UFC 300 fight card undergoes big change just weeks before Vegas show after fans vent fury at ‘Dana White privilege’
UFC 300 has undergone a major change - just weeks before fight night.
Mixed martial arts' premier promotion is just weeks away from hosting its historic 300th pay-per-view event in Las Vegas.
UFC 300 is chockablock with former champions and entertaining match-ups, making it a must-watch event.
One of the former champs in action is ex-lightweight king Charles Oliveira, who throws down with surging Russian Arman Tsarukyan in a pivotal 155lbs match-up on the main card.
Fans were shocked to see the crucial match-up - which could determine who is next for Islam Makhachev - was slated to be the pay-per-view opener.
And they were up in arms after seeing middleweight prospect Bo Nickal's clash with Cody Brundage was higher up on the card.
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That placing led some to claim that former NCAA wrestler Nickal was benefitting from "Dana White privilege".
One wrote on X: "Just found out former champion Jessica Andrade is on the early prelims while Bo Nickal is on UFC 300 main card. Dana White privilege in action."
Another said: "Bo Nickal really got that Dana White privilege.
"How TF he in the main card compared to basically anyone on the prelims?
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And another said: "Bo Nickal on the main card against a dude who is 2-3 in his last 5 is PEAK Dana White privilege."
The fan backlash to the respective placings of Oliveira vs Tsarukyan and Nickal vs Brundage seemingly came to the attention of the UFC, who have switched around the fights.
So Nickal, as he has done for both of his octagon outings, will take part in the pay-per-view opener.
Before his fight was moved down on the card, Nickal said: “It doesn’t affect me.
"At the end of the day, the decision was made because I probably sell more.
"More people want to see me.
"Why would they put me there? Because more people want to see me.
"At the end of the day, the most-watched spot is the end of the prelims.
"So if they wanted more people to see me, they would’ve put me at the end of the prelims.
"But the reality is that they want to sell more pay-per-views, so they put me on the pay-per-view.
“So it’s like, it doesn’t affect me.
"I get paid the same and I would rather go to bed and have a good night sleep then be up mad late and potentially not get my In-And-Out Burger.
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"It’s all good. It’s not a big deal. All these people are pressed about it.
"I literally couldn’t care less. … It has literally nothing to do with my opinion, it’s the UFC’s decision.”