UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that there are no plans for former stars such as Ronda Rousey, Georges St-Pierre or Brock Lesnar to return for the historic UFC 300 event on April 13, with several more marquee bouts expected to be added to the card.
UFC 300 is set to be a big deal. But, don’t expect any old stars to make a comeback at the event on April 13.
Dana White, the UFC CEO, says so. He’s still working on the match lineup, he says.
There’s more big fights to be announced, he promises. But, don’t hold your breath for a surprise return from Ronda Rousey, Georges St-Pierre, or Brock Lesnar.
Remember UFC 200? Lesnar made a comeback after a long break. But, White says, that option wasn’t even on the table this time.
“Ronda’s not coming back,” White told Sportsnet in Canada. “GSP’s not coming back. Brock Lesnar’s like 45 years old or pushing 50. None of those calls were made.”
The event is a big deal, sure. You’d think the UFC would pull out all the stops. But, many of the big names are retired or haven’t competed for years.
Rousey last fought in 2016. She left the UFC for pro wrestling after a second knockout loss. She’s left WWE now, but she’s busy with her family and still wrestling independently.
St-Pierre? His last fight was in 2017. At 42, he’s hung up his gloves. Same for Lesnar, who turns 47 in July.
White says those matchups were never considered. But, he promises UFC 300 will deliver, especially in terms of event depth.
There’s already a title fight between Zhang Weili and Yan Xiaonan. More championships are expected to be up for grabs. Plus, UFC 300 has seven former champions already. And, White hints, there’s more to come.
“I don’t think there’s going to be anything out of left field,” White said. “This is just going to be a type of card we’ve never done before. Every fight is a must see fight.”
White didn’t say when he’ll announce more fights for UFC 300. But, he’s been dropping info over the past few weeks. The main event is still a mystery, so that’s the big slot to fill.