Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn continued his rivalry with UFC CEO Dana White by predicting a tumultuous first year of Zuffa Boxing.
Ahead of the UFC’s return to action on Saturday with UFC 324, Zuffa Boxing will host its inaugural event on Friday night at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Dana White has his hands full this week as he balances Zuffa Boxing’s official launch with the UFC’s first event of 2026.
As White kicks off his latest combat sports venture, many are skeptical that Zuffa Boxing will be able to have a significant impact in the sport, despite rumored negotiations with heavyweight great Oleksandr Usyk. But White has big plans for Zuffa Boxing in 2026 and beyond.
In the meantime, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is extremely skeptical about how White can be successful with Zuffa Boxing. He recently accused White of being at the center of another fighter pay controversy, citing ‘how bad’ Zuffa Boxing fighter pay allegedly is.
While Hearn remains adamant that Zuffa Boxing competitors aren’t making a lot of money, he believes UFC fighters will be up in arms over a pay discrepancy.
Eddie Hearn: Expect Dana White’s UFC fighters to ‘revolt’ over Zuffa Boxing pay
In a recent interview with IFL TV, Hearn made a striking prediction about White’s first year leading Zuffa Boxing.
“I think one of the really interesting things, when I look at the business, is gonna be how the UFC talent roster reacts to the amount of money these guys are paying fighters,” Hearn said of White and Zuffa Boxing.
“I think there will be a revolt from the UFC fighters, to be honest. Because I think they’ll be thinking, ‘Why are we making so much less than the boxers when the show, the business, and the revenue is so much higher?’” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
UFC 324 star Justin Gaethje recently claimed he isn’t making a ‘single dollar more’ at UFC 324 than he did in any of his previous fights. White recently accused Gaethje of turning down a pay increase ahead of this weekend’s event.