UFC Vegas 107 promised fireworks inside the Octagon, but for fans watching at home, it turned into an exercise of patience. Dana White and the UFC’s partnership with ESPN, once a $1.5 billion handshake meant to revolutionize MMA streaming, is now teetering on the edge. With technical issues popping up like clockwork, lag, crashes, and unplayable PPVs, this wasn’t just a one-night hiccup. It was the latest domino in a collapsing broadcast setup.
The UFC Vegas card was supposed to kick off at 5:30 PM for the CST region. Instead, viewers waited nearly half an hour with nothing but preview chatter. Another point of contention? Repeated showings of Johnny Depp’s cologne ad. It didn’t take long for outrage to spread as other issues started popping up as well.
It didn’t help that the main card broadcast tripped right out of the gate either. As Brendon Fitzgerald handed things off to Minty Bets for her usual betting segment, chaos hit. The teleprompter seemed to fail completely. The betting expert stumbled mid-sentence, clearly flustered, before laughing awkwardly and resetting. What was supposed to be a polished transition instead became a symbol of the night: disorganized and off-brand for a UFC product.
Yet, this wasn’t just an isolated slip. The problems at UFC Vegas 107 mirrored issues from UFC 313. That night, severe streaming failures led to an outcry from fans and fighters alike. During the post-fight press conference, Dana White admitted, “Oh yeah, it made it to me, they were having problems buying it on ESPN+. I don’t know what happened with their platform tonight. There were a lot of p—- off people.”
One thing I don’t understand about UFC/ESPN+ broadcasts. If they can show this screen for minutes on end, why can’t they show entrances? pic.twitter.com/cNNdl1I2WN
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) June 1, 2025
At the time, MMA Fighting had reported that several UFC executives were “furious” at the debacle, with the PPV losing its sheen due to the numerous technical issues that popped up. Another point that has raised questions about Dana White and the UFC’s future with the streaming platform?
A recent report claimed that ESPN+ has removed all previous UFC pay-per-views and full fight nights from its platform. For years, fans used the ESPN+ library to revisit classics, study rivalries, or binge entire events they missed. According to reporter Zane Simpson, “Looks like all previous UFC bouts have been scrubbed from ESPN+. The whole catalogue gone. They’ve been scrubbing recent events for months now.”
As such, fans took to social media to make it clear, ESPN isn’t delivering the fights they have paid to watch, and here’s a look at what they had to say!
Fans blast ESPN as Dana White and the UFC face backlash for UFC Vegas 107 stream issues
One fan wrote, “I’m confused, are fights even on tonight? You advertised a 5:30 pm CST start time but we’re 30 minutes in and not a single fight has even started yet! I didn’t plan on tuning in to listen to a UFC 316 preview show @ufc @danawhite @espn Are we gonna start the f—- card?” This viewer’s frustration captures the confusion shared by many. With no clear communication and delays dragging on, the UFC Vegas 107 broadcast left people in the dark, literally.
Another fan chimed in with, “One thing I don’t understand about UFC/ESPN+ broadcasts. If they can show this screen for minutes on end, why can’t they show entrances?” It’s a recurring question. Instead of showing fighter walkouts, ESPN+ fills time with looping graphics or dead screens, adding to the sterile, soulless feel fans now dread. The question now becomes, is it time for Dana White and the UFC to look for a new broadcast partner? After all, their $1.5 billion deal, signed in 2019, runs out at the end of 2025. ESPN had an exclusive window to renew, but that window closed in April. UFC is now openly talking to other suitors. Netflix, Amazon, and even YouTube are on the table.
Even Johnny Depp came under fire as one fan wrote, “How many times will espn+ and the UFC show the Johnny Depp cologne commercial? F— me I’ll never buy that sh— now.” With empty airtime turning into ad torture, many fans were one cologne spot away from pulling the plug completely, and even Captain Jack Sparrow couldn’t change their minds!
The same sentiment was echoed by this fan who wrote, “If I have to watch this Johnny Depp cologne commercial one more f— time – I am canceling my espn+ subscription.” It wasn’t just a complaint about repetition, it was about branding. What was once a stylish ad quickly became a symbol of ESPN’s tone-deaf execution and fan frustration with the same.
And finally, one fan brought up their own history with broadcasting as they claimed, “My friends and I had a public access TV show when we were juniors and seniors in high school in the late 90s that ran smoother than tonight’s #ufc broadcast on #ESPN” This biting comparison wasn’t just for laughs, it spoke to how low expectations have fallen. If fans are comparing ESPN to teenage projects, there’s a real problem. What do you think?
To wrap things up, the issues at UFC Vegas 107 weren’t just annoying, they were a breaking point for many fans. From Minty Bets’ teleprompter disaster to the relentless Johnny Depp commercials, ESPN came up short yet again in delivering an engaging broadcast. And this isn’t just about one bad night; fans have had enough, and it’s becoming harder for the UFC and Dana White to defend their $1.5 billion alliance with ESPN.
Do you think the UFC should end its run with ESPN and choose another broadcast partner? Who do you think will be able to better handle the production for future events? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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