Ariel Helwani teased some interesting ideas about what direction the UFC might take for its 30-year anniversary event, scheduled for Nov. 2023.<\/p>\n
The UFC has just completed its 282nd pay-per-view event Dec. 10 with 11-13 additional events to occur in 2023, inching much closer to another triple-extravaganza with UFC 300 in 2024.<\/p>\n
Helwani has been an MMA journalist since 2006 and has been an intricate part of the sport ever since. Although he no longer covers UFC events in person, he does still interview some of the biggest names in the sport and breaks the big MMA news on a regular basis.<\/p>\n
With the UFC reaching another milestone in its young history, Helwani threw out some interesting ideas about what the promotion<\/a> could do to make the event extra special, something that he felt UFC 167 \u2014 the promotion\u2019s 20-year anniversary \u2014 lacked. His thoughts first appeared during a November episode of his popular weekly show, The MMA Hour.<\/p>\n Quotes provided by MMA News.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI hope the UFC makes a big deal out of their 30th anniversary,\u201d Helwani said. \u201cYou know what would be cool? Bring back, I don\u2019t know, the winners of the first 10 UFCs, or bring back\u2014 imagine they bring back every living UFC champion! It probably isn\u2019t that many. How many do you think it is? 40? 50?\u201c<\/p>\n Ariel Helwani also thinks that the UFC\u2019s history should be recognized in a unique way that it hasn\u2019t been before.<\/p>\n \u201cBring them all back, have a huge ceremony for them,\u201d Helwani continued.\u201d \u201cDo something big. Honor your history. Honor your past. 20th anniversary, 25th anniversary was like (shrugs). Let\u2019s do it up.\u201d<\/p>\n As an NBA<\/a> fan, Helwani appreciates when basketball legends are honored from the past, like when The Association brought back 50 of the sport\u2019s best players to honor them with accolades during the 1997 season. Helwani echoed that the UFC should consider something with its own unique twist.<\/p>\n Imagine if the UFC brought out the greatest 30 fighters to their PPV in November 2023 to celebrate its 30th anniversary? Would be pretty amazing. https:\/\/t.co\/qRVqVQ7A4j<\/a><\/p>\n — Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 20, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n