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UFC CEO Dana White believes The Rock could score an Oscar nomination for The Smashing Machine

UFC CEO Dana White believes The Rock could score an Oscar nomination for The Smashing Machine And the Oscar goes to… The Rock?! Dana White, the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship, believes we could all…

And the Oscar goes to… The Rock?!

Dana White, the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship, believes we could all hear that phrase once fans and critics get a glimpse of The Smashing Machine, a film based on the like of MMA legend Mark Kerr.

Dwayne Johnson, best known by the WWE Universe as The Rock, will portray Kerr in the biopic appropriately named after the two-time UFC heavyweight tournament winner’s moniker. Though the film is not scheduled for release until sometime in 2025, the hype train is already full steam ahead courtesy of a few promotional pics showing Johnson’s incredible transformation into the embattled MMA icon.

“I don’t know if you saw it, but he was showing on his Instagram the other day that he messed up his elbow,” White told Collider. “The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. I know how serious he’s taking this, I know who’s working with him, and I know how hard he’s working on this film. I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.”

The Smashing Machine is directed by Benny Safdie, the man behind the critically acclaimed 2019 film Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler.

Ryan Bader and Oleksandr Usyk join The Rock in The Smashing Machine

Recent additions to the cast of The Smashing Machine include Ryan Bader as former UFC and PRIDE star Mark ‘The Hammer’ Coleman and undisputed heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk as Ukrainian mixed martial artist and kickboxer Igor Vovchanchyn.

Check out some behind-the-scenes stills from The Smashing Machine below:

UFC CEO Dana White believes The Rock could score an Oscar nomination for The Smashing Machine

And the Oscar goes to… The Rock?! Dana White, the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship, believes we could all…

And the Oscar goes to… The Rock?!

“I don’t know if you saw it, but he was showing on his Instagram the other day that he messed up his elbow,” White told Collider. “The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. I know how serious he’s taking this, I know who’s working with him, and I know how hard he’s working on this film. I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.”

The Smashing Machine is directed by Benny Safdie, the man behind the critically acclaimed 2019 film Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler.

Ryan Bader and Oleksandr Usyk join The Rock in The Smashing Machine

Check out some behind-the-scenes stills from The Smashing Machine below:

Dana White reveals when UFC fans can expect to see Jon Jones back inside the Octagon

Dana White offered an update on when fans can expect to see Jon Jones back inside the Octagon. Sort…

Dana White offered an update on when fans can expect to see Jon Jones back inside the Octagon.

Sort of…

After sitting on the sidelines for nearly three years, ‘Bones’ returned to action at UFC 285 and quickly dispatched No. 1 ranked Ciryl Gane to claim the vacant heavyweight title. Jones has not defended the title since. In the weeks leading up to his anticipated scrap with former two-time titleholder Stipe Miocic in November 2023, Jones suffered a pectoral tear, forcing him out of the fight.

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In the time since, the UFC has established an interim heavyweight champion in Tom Aspinall, but Jones has remained adamant that he will fight Miocic before potentially settling some business with the UK-based star.

When exactly Jones returns for his superfight with Miocic remains a mystery. Recently, both fighters have indicated that their rebooked bout will go down this November when the UFC heads back to Madison Square Garden.

Asked for a more official update during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, White revealed that we would see Jones “soon,” and added that the champ’s return would happen sometime in the summer or the fall.

“He’s doing well,” White told Jim Rome when asked for an update on Jones. “We’ll see him soon. We’ll either see him in the summer or the fall.”

Essentially, White is telling us that ‘Bones’ will fight sometime before 2024 comes to a close. When and where is anyone’s guess.

Tom Aspinall Happy to Hold Down the Heavyweight Fort While Jon Jones heals up

In the meantime, Tom Aspinall will become the first fighter in more than a decade to defend an interim belt when he puts his temporary title on the line against Curtis Blaydes in Manchester on July 27.

Aspinall lobbied hard for a fight with Jones before opting to move on, recognizing that his dream fight would likely never happen with ‘Bones’ already toying with the idea of retirement following his next fight.

Still, that hasn’t stopped ‘Bones’ from running off at the mouth on social media, discrediting Aspinall’s status as a UFC champion and his star power outside of the UK.

Dana White unsure of Khamzat Chimaev’s fighting future: ‘Every time he gets close, he gets really sick’

Following his official withdrawal from a scheduled UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia headliner this weekend, the fighting future of…

Following his official withdrawal from a scheduled UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia headliner this weekend, the fighting future of Khamzat Chimaev has been called into question once again – with Dana White more than flustered about where the Chechen goes from here.

Chimaev, the current number ten ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined since October of last year, improving to 13-0 with a controversial majority decision win over former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman.

Michael Bisping issues warning to Khamzat Chimaev over UFC Saudi Arabia main event he always gasses — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

And slated to take main event honors in Riyadh this weekend, unbeaten contender, Chimaev was forced from a bout with former divisional champion, Robert Whittaker – after he was struck down with a case of food poisoning.

Replaced by former opponent, Ikram Aliskerov – who now takes on Auckland-born favorite, Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia, Chimaev has been ruled from another scheduled return to the Octagon, seeing momentum halted once more.

