During the UFC 329 press conference, Dana White launched a scathing critique of his production team following a significant error during the event's broadcast. On Saturday, when the camera panned to boxing champion Shakur Stevenson, the on-screen banner incorrectly identified him as Jalen Williams, a player for the OKC Thunder and a 2025 NBA champion. Although the commentators attempted to mitigate the blunder by introducing Stevenson correctly and acknowledging the mistake live, White remained visibly furious.
Addressing the media, White did not hold back in his assessment of the incident. "I just paid Shakur Stevenson a s*** oad of money, and for some reason we can't figure this celebrity s*** out," White stated. He further criticized the organization's performance regarding celebrity recognition, adding, "They put him up as a f—ing OKC NBA player. Are you f—ing kidding me? It's absolutely crazy. We are the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing. When we put celebrities up, we are the worst."
The two athletes involved have established significant reputations in their respective fields. Stevenson is a decorated boxer who has secured championships across four weight classes and earned three gold medals and one silver medal representing the USA internationally. Jalen Williams, meanwhile, is recognized as a one-time All-Star and a key contributor to the OKC Thunder's 2025 championship campaign, having earned honors on the All-NBA Third Team and the All-NBA Defensive Second Team.
The reaction from Jalen Williams to the mix-up was lighthearted. The Thunder star took to Instagram to share two stories, first posting a picture of Stevenson with the caption, "ehhh close enough." He followed this with a clip of White’s rant, jokingly adding, "As an apology, I will accept lifetime ring side seats🤷♂️🤣🤣." Conversely, Shakur Stevenson has not commented on the error, though he did share a reel from the event where he discussed boxing, the MMA organization, and his fight predictions.
