LAS VEGAS — UFC President Dana White was in the audience soon after U2 began its highly celebrated run at the Sphere last fall, taking in all that one of the world's most unique venues has to offer.
He watched inside the technological marvel near the Las Vegas Strip that makes full use of its massive high-definition LED screen that was as much a part of the show as the Irish band performing its biggest hits from the past four decades.
White knew the UFC had to place one of its marquee pay-per-view events inside the Sphere — even if it was just a one-time shot given the cost and commitment. Nearly 12 months and some $20 million later, White will watch his vision come true when UFC 306 occupies the Sphere on Saturday night with two title fights serving as the headline events.
“I truly believe that this event is going to be such a game changer,” White said. “It's the first time that entertainment and sports truly come together. I think the Sphere and what we’re doing (Saturday) is going to make some of these venues change their vision and how they build them.
"You go to a Lakers game and they've got some guy that comes out juggling at halftime, the mascot's dunking a ball off the trampoline. I think they're going to start to get more creative in how you can truly create better experiences for people at live sporting events."
White and chief content officer Craig Borsari said they plan to make the event dynamic through the use of technology to those inside the venue and also bring that in-arena feeling to those watching on PPV by the use of “specialty” cameras and lenses.
“We usually produce two different shows,” White said. “There's a live in-house show you experience and there's a television experience. We're going to try to bring that together live and on television.”
The timing of the event is not by accident, occurring on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
Seven Mexican fighters, including women's flyweight champion Alexa Grasso in the co-main event against Valentina Shevchenko for their third meeting in a row, fill out the card. Bantamweight title holder Sean O'Malley faces Merab Dvalishvili in the main event.
“It's going to be a really, really huge event,” Grasso said. “It's going to be new for all of us. On one side's going to be the crowd and behind (the fighters) the big screen. A completely different arena we are used to, but it's amazing. I'm proud and super thankful to the UFC for allowing me to be part of this card.”
White calls this card his “love letter to Mexico."
“I’m a huge boxing fan since I was a kid, and I love a lot of the Mexican fighters," White said. “Some of the baddest dudes that have ever walked the face of the Earth came from Mexico, legends in the sport. Mexico, the culture, them as a people, who they are and how they are, I love everything about them.”
Stories highlighting Mexican culture and history will be shown between fights on the big screen.
“This is the first time we're going to be telling a story that's weaved throughout the night in between our live fight content," Borsari said.
Putting on this event was no small feat.
UFC personnel have taken on extra responsibilities while their boss has looked for a way to pay for it. The in-house production crew included Zach Candito, Tucker Greene and Chris Kartzmark, and the UFC also used Antigravity Academy production led by founder and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Carlos López Estrada and producer Valerie Bush.
White secured a title sponsor for the first time for one of his PPV cards, making the official name Riyadh Season Noche UFC.
There have been times in which White questioned why he would take on such a project, but with his eyes regularly on the end point, he is excited to see the final production.
Because it's such an enormous undertaking, White has said this is a one-time thing.
But as the event draws closer, he's less sure. The UFC has a contract with MGM Resorts, which owns T-Mobile Arena, where its top Las Vegas events usually take place. An exception was made for this card.
That could be a future conversation with MGM if White considers an encore performance at the Sphere.
“I would never say no to anything,” White said. “I don't know what I would do. I wasn't supposed to do this.”
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