Zuffa Boxing Enters Ring with Paramount+ in Landmark Media Rights Agreement

NEW YORK – TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE, has officially announced its long-anticipated expansion into the world of professional boxing with the launch of Zuffa Boxing. A multi-year media rights agreement has been struck with Paramount, making Paramount+ the exclusive broadcasting home for Zuffa Boxing events throughout North America.

Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount+ is slated to broadcast 12 Zuffa Boxing cards in 2026, with the potential for select events to be simulcast on CBS. Further expansion is anticipated in subsequent years as the promotion gains momentum and builds its roster.

Zuffa Boxing is a collaborative venture formed in March by TKO Group Holdings and Saudi Arabia’s entertainment conglomerate, Sela. The promotion is spearheaded by a leadership team that includes UFC President and CEO Dana White, WWE President Nick Khan, Sela CEO Dr. Rakhan Alharty, and Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation. Alalshikh has emerged as a prominent figure in the sport, instrumental in funding and promoting some of boxing’s most significant events in recent years.

"This partnership with Paramount reinforces our vision to redefine the way viewers consume boxing," stated Alalshikh. "More fight fans will now have access to watch some of the most exciting boxers around. We have seen the proof that the appetite is there; this is the future for live boxing coverage and will ensure the sport continues to thrive."

Alalshikh’s influence in boxing extends beyond Zuffa Boxing. In 2024, he acquired "The Ring" magazine, a publication with a rich history in the sport, and promptly launched a boxing series under the same name. His involvement has been pivotal in staging high-profile events, including the recent Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr. bout at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, a fight that has been described as a de facto soft launch for Zuffa Boxing. Crawford dominated the fight, securing a TKO victory to become the undisputed welterweight champion. The event drew significant attention, underscoring the potential for large-scale boxing events in the current market.

Dana White, a long-time figure in combat sports, revealed that his initial reluctance towards entering the boxing world shifted upon developing a relationship with Alalshikh. "Timing is everything, and the timing was perfect," White told CBS Sports. "I met [Alalshikh] two years ago, and off of our first meeting, I had less-than-zero intent on getting into boxing. As I got to get to know him, he’s obviously very passionate about the sport. He loves it, and the boxing fights that have been made since he got into the sport would have never been done in a million years."

The deal with Zuffa Boxing follows TKO’s recent seven-year agreement with Paramount+, which designated the streaming service as the exclusive distributor of all UFC numbered events and "Fight Night" events. This pre-existing relationship between TKO and Paramount paved the way for the boxing venture.

According to White, Zuffa Boxing will adopt a developmental approach, focusing on matching promising prospects in evenly contested bouts to cultivate the next generation of boxing stars. These rising talents are expected to eventually feature in events promoted by Alalshikh, such as "The Ring" series and Riyadh Season events. This strategy mirrors the UFC’s successful launch of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality TV show in 2005, which served as a breeding ground for future champions like Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping, Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas, and T.J. Dillashaw.

"When you think about the UFC and where we came from, it’s hard for people to really wrap their heads around how humble the beginnings were," White said. "We are going to start [Zuffa Boxing] from the ground up on the Paramount platform and matchmake great fights with guys who should be fighting each other at a young point in their career, and you start to build a relationship with the fans and they start to trust your product. Whatever night it lands on, it’s destination TV, and people want to be there and people want to see it."

White’s involvement in combat sports dates back to the late 1990s when he worked as a trainer and aspiring boxing manager. He was part of Zