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UFC Broadcast Mistakes Shakur Stevenson for NBA Star, Dana White Erupts at Production Team

The error exposed recurring flaws in UFC celebrity graphics and heightened concern over how the promotion presents its new Zuffa Boxing signee.

Overview

  • During UFC 329, when cameras panned to Shakur Stevenson, the lower-third graphic on the live broadcast incorrectly read “Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder Guard, 2025 NBA Champion.”
  • UFC president Dana White publicly berated his production staff at the post-fight press conference and said he had been screaming at team members backstage about the mistake.
  • Play-by-play announcer Jon Anik and fellow commentators flagged the gaffe on-air, and both Stevenson and Jalen Williams responded with light-hearted posts on social media.
  • The error echoes prior celebrity ID blunders at UFC shows, including a 2024 incident that mislabeled Terence Crawford, raising questions about the promotion’s graphics process and quality control.
  • No staffing changes or formal fixes have been announced and the mistake has prompted renewed public scrutiny of how UFC handles celebrity shots and the promotion of high-value signings to Zuffa Boxing.