Dana White non-committal to future five-round non-title and main event fights following UFC 263
UFC president Dana White said he is unsure if non-title, non-main event fights will be booked for five rounds following Saturday’s UFC 263.
This Saturday night, welterweights Nate Diaz and Leon Edwards make history as the first five-round fight in UFC history that is neither a title fight nor a main event. Fans and media have suggested for several years now that the UFC should book these sorts of No. 1 contender types of fights for five rounds even if they weren’t title fights or headliners, and this weekend we will finally get to see that scenario in play when Diaz and Edwards meet for a scheduled 25 minutes or less at UFC 263.
Speaking to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, White admitted that he is not committed to booking these five-round fights going forward, but at the same time, he is still open to the possibility of them.
“I mean listen, this was one of those (fights), they asked for it, they wanted to do it. Plus they got bounced around a couple of times. Edwards has had the worst luck of anyone in the sport in the last year and a half, so we did it. I’m not saying we’re going to do it again, but I’m not saying we’re not going to do it again, either,” White said.
It will be interesting to see how the Edwards vs. Diaz fight plays out this weekend. They are two of the best welterweights in the world and this should be an incredible fight. The fact that it’s booked for five rounds is very intriguing, and if this fight is as good as many fans think it could be, it could go a long way towards booking these five-round fights going forward in the UFC.
Do you hope Dana White and the UFC continue to promote non-title, non-main event five rounds fights going forward?
