Dana White did not hold back after a production mistake during a UFC broadcast incorrectly identified boxing champion Shakur Stevenson as Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams.

The UFC president publicly criticized his production team, calling the on-air error unacceptable after Stevenson was shown on the broadcast with Williams’ name and NBA identification. White said the mistake was especially frustrating given the promotion’s relationship with Stevenson.

“I tell you all the time, my production team… I just paid Shakur Stevenson a sh*tload of money and for some reason we can’t figure this celebrity sh*t out,” White said. “They put him up as a f*cking OKC NBA player. Are you f*cking kidding me?”

White contrasted the mistake with what he described as the UFC production team’s recent successes, including the promotion’s event at the White House, saying the organization is capable of producing world-class broadcasts but continues to struggle with celebrity recognition segments.

Despite praising the overall quality of UFC production, White admitted that identifying celebrities in attendance has become a recurring weakness.

“I mean, it’s just, it’s absolutely crazy,” White continued. “But we are the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing. When we put celebrities up, we are the worst.”

The UFC boss revealed he immediately confronted members of the production crew backstage after the broadcast. According to White, some staff members argued that soccer broadcasts handle celebrity appearances even worse by showing famous spectators without identifying them.

White disagreed, insisting the UFC’s mistake was more embarrassing because the broadcast displayed an on-screen graphic with the wrong person’s name.

“I just had this debate in the back with my guys while I was screaming at everybody back there,” White said. “They said, ‘No, soccer’s worse. Soccer shows the people and they don’t put up any graphics.’ Oh, no. We put up graphics and put the wrong guy’s name on it. We win. We’re the worst ever to do it.”

The mix-up involved two high-profile athletes from different sports. Stevenson is one of boxing’s top champions, while Williams has emerged as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars after helping the Oklahoma City Thunder capture the NBA’s best regular-season record in 2025-26 with a 64-18 finish. Oklahoma City reached the Western Conference finals before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in seven games.