Dana White has fired a stark warning at boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. White, the UFC president, firmly dismissed Hearn’s ambition to host the inaugural combat sports event at The Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, insisting that UFC 306 will be the first to grace the state-of-the-art venue in September.

Meanwhile, Hearn is thought to have been in talks for an earlier boxing match at the same venue in June. Speculation is rife about a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano at The Sphere, with Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, which represents Taylor, poised to make an announcement this week.

The two fighters previously faced off in a nail-biting lightweight championship fight in April 2022 at Madison Square Garden, where Serrano was edged out by a contentious split decision. Hearn has been actively engaging with Serrano’s representatives, hinting at a potential June showdown with Taylor.

“There is a good chance she could fight Serrano next,” the British promoter said of his client. “Absolutely, the Serrano rematch is an option for the next fight. It would be a huge fight.”

However, White is determined to ensure that no other combat event precedes UFC 306 at The Sphere, which is scheduled for Mexican Independence Day on September 14. Following UFC 300, White made his stance clear: “I love Eddie Hearn; I consider him a friend; ain’t happening. Sorry Eddie, love you buddy, you can go in The Sphere in October.”

According to Sportsnet, White was captivated by The Sphere after experiencing a U2 concert at the high-tech venue, which boasts 167,000 speakers and an immersive LED screen. The UFC president, 54, set his sights on making history by holding the inaugural sporting event there.

“I’m super-excited about this,” White later said of UFC 306 during a post-fight press conference in November 2023. “I love challenges. Everybody keeps saying to me, ‘I don’t know how you’re going to put the octagon in there. I don’t understand how you’re going to do this. I don’t understand how you’re going to do that.’ Remember that I said this to you tonight, I’m going to put on the greatest live combat sports show anybody’s ever seen.”

Previously in October, there were whispers that boxing promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Bob Arum might collaborate for a September event at MSG Sphere. White, unfazed by the potential competition, remarked at the time: “They can join all the forces they want to join. All they do is fight with each other… Who’s gonna spend the money? Who gets reimbursed? Who gets the money out first?”

White made sure to warn the pair of what would happen should they go through with their plan, however, asserting: “It will turn into a big fight, and it will turn into a lawsuit, and it’ll be an absolute f****** nightmare for The Sphere.”