Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing Launches New League With Saudi Investment

Dana White has talked about boxing like a man with unfinished business for years. After watching Floyd Mayweather box Conor McGregor in 2017, he made it clear that he saw chaos, wasted talent, and money flowing in the wrong directions. He never stopped saying boxing was broken, and now he finally has the tools to do something about it.

Zuffa Boxing officially launched in June 2025, and it carries real weight behind the name. The promotion is a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings and Sela Sport, which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. White did not sneak into boxing quietly. He kicked the door open with money, media deals, and a plan that looks a lot like the UFC blueprint that reshaped MMA.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine)

The name Zuffa matters here. It is the same company that bought the UFC in 2001 and turned it from a fringe product into a global powerhouse. White is betting that history can repeat itself. This time, the battleground is boxing, and the resistance will be much louder.

Saudi Billions and a Tight Inner Circle

Zuffa / IG / Money drives boxing more than most sports, and this project is swimming in it. White partnered with Turki Alalshikh, a powerful figure tied directly to Saudi Arabia’s entertainment push.

Alalshikh already changed the boxing calendar by funding massive fights in Riyadh, and now he has a league to shape from the ground up.

The leadership group is small and intentional. Nick Khan from WWE brings media muscle and negotiation skills. Dr. Rakan AlHarthy runs Sela and handles the Saudi side of the operation. White stays front and center, selling the vision and daring the boxing world to keep up.

The media deal added credibility fast. In September 2025, Zuffa Boxing locked in a major agreement with Paramount Skydance. Events stream on Paramount+, with select fights airing on CBS. That kind of exposure is rare for a brand-new boxing promotion, and it sends a message that this is not a side project.

A UFC Style League in a Boxing World

Zuffa Boxing wants to run as one league, not a loose collection of promoters pulling in different directions. Fighters sign with Zuffa, fight other Zuffa fighters, and climb one ranking system. White has spent years trashing boxing’s alphabet belts, and he is not backing off now.

The plan is to crown Zuffa champions and stop relying on the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO. Rankings will come from The Ring Magazine, which is also owned by Alalshikh. One list. One path. No endless waiting for unification bouts that never happen.

To make this legal, Zuffa is backing the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. The bill would allow Unified Boxing Organizations to exist alongside the current system. It passed a key House committee vote in January 2026, but it still has work to do. White says it adds options without tearing down protections, though critics are not convinced.

Zuffa / IG / Zuffa Boxing started building its roster before most fans realized it was real. The biggest signing so far is IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, a fighter many see as elite across weight classes.

He gives the league instant credibility and a clear star to build around. The roster also includes Callum Walsh, Jose Valenzuela, and heavyweight Efe Ajagba. These are not random names. They are fighters with upside, name recognition, or both. Zuffa has also shown interest in Oleksandr Usyk, though nothing is locked in yet.

The first standalone event, Zuffa Boxing 01, took place on January 23, 2026, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Callum Walsh headlined against Carlos Ocampo. A second event followed quickly on February 1, 2026. The promotion also helped co-promote the massive Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight in September 2025.