Combat sports fans will have to make a choice this coming Saturday when it comes to what they want to check out live. Standing in one corner will be UFC 317, which features two championship matches live on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.
Standing in the opposite corner is a boxing card highlighted by Jake Paul battling Julio Cesar Chavez with former UFC champion Holly Holm making her return to the sport.
As for “competing” with the boxing card from Anaheim, California under the Most Valuable Promotions banner of Paul, is UFC CEO Dana White concerned?
“Oh really?” White told MMA Fighting when asked about the event. “I didn’t even (expletive) know that. I didn’t know he was fighting so that’s how concerned I am about it.”
In the main event of UFC 317 will be Ilia Topuria taking on Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title. Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight belt against Kai Kara-France in the co-main event while Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van, Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano and Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima round out the main card.
As for the boxing event, Paul and Chavez will battle in a cruiserweight contest set for 10 rounds. The Honda Center will host the DAZN pay-per-view card which also is being co-promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
Holm, meanwhile, returns to the sport she dominated for years by taking on Yolanda Vega. Other scheduled bouts include Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez vs. Yuniel Dorticos for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight belts, Floyd Schofield vs. Tevin Farmer and Avious Griffin vs. Julian Rodriguez.
