The stage is nearly set for UFC parent company TKO’s foray into boxing in 2026, and now we’re learning more about their planned two to four superfight events per year.
Last month it was announced that Zuffa Boxing would be ending up on Paramount+, the same company that signed UFC for a seven year, $7.7 billion media rights deal. Not included in the Zuffa Boxing deal is additional superfights held by Turki Alalshikh and the Saudis, which TKO will co-promote for a hefty $10 million per event plus various extra commissions.
In an earnings call, TKO exec Mark Shapiro laid out exactly how the company would be involved in those fights and who would be taking the lead. From what he said, it sounds like Nick Khan will be the guy, while Dana White will be focused on the regular Zuffa Boxing events.
“I think these super fights are going to be a huge catalyst for us,” Shapiro said. “We’re more focused on the Zuffa boxing league, but at the end of the day we expect to receive a services fee of $10 million on each of the [super] fights and we expect to do two to four fights per year. I think you can expect that in 2026.”
While these events will be separate from regular Zuffa Boxing events, Shapiro sees these superfights as an opportunity to showcase Zuffa boxers.
“We can populate the undercards some of the time, if not most of the time with Zuffa fighters,” he said. “Which will help us build names, personalities, followings, rivalries and just really shed more of a spotlight onto our Zuffa boxing league. I think the opportunity beyond that lies in each of those fights. $10 million was just a starter.”
”Nick [Khan] is obviously hands-on involved with negotiations with our partners in Saudi Arabia and in putting these cards together, putting these featured matches, these main cards together. And then ultimately, with how can we bring them value and as such take a commission from it.
“Beyond the fee they pay us to co-promote or promote, there’s the media deals and getting paid on doing those deals, there’s partnership deals and getting paid on doing those deals, there’s ticket sales and then there’s also just serving as their marketing agency on the ticket sales. Frankly, we have a big appetite for this.”
One big concern investors had was TKO stretching Khan and White too thin and distracting them from their main profit makers: the WWE and UFC.
“Nick’s got a full time job in WWE,” Shapiro said. “We’re not taking our eye off the ball there or taking anything for granted, especially with the success we’re having this year. That just compounds the pressure to beat that next year. And Dana White definitely has a lot on his plate and therefore isn’t going to be out there working as a promoter for one-off boxing fights on a regular basis. He could do a few of these annually, but really no more than that.”
It’s been another great year for TKO and there’s no doubt that the company will continue to rake in money through 2026. The big question that fans have, though, is whether the quality of content will improve with so many events on their slate for the upcoming year. TKO has a lot of irons in the fire, and it will be interesting to see how UFC does with White spread out across UFC and Zuffa Boxing, not to mention his side businesses like Power Slap and other corporate obligations.