Dana White unsure of Khamzat Chimaev’s future

Sharing his thoughts on Chimaev’s exit from the Riyadh card – White, who described the former as “violently ill” – claimed Chimaev seems to get so close to the finishing line before faltering.

“I saw this kid (Khamzat Chimaev)on ‘Fight Island’, he wanted to fight the next weekend,” Dana White told Jim Rome. “I let him fight the next weekend. He looked incredible. He’s been on this tear and lately, it’s been hard to get him into the Octagon.”

EXCLUSIVE: UFC President @danawhite confirms Israel Adesanya will fight Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 on August 17th in Perth. pic.twitter.com/mUkcGPGxaK

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) June 17, 2024

“Every time he gets close to fighting, he get’s really sick,” White continued. “I don’t know [how long it’s going to be before he fights again]. I don’t know what to say. It’s not like he’s over here in this country [United States], and we’ve had doctors here look at him or anything like that. He’s sort of out of touch, so it’s tough to deal with.”

Already offered a route back to active competition, Chimaev was once more called out by Paulo Costa – whom he has been scheduled to fight before, with the Brazilian claiming a matchup with him would bring back his “ferocity” of old.

When do you think we see Khamzat Chimaev return to the Octagon?

UFC CEO Dana White suggests he could be part of Saudi Arabia’s proposed $5 billion boxing takeover

Dana White has been itching to get into the business of boxing for years. He may have just found…

Dana White has been itching to get into the business of boxing for years. He may have just found his way in.

Over the last two decades, White turned the Ultimate Fighting Championship from glorified cockfighting into a global juggernaut valued at more than $11 billion. During that time, Dana White and Co. have built themselves a monopoly, buying up promotions and signing the biggest names in the world to compete inside their Octagon.

For years, the UFC CEO has looked for an opportunity to do something similar in the world of boxing.

After dipping his toe into a handful of boxing endeavors, most notably the cross-promotional clash between Irish megastar Conor McGregor and legendary pugilist Floyd Mayweather, White may be ready to dive in head-first

Per a report from Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is currently in talks with multiple boxing promoters, including Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, and Queensbury Promotions, to combine their assets into one organization valued at a whopping $5 billion. Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, is said to be overseeing the final discussions.

Dana White teases potential partnership with Turki al-Sheikh

Speaking with Sports Business Journal, White suggested that he could be involved in the potential merger, though he stopped short of coming right out and saying it.

“Hmm. It’s a possibility,” White told SBJ when asked about partnering with Turki Alalshikh, with whom he is working on a first UFC show in Riyadh. “It’s definitely a possibility… I think he’s the only one who can do it. This guy is making fights no one else can make.”

On Saturday, June 22, White will take the UFC to Saudi Arabia for the first time as the promotion presents a stacked fight night card inside Kingdom Arena. In the main event of the evening, former middleweight world champion Robert Whittaker will square off with short-notice replacement opponent Ikram Aliskerov after Whittaker’s originally scheduled opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, was forced to bow out after becoming “violently ill” during his training camp.

Dana White shuts down questions amid Conor McGregor’s exit from UFC 303: ‘I’m not gonna talk until he’s healed’

UFC CEO, Dana White has claimed he is not willing to talk about the immediate fighting future of former…

UFC CEO, Dana White has claimed he is not willing to talk about the immediate fighting future of former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor until the Dubliner is “healed” from his undisclosed injury, which has officially ruled him from a UFC 303 comeback.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion, was slated to headline UFC 303 later this month during International Fight Week, taking on long-time foe, Michael Chandler in a welterweight division return.

Conor McGregor shares cryptic video amid UFC 303 fight status worry he's out and he knows it

However, earlier this week, promotional boss, White confirmed McGregor’s return fight has been cancelled, with the veteran striker suffering an undisclosed injury – which will reportedly sideline him for at least two months.

In turn, the UFC 303 headliner has been set in the form of an undisputed light heavyweight championship rematch – with Alex Pereira taking on former titleholder, Jiri Prochazka in a short-notice showdown in Las Vegas.

Furthermore, the promotion have also since reshuffled the event’s co-headliner, with former featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega taking on the surging, Diego Lopes, who is fresh from a finish over Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300 earlier this year.

Dana White unwilling to discuss Conor McGregor’s future

Sharing his thoughts publicly for the first time since McGregor’s exit from his UFC 303 return against Chandler – White refused to be drawn on the Dubliner’s future, claiming he won’t be discussing his future until his injury is past him.

Conor McGregor confirms UFC 303 fight with Michael Chandler is on amid scrutiny see ya's soon

“It’s the business, man,” Dana White told Sports Business Journal. “This is the way it goes. And from here on, I’m not going to talk about it until when he’s (Conor McGregor) healed and he’s right. Then we’ll look at the landscape and see what we can figure out.”

Dana White speaks on Conor McGregor's withdrawal from #UFC303 due to an injury:

“It’s the business, man. This is the way it goes. And from here on I’m not going to talk about it until when he’s healed and he’s right. Then we’ll look at the landscape and see what we can figure… pic.twitter.com/u7l4sqrMu5

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 15, 2024

Reports has also emerged regarding the possibility of a rescheduled pairing between McGregor and Chandler, with a welterweight clash now targeted to take place potentially at the end of August, if not at an event in September.

DO you expect to see Conor McGregor fight later this summer?