UFC president Dana White promises UK pay-per-view in 2024 and hints at title fights

White referenced interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and welterweight king Leon Edwards

An announcement around a UFC pay-per-view in the UK this year is “literally days” away, according to Dana White.

Rumours suggested that a Fight Night event could take place at Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena this summer, but the UFC president has vowed to bring a pay-per-view to the UK instead.

White also hinted that interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall could be involved, and that welterweight king Leon Edwards may feature.

Speaking to TNT Sports, White said on Tuesday (26 March): “I have an English heavyweight champion and lots of other European stars, but two champs now out of England.

“We have these teams that build all their different pieces to the puzzle, then we come together with me, and then I start trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. I’m like, ‘No, this doesn’t fit here, that’s got to go. That’s how it all works.’

“We had these fights going on that were like: ‘Wait, we’re gonna do this where? No, we’re going to England.’ So, we’re going to England, we’re coming!

“I’ve got great fights lined up for the UK fans, and I’m excited to get back there. Literally in days [we’ll make an announcement], we’re right there working on this stuff. We’ve got some badass plans for England: numbered card, pay-per-view, a great one.”

Aspinall, who fights out of Wigan, won the interim heavyweight title in November by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich. The fight took place after regular champion Jon Jones suffered an injury, which derailed his planned title defence against Stipe Miocic.

“Jones is set to fight Stipe, I hope the winner of that fight will fight Tom, [but] it’s not right to let Tom sit,” White told TNT. “If Tom wants to defend the [interim] title, we’ll absolutely do it.”

Edwards last competed in December, retaining the welterweight title by outpointing Colby Covington. In his previous title defence, last March, Edwards retained the belt against Kamaru Usman in London.

Aspinall last fought in the UK in July, knocking out Marcin Tybura – also at the O2 Arena.