Dana White’s long-awaited launch of Zuffa Boxing finally took place in Las Vegas, though there were definitely some things that did not hit the mark.
Backed by a big broadcast deal with Paramount+, White introduced Zuffa Boxing from Meta Apex, and while the overall production was smooth and fan feedback positive, the fights themselves did not quite deliver the excitement fans had hoped for.
Despite only two stoppages – one in the closing seconds of the tenth round and another due to a doctor’s decision between rounds – massive bonuses were still awarded for performance and fight of the night, including a $100,000 extra payment to one winner.
Dana White admits he was not ‘thrilled’ after first Zuffa Boxing show
The 56-year-old businessman has built his reputation in combat sports through a mix of high standards and attention to detail, qualities that have made him one of the sport’s top promoters. Those same traits were on display as he stepped into the boxing world for his first event on Paramount.
But he was not entirely satisfied with how things played out, especially after Callum Walsh cruised through ten rounds in a main event that did not quite capture the excitement fans hoped for. Speaking after the fight, White shared his honest thoughts on how the night went.
Asked how it compared to UFC 30, the first show of his and Lorenzo Fertitta’s tenure, White said: “We had never done production before. Lorenzo Fertitta was here with me tonight for this one.”
“We know a lot more than we knew then. Am I absolutely thrilled with our first one? No. We have a lot of work to do this year. Tonight was a solid night. The fights were great and watch what we do over the next year – we’re just going to get better and better.”
Dana White lists areas for improvement following Zuffa Boxing debut
Speaking to reporters after the event, White gave a clearer picture of what needs to change and addressed why he was seen on his phone so often during the show.
“I have a whole list of stuff that we’ll go through on Monday, meaning me and the team. But, like I’ve been saying, it took 25 years to get the UFC where it is today and it is a very well oiled machine. We’ll do it in much less time on the boxing side,” the UFC president told The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis.
“I was on the phone more than I’m usually on the phone… Nothing really bad, but it’s just, I have a certain [vision]. I know where I want this to be, and I’m impatient. We’re building a whole new team here and a lot of people have never done this before so it’s going to take some time.
“But one of the things that we wanted to do, and what we did a great job of, was if you watch this at home on TV, they don’t feel like you were in the Apex. You don’t see any UFC stuff. It’s all Zuffa Boxing, Paramount, you know? We literally transformed the Apex into what looked like a different arena tonight.”
- READ MORE: Ex-unified heavyweight champion emerges on Zuffa Boxing radar as Tyson Fury rumours swirl
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