Why a rugby league side are calling on UFC president Dana White to perform a club ritual ahead of next week’s NRL extravaganza in Las Vegas

An NRL team are hoping Dana White will perform a club ritual in Las Vegas

The Canberra Raiders will play the New Zealand Warriors next week in Sin City

The Canberra Raiders have issued a special request to UFC boss Dana White ahead of next week’s NRL season opener in Las Vegas.

The club have reportedly asked the American MMA powerbroker to perform a special ritual ahead of their match against the Warriors at the Allegiant Stadium on March 2.

It comes after both Phil Gould and ARLC boss Peter V’landys have made a plea to Donald Trump to attend next week’s clashes in Sin City, with loose forward Hudson Young having met with White where the UFC President told the Canberra star he would be attending next week’s match.

The Raiders had initially hoped that NFL legend Tom Brady would blow the Viking Horn ahead of their Las Vegas match but it is understood they are now making a play for White instead.

‘I have reached out to his publicity agent,’ Raiders chief executive Don Furner said to The Daily Telegraph.

‘It was only a couple of days ago. If he accepts it, we would take him straight away. He is known around the world.

The Canberra Raiders are making a ploy for UFC boss Dana White to perform a pre-match ritual in Las Vegas next week

The raiders are making a play for White to blow the legendary Viking Horn ahead of their match against the New Zealand Warriors at the Allegiant Stadium

The Raiders have made White their first-choice but they have other options including NFL great Rob Gronkowski

‘We are casting the net far and wide but Dana is our first choice. If he decides not to do it, we’ll move on to some other options.’

Brady’s former team-mate, Rob Gronkowski, who has fronted advertisements for the publicity of the Las Vegas round in recent months, is also understood to be at the top of the Raiders list of stars they would like to perform the ritual – which has become a fan favourite since it was introduced in 2017.

It is accompanied by the Viking Clap, with many notable figures having performed the ritual in recent years. Former Raider Alan Tongue was the first to blow the horn, with ex-Jillaroo Katrina Fanning and new Kangaroos boss Mal Meninga also participating in the ritual.

While the Raiders are in the entertainment capital, their captain Joe Tapine is set to also perform the tradition of ‘cranking the siren’ ahead of a Golden Knights game against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, March 1.

White was Down Under only last week for UFC 312, which saw Dricus Du Plessis defend his middleweight title against Sean Strickland in a bloody slugfest.

Interestingly, white met up with Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys during the evening as well as Penrith superstar Nathan Cleary, who has in recent days been dubbed the ‘Tom Brady of rugby league’.

White had previously lumped praise on the NRL’s decision to jump into the US market, while also stating league bosses should try everything they can to get President Trump over to the Allegiant Stadium for the matches.

‘If I’m running rugby league, I’d send him a cool invitation,’ the UFC boss said of jagging Trump.

The NRL and ARLC boss Peter V’landys have also been making a play to get US president Donald Trump to attend the rugby league extravaganza in Las Vegas

‘Use anything they can to make it different, a ball, whatever… make it cool and invite him.

‘Certainly taking the game to Las Vegas the way they have, that’s been a brilliant play.

‘I think for rugby league, that town is the f***ing destination.

‘It’s where you attract fans from not only all over America but all over the world.’