Dana White and Turki Al-Sheikh’s new boxing league “Zuffa Boxing” starts on Friday in Las Vegas – the debut raises questions.
Dana White and Turki Al-Sheikh are launching their new boxing league Zuffa Boxing. The debut event will take place on Friday, January 23, 2026, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It will be streamed in the USA via Paramount+. The prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, the main card at 9 p.m. ET – in Germany this corresponds to 0 a.m. or 3 a.m. (Saturday night).
The location, of all things, sets the first counterpoint to the announced turnaround. The UFC hall is functional, but small. Many fans have criticized the location for years because the atmosphere and number of spectators are limited. Zuffa nevertheless chooses this route – logically, because White has production, processes and costs under control there.
Walsh vs. Ocampo as headliner
In sporting terms, Callum Walsh leads the debut. The Irishman will face Carlos Ocampo in the main event. Walsh is regarded as a prospect with star potential, while Ocampo has experience from 41 professional fights. The main card also features Misael Rodríguez Olivas vs Austin Deanda and Julian Rodriguez vs Cain Sandoval. The prelims include five more fights, including Omar Trinidad vs. Max Ornelas.
It is striking that Zuffa does not start with a superfight, but with matchups that look like “build-up with risk”. This fits in perfectly with White’s basic idea, which he has been selling for months: clear hierarchies, centrally controlled matchmaking, less belt confusion.
Ali Act and concentration of power
Critics warn that a league that bundles promoters, matchmakers and marketers under one roof could come into conflict with the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. The US law is intended to limit conflicts of interest and stipulates protective mechanisms for contractual rights, among other things.
White has recently taken a public stance on possible changes to the Ali Act framework – which shows how political this project can become once Zuffa not only hosts events, but builds its own system.
Text by Robin Josten