"That's total bullsh*t" - Dana White continues to deny Mark Zuckerberg rumors after Mackenzie Dern's recent comments
It was announced by the UFC and confirmed by Dana White that UFC Vegas 61 will be closed to fans and the media. This weekend's closed-door event is scheduled to be headlined by a fight between Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan.
While the MMA community was left wondering after the decision was revealed, Dana White claimed there's "no secret" as to why the event will be closed to the public. However, Mackenzie Dern provided an interesting scoop stating that the event was booked exclusively for Mark Zuckerberg.
The No.5-ranked UFC women's strawweight fighter spoke to the media ahead of her main event duties. Dern disclosed the organization's decision for a closed-door event as a result of Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg renting out the whole event:
“I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event [UFC Vegas 61]. So, I know he’ll be there, but I don’t know if it’s just like literally him and his wife or if he’s gonna have friends or if it’s just like a small party, I don’t know.”
After Dern's comments, UFC president Dana White took to Twitter to shut down rumors of Zuckerberg renting out the event. White posted a tweet from his official handle that read:
"Mark Zuckerberg did NOT rent out the UFC Apex. That’s total bulls**t."
The multi-billionaire coding wizard recently showed interest in the sport by posting a video of him indulging in MMA training.
Dana White addressed the decision for a closed-door UFC Vegas 61 event
This weekend's UFC Fight Night, headlined by Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan, will be a closed-door event. The organization confirmed the news in a statement that was released. The event is scheduled to be held at UFC Apex in Nevada on Saturday, October 1, 2022.
Dana White spoke to the media after the final episode of this season's Dana White's Contender Series and shed light on the decision to have the event behind closed doors. While White did not give away any concrete details, he claimed that the media needed a night off from their busy schedule:
“We just figured that you guys have been so busy lately we’d give you guys a night off. You guys are here on Tuesdays, here on Saturdays. Kevin [Iole from Yahoo Sports] actually showed up today. We need to give you guys a break. You’re welcome. Stay home, order a pizza, watch the fights. Enjoy yourselves.”
Watch the video below: