaugural matches before the year’s end.

The commission’s vote came after a pitch from UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, who is part of an investment group that owns the league along with White, onetime UFC owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, UFC ownership group Endeavor, and TV producer Craig Piligian.

“We’ve spent the last year sort of beta testing this in a controlled environment to really test and see the dynamic of how this would function as an actual league and real sport,” Campbell said, according to mmajunkie.usatoday.com, which broke the story. “What we’ve found is that this is actually a skill sport that the participants, who are at a high level in this, are skilled athletes in. They train. They’re in good shape. They take it seriously, not dissimilar with what you see in MMA and boxing.”

The group plans to begin holding Dana White’s Power Slap League events at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas starting Nov. 11, 2022. Initial events will be held behind closed doors, but Campbell said plans are to eventually open them up to the paying public.

How UFC Convinced Nevada

No slapping was required to convince the NAC. Campbell simply argued for a need for the state to regulate a sport that’s growing in popularity, yet occurs primarily in warehouses with limited fighter safety and matchmaking integrity. He stated that under UFC control, slap flighting would be based on a rule set similar to MMA fighting – including no striking to the back of the head or eye-gouging. Additionally, it would have similar medical requirements, weight classes, and matchmaking.

The entire process reportedly took 13 minutes, including Campbell’s pitch. NAC chairman Stephen Cloobeck called a video he watched of the slap-fighting beta-testing “highly entertaining,” and praised the involvement of “professionals who know what they’re doing.”

Campbell told the NAC a deal is being finalized with “a major network partner” to broadcast events.

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UFC fighters try to avoid taking damage as much as possible in a fight. However, Royval (14-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) plans to do just the opposite. He has a hectic and wild fighting style, and admits that he expects to take damage when he faces Askarov (14-1-1 MMA, 3-1-1 UFC).

Also on the card in the women’s fights is a contest between Alexa Grasso (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) and Viviane Araujo (11-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC). Grasso is on her way up and is ready for a shot at the title.

Royval Ready to Get Messy

After joining the UFC in 2020, Royval blazed a path to become a title contender. He took out Tim Elliott and Kai Kara-France in his first two appearances before dropping back-to-back bouts to Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja.

Royval quickly recovered from the slump and earned wins over Rogerio Bontorin and Matt Schnell. Considering the win/loss split and his current momentum, he believes this Saturday could prove to be his best performance to date.

Askarov will likely make adjustments against Royval and be more methodical. This could give him an edge, which is why DraftKings and BetMGM give him the advantage at -240 and -275, respectively. Royval is far out on the other side, getting +200 and +210.

The UFC’s flyweight battle still doesn’t have a clear leader. There are several candidates in contention, with another upcoming match set to possibly tip the scales.

Champion Deiveson Figueiredo and former champion Brandon Moreno will face each other for the fourth time on January 21 at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They each have a win, a loss, and a draw, and this bout will be one of the most-watched in recent history.

Grasso Confident in Title Shot

Grasso meets Araujo in the main event on Saturday. This is an important matchup for both, and it comes just a week before Katlyn Chookagian and Manon Fiorot face off at UFC 280.

Both of those bouts could set the stage for a future title fight in the women’s flyweight division. If Grasso is able to emerge victorious on Saturday, she’s confident that she will have a real shot at claiming the crown.

Grasso is 3-0 since moving up from strawweight two years ago. She secured key wins against tough competitors like Joanne Wood, Maycee Barber, and Ji Yeon Kim, but said the upcoming fight could define her as a fighter.

Araujo, who is in sixth place, has had four bouts in the last two years, all decided on the scorecards. The Brazilian beat Montana de la Rosa, Roxanne Modafferi, and Angela Lee, but lost to Katlyn Chookagyan last year.

All results were by unanimous decision. If she wants to keep Grasso from completing her title run, Araujo will have to be more aggressive in the octagon.

The fight card led by Grasso and Araujo will also include the bantamweight fights of veteran Cub Swanson against Jonathan Martínez. In addition, Piera Rodríguez will defend her undefeated record (8-0) against Sam Hughes.

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On Wednesday, Zuckerberg’s presence at Saturday’s UFC 61, a strawweight bout between Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan, was confirmed by Dern during a press conference. “I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event,” she told reporters. “I know he’ll be there, but I don’t know if it’s literally him, his wife, or if he’ll have friends – some type of party. But from someone who wanted a main event with a crowd, [it’s now] going to be very, very private.”

This provided a much-demanded explanation for why the public and media had inexplicably been banned earlier this week from the event. The UFC has held regular televised cards at its Apex Gym on its Las Vegas corporate campus since the start of the pandemic. However, it has always allowed some fans and media to watch from the audience.

“It just makes me more driven to put on a good show,” Dern said when asked about the last-minute change. “I know everyone is watching on TV. But for Mark and whoever is going to be there, put on a show. If that’s what they want to see, is a show, then we’re going to give a show.”

Oddsmakers did not calculate the likelihood of a Zuckerberg bout tomorrow. However, based on his Facebook video, Sportsbettingdime.com reported a line on his three most likely opponents when he finally decides to throw down. They are fellow billionaire and MMA fan Mark Cuban (+1500), actor Ashton Kutcher (+2000) and Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam (+2000).

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Later on Wednesday, UFC President Dana White took to Twitter to deny Dern’s claim, writing: “Mark Zuckerberg did NOT rent out the UFC Apex. That’s total bulls–t.”

White’s denial notwithstanding, there could be another, less-insane reason for the presence of the 39-year-old billionaire on Saturday. White has stated that the UFC wants to broadcast a fight into the metaverse – a set of 3D locales that can be accessed only via VR equipment.

“We’ve been working on it for a while,” he told YouTube’s “Full Send” podcast back in January. “It’ll be a live fight, an actual fight that takes place inside the metaverse. It’d be kids at home, you put on your (goggles) and you can (get) up and go walk around. We’re still working it out. But yeah, it’ll be soon.”

If Zuckerberg does show up, it could merely signal that those plans are nearing their final stages. Just two days ago, Zuckerberg posted to Facebook a video of Olympic medalists Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt fencing in the metaverse. Zuckerberg explained in that post: “Using our new high-end VR headset, coming out next month with mixed reality … you can see virtual objects (like your friends fencing) alongside the physical world around you.”

Saturday’s 13-bout Fight Night card starts with prelims at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the undercard bouts at 7 p.m. ET. Dern (12-2) is set to enter the octagon with Xiaonan (15-3) around 10 p.m. ET. The fight will be broadcast, as usual, on ESPN+.

And no, Zuckerberg is not on the card – not officially, anyway. But if you really need to see the guy fight, here you go…

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