UK UFC Stars Propose Buckingham Palace, Wembley for Dream Home Events

Following the significant announcement that the UFC is set to host an event at the White House for US President Donald Trump, featuring a lightweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje on June 14th, the combat sports world has been buzzing with unprecedented excitement.

Inspired by this groundbreaking news and fresh off the heels of a recent UFC London event, several prominent UK fighters were asked to envision their ideal equivalent for a home-soil event. They shared their dream venues across Britain and named the opponents they'd most like to face in such a historic setting.

British Fighters Envision Their Dream UK UFC Events

Buckingham Palace as a Royal Fight Night Venue

• Shanelle Dyer: Expressed a desire for a "sick" royal matchup at Buckingham Palace, stating she'd want to challenge "whoever is holding the belt."
• Mario Pinto: Shared Dyer's regal vision, also suggesting Buckingham Palace, and humorously called for "the easiest matchup," Lukas Brzeski, to return.

Iconic Stadiums and Arenas Across the UK

• Shem Rock: True to his Liverpool roots, he insisted on the M&S Bank Arena in "the fighting capital." For a bit of fun, he picked Anshul Jubli, but for a serious challenge, he named Dan Hooker, citing the ongoing "beef" with Paddy Pimblett and his preference for engaging opponents.
• Luke Riley: Aimed for the grandest stage, Wembley Stadium, proposing a fight against fellow rising star Kevin Vallejos, noting the UFC has yet to hold a stadium show in the UK.
• Lerone Murphy: The Manchester native called for a fight at the Co-Op Live Arena in his hometown against the "GOAT of the featherweight division," Alexander Volkanovski.
• Nathaniel Wood: The Londoner also set his sights on Wembley Stadium, envisioning an "amazing" event with 80,000 spectators and expressing his desire to fight "whoever has got the belt at the time."
• Christian Leroy Duncan (CLD): Echoed Wood's choice of Wembley, highlighting former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya as a "fun fight" for both himself and the fans.
• Louie Sutherland: Opted for convenience and fandom, choosing the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a stone's throw from his home, and declared he'd fight "anybody!"
• Mason Jones: Unsurprisingly, the Welshman aimed to bring the UFC to Wales, naming the Principality Stadium as the only venue large enough, and expressed a wish to headline against "whoever wants to give me the best fight."
• Sam Patterson: Pitched his hometown of Watford, specifically Vicarage Road, and boldly stated he'd want to fight "the champ," Islam Makhachev.
• Michael "Venom" Page (MVP): Called for an event at Old Trafford, a venue he has frequently mentioned, and reiterated his interest in a bout with Leon Edwards.