UFC executive Dave Shaw stated he is unconcerned about the reportedly low ticket sales for the upcoming UFC Perth event.

Shaw represented Dana White, who did not travel to Australia, during Friday`s pre-fight press conference.

Unsurprisingly, reporters questioned Shaw about rumors of weak ticket demand for the event, which features a light heavyweight main event between Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes.

Predictions suggest the RAC Arena might only be “half full” for the event, scheduled for Sunday morning local time.

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Dave Shaw Defends UFC Perth Event Strategy

When directly confronted about a potential ticket sales problem for UFC Perth, Dave Shaw remained steadfast.

“Not at all,” he responded, then highlighted the UFC`s past achievements in Australia.

Shaw elaborated, “From the very beginning, we`ve pursued a long-term strategy in Australia. We were here first with UFC 110 in 2010. We opened our Sydney office in 2014, continuing our long game. In 2015, we hosted the largest event in UFC history with Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm in Melbourne. We successfully overturned the octagon ban in 2017. And in 2023, we delivered a `Fight of the Year` with Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev. Our commitment to Australia for the long haul remains unwavering.”

He continued, “We recognize Australia as a nation passionate about sports. Dana often speaks about MMA becoming the biggest sport globally, and we view Australia as a premier market where this sport will achieve immense popularity.”

Shaw also emphasized the unique nature of the current fight card: “This event is quite special, featuring more regional, Australian, and Kiwi athletes than any previous UFC event here. We have a debutante female fighter from New Zealand and an Adelaide-based athlete making their first appearance on the card.”

“Our investment is in cultivating future talent and high-quality athletes. It`s guaranteed that someone from this card will emerge as the next Jack Della Maddalena – that`s our focus.”

When the reporter pressed further, Shaw firmly reiterated, “We perceive no issues whatsoever with this event.”