UFC commentator Jon Anik has sparked controversy with his choice for the main event of the UFC White House card, and fans aren’t impressed.
The event is scheduled for June 14, and the promotion is pitching it as one of the most ambitious spectacles in MMA history. Fans are already calling it UFC 304. The bout will take place on a specially constructed outdoor cage set up on the White House lawn.
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Since Donald Trump made his intention to host a UFC card at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue clear, anticipation has only increased as more details have emerged. But despite growing hype, fans are still waiting to find out who will headline.
Anik appeared on The MMA Hour and discussed the idea with Ariel Helwani:
“The volume of tickets that was required for this fight card was such that we had to come back,” he said. “It’s similar in some respects to what happened with McGregor/Fiziev where there was just so much demand.”
Anik shares his pick for UFC White House main event
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Jon Anik has shared his thoughts on the UFC White House main event, though fans might not be thrilled with what he’s suggesting.
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From the moment it was announced, Conor McGregor and Jon Jones both put their hands up to headline the event. But Dana White’s recent comments about not being able to trust Jones, combined with his dismissal of McGregor vs Michael Chandler, suggest neither fighter is likely to get the nod.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Anik said: “So I think you probably have to do the heavyweight championship, we gotta see Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane again. I know a lot of fans want to see Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira. I think it remains to be seen whether or not that fight will actually happen.”
“I think you go Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event for the bantamweight title. I am hopeful that we get four or five undisputed titles on the White House lawn, June 14.”
Despite Anik suggesting Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili as co-main event, ‘The Machine’ recently stated that he was told by UFC officials Yan won’t be part of the card due to his nationality.
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“The UFC told me I’m next for the belt. They said there will be a trilogy between me and Yan. They also told me that our fight will not happen at the White House in June because (Yan) is Russian, and that’s impossible,” Dvalishvili said.
Fans voice displeasure with Anik’s main event pick
Even though fans are eager to see a rematch between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane following the controversial finish to their UFC 321 title fight, many aren’t keen on that bout headlining such a high-profile card.
The criticism didn’t stop there, as other fans questioned whether an American should feature in the main event given the location.
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“A French and an English fighter on Capitol of US ground? Yeah, alright,” one fan said.
“Brit vs French? No American?” another questioned.
However, despite the backlash against his pick for the main event, Anik does seem to have hit on a co-main event that fans would support if it were possible. The issue is that Merab Dvalishvili claims Petr Yan won’t be allowed to compete at the White House event due to his Russian nationality.
Dvalishvili explained: “The UFC told me I’m next for the belt. They said there will be a trilogy between me and Yan. They also told me that our fight will not happen at the White House in June because (Yan) is Russian, and that’s impossible.”
