UFC Mistakes Shakur Stevenson for Jalen Williams at UFC 329, NBA Star Reacts

There was an awkward moment at UFC 329 in Las Vegas when boxing star Shakur Stevenson — fresh off signing a lucrative multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing — was spotted in the crowd and shown on both the arena jumbotron and the Paramount+ broadcast. Commentator Jon Anik acknowledged Stevenson’s presence for the audience at home. So far, so good. The problem? Somewhere in the process, the identification went sideways, with Stevenson apparently being confused for NBA star Jalen Williams — and Williams himself took notice.

The mix-up drew a reaction from Williams, the Oklahoma City Thunder forward, who clearly noticed his name being attached to the wrong face on one of combat sports’ biggest stages. Details of his response speak to just how visible the error was — this wasn’t a quiet in-house mistake but one broadcast to a national television audience.

For Stevenson, the moment is an odd footnote to what is otherwise a significant chapter in his career. His new Zuffa Boxing arrangement signals a major commitment from the UFC’s parent organization to build him as a marquee attraction in the boxing space, making his ringside appearance at UFC 329 all the more fitting — even if the production team’s execution left something to be desired.

It’s the kind of gaffe that tends to live forever on social media, and with both Stevenson and Williams being high-profile athletes with large followings, the clip was never going to slip quietly into the night.