Remember when Ariel Helwani boldly claimed that the entire sport was heading into a recession? Back then, he was ridiculed—many, including Chael Sonnen, accused him of letting his animosity toward UFC CEO Dana White cloud his judgment. But fast forward to now, and it seems Helwani’s words might’ve carried more weight than anyone expected. As UFC 316 wraps up, a troubling update has surfaced—one that not only echoes Dana White’s own fears but also validates Helwani’s controversial prediction.

Why are we saying this? Well, after years of consistently hosting at least one pay-per-view in September, the UFC has, for the first time since 2005, left the month PPV free. According to data released by Jed I. Goodman, UFC 320 is scheduled for October 2, officially making September a PPV-free month. Records further support this claim as UFC has consistently scheduled numbered PPVs in September since 2006.

Last year in September, the promotion set a new benchmark for entertainment by hosting UFC 306 inside the Sphere, making it one of the most spectacular combat sports events in the history of the sport. Well, you might be wondering — what about UFC Noche 2025? The Mexican Independence Day special event, scheduled for September 13, will take place in Texas. However, unlike last time, the UFC is labeling it as a Fight Night rather than a pay-per-view (PPV).

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The issues anticipated for the now-postponed event were twofold. First, the venue. The Arena Guadalajara ran into construction delays and canceled events up to the first week of October. Second, the title fight that was rumored. Yair Rodriguez, one of Mexico’s own, in a rematch no one asked for, against Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight belt. With Movsar Evloev being the rightful contender, as acknowledged by the champion himself, and Rodriguez’s beef with Diego Lopes, the matchmaking seems simple enough. Yet the UFC sought less popular options. But now, all of those decisions remain in limbo.

So, what’s next for Dana White? With September marking an empty month for the UFC in terms of numbered events, White appears to be bullish on the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez fight, which is now set to take place on September 13. The highly anticipated bout has been years in the making and will finally happen on Mexican Independence Day. However, the venue for the mega-fight is yet to be finalized.

Interestingly, the UFC CEO was supposed to debut in the boxing world at TKO Boxing, however, the plans were later changed by Turki Alalshikh. Why?

Dana White snubbed by Turki Alalshikh as TKO boxing debut awaits

Back in March, TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC, announced that they would enter a multi-year partnership deal fueled by Saudi Arabia’s financial muscle to launch a revolutionary boxing league. The grand alliance united industry titans such as Turki Alalshikh, Dana White, and WWE president Nick Khan, signalling a new era of boxing.

The much-anticipated Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford clash was originally slated to headline TKO Boxing’s inaugural event. However, just months before the fight, Alalshikh changed his decision as he revealed that the blockbuster showdown would be promoted instead by Sela, taking place as part of the high-profile Riyadh Season festivities.

When news first broke that White would be promoting the bout, UFC fans were concerned if the now-rescheduled September PPV would have White’s full attention. Give the complaints about UFC’s recent card quality, the MMA world welcomed the decision to take the boxing promotional duties off White’s shoulders.

Alalshikh had initially announced that the fight would take place at the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, home to the NFL’s Raiders, on September 12. However, the venue will now be changed, after the date was changed to the 13th of the same month. Why did Alalshikh make the decision? We have no answer to that question yet, but what do you think? Why was the UFC CEO snubbed? State your opinion in the comments below.