Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing are up and running, and their first show is on Friday night.
Is this organisation the next big thing to change the game in boxing? Or is the UFC boss biting off more than he can chew?
Here’s everything you need to know.
So, what exactly is Zuffa Boxing?
Zuffa itself was founded in 2001. Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta set it up to be the parent entity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 2023 there was a major change for Zuffa, as it merged with WWE in 2023 to form TKO, the brand name faded in usage. It was referred to as TKO Boxing, borrowing the name of the new parent company. Fast forward to June 2025 and it was rebranded by TKO for their new boxing promotion in partnership with Sela, named Zuffa Boxing.
Who is behind it?
This is where Dana White comes in. White and Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh came together to revive the brand, with the UFC boss intending to ‘apply the UFC’s promotional model to professional boxing.’ Nick Khan, president of WWE, is also involved as a promoter.
White has tried to get into boxing before, right?
Indeed, several times in fact. Roy Jones Jr’s bout with Scott Sigmon in 2018 was shown on UFC’s Fight Pass, a streaming service for the sport. In the following years other boxing cards were also shown on the service. White has long stated the boxing model is ‘fundamentally broken’ and wished to get involved somehow to alter that. His work with Zuffa Boxing gives him a chance to do that and the early signs are intriguing.
What has White said about Zuffa in general?
A lot.
“I’ve been talking smack about boxing for a long time, and now it’s time for me to put my money where my mouth is,” White said. “I’m going to get rid of the sanctioning organisations. The best will fight the best. We’re going to sign all the young, up-and-coming guys.
“If you break into the top 10 and you’re still undefeated, your undefeated record means something. You know what I mean? Everybody’s undefeated in boxing because nobody fights anybody, right? Everybody will fight everybody.”
Which boxers are signed to Zuffa?IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is the first world champion signed by Zuffa Boxing. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Jai Opetaia, the world cruiserweight champion, has signed up.
There’s even talk of boxing’s unified heavyweight champion and former two-time undisputed star Oleksandr Usyk joining.
“There is contact, there is dialogue, and interest exists,” Usyk’s representative Sergey Lapin told talkSPORT.
White was asked about Usyk and responded: “We’re talking with everybody we think are the most talented people in the world or have the potential to be the most talented people in the world.”
What’s the fear with the Muhammad Ali Act?
The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000 is a law designed ‘to protect the rights and welfare of professional boxers on an interstate basis by preventing certain exploitive, oppressive, and unethical business practices.’
But White is seeking an amendment because he wants to create his own world titles and rankings, separate to the existing IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO.
He hit back at criticism, saying: “I’m not saying I’m taking over anything. The Ali Act will be in tact, not one word will be changed. Fighters can still fight under that. The WBC, WBA and IBF will still exist and fighters can fight for those titles. I’m just doing something different. Who am I bullying? I have barely even done any interviews about it. Oscar [De La Hoya], Eddie [Hearn], Frank [Warren], Top Rank will all still be doing their thing.”
What events are planned?
Zuffa Boxing hope to stage 12 events for each of the next five years, a total of 60 shows. It has already been involved with promotion of fights too, including the Anthony Olascuaga vs. Juan Carlos Camacho and Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford cards. Zuffa 01 however is the first standalone event under the brand.
Zuffa 01 is the first event, then? Who is fighting?Callum Walsh (R) greets UFC CEO Dana White following his victory against Fernando Vargas Jr Getty
Technically, yes. On Jan. 23. It will be the first time White gets to entirely look over a boxing card.
The Zuffa Boxing era will kick off in Las Vegas on Jan. 23, when undefeated Irish junior middleweight prospect Callum Walsh (15-0, 11 KOs) faces Carlos Ocampo (38-3, 26 KOs) in the main event at the UFC Apex.
“When I talk about matchmaking, I’m going to have all these up-and-coming guys,” White said.
“We have this kid named Ocampo, who is a seasoned veteran. His only losses are in title fights — three title fight losses. He has more knockouts than Callum has fights. Callum, undefeated, 15-0, and it’s the main event. Should be a badass boxing event.”
The full Zuffa 01 card is as follows:
Lightweight Bout: Troy Nash vs Jaycob Ramos
Lightweight Bout: Robert Meriwether III vs Cesar Correa
Bantamweight Bout: Emiliano Cardenas vs Marcus Cortez Harris
Bantamweight Bout: Floyd Diaz vs Guillermo Gutierrez
Featherweight Bout: Omar Trinidad vs Max Ornelas
Welterweight Bout: Julian Rodriguez vs Cain Sandoval
Middleweight Bout: Misael Rodriguez Olivas vs Austin Deanda
Middleweight Main Event: Callum Walsh vs Carlos Ocampo
How to watch Zuffa Boxing in the UK
There is no TV broadcast deal yet confirmed for Zuffa Boxing in the UK.
What time will Zuffa 01 be on?
The prelims are set to start at 11 p.m. GMT / 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PST. With the main card scheduled to begin at 2 a.m. GMT / 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PST.
Zuffa Boxing’s second event has been confirmed too
Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela will fight Diego Torres on Feb. 1 in Las Vegas on the promotion’s second event.