Forget what U2 is doing at the Sphere. It’s nothing compared to the audio-visual experience being cooked up by the UFC.
The first Noche UFC was a bit of a last minute throw-together from the promotion to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. It was such a big success that White is going all in on the next Noche UFC. The September event will be held at the Sphere, a massive LED-covered structure designed for mind-blowing visual experiences.
At first glance it seems like an odd combo. How will UFC fights look in the Sphere? And can the UFC live up to the Sphere’s capabilities considering the milquetoast level of graphics they’ve stuck to over the years? You’d think the UFC could have a hard time living up to the non-stop visual journey people have witnessed during U2’s current run at the venue.
Not so, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
“U2 is using this much of the capabilities of the Sphere,” he said, holding his fingers an inch apart. Then he held his arms out. “I’m gonna use this much of the capabilities of the Sphere.”
“And we’ll be the first sporting event to ever do it, because you know that I’m gonna spend the money and I’m gonna do it right. And when I say that I’m gonna deliver something, I’m gonna deliver.”
Strong words after White had to cannibalize UFC 301 to put together a decent headliner for UFC 300. The UFC CEO did admit using the Sphere for a sporting event would be “incredibly challenging.”
“The question people always ask me is why?” White said. “Why why would you do this? What? Why do this? Why? Because nobody has and most people think it can’t be done. Everybody, the night that I started talking about doing the Sphere, people were like, ‘It won’t work here. This doesn’t work for a fight.’ The layout, the this, the that.”
“You know, there’s there’s 50,000,000 reasons why it won’t work there, and I’m gonna show everybody in September why it will work there … I wish I didn’t have long sleeves on and I’d show you the goosebumps that I have right now. You have no idea how badass this is gonna be.”
Seven hours of fights in the Sphere sounds like an experience that could turn a person’s brain into mayonnaise if done incorrectly. UFC has six more months to figure it out and deliver the best Baba O’Riley lightshow in the history of mankind.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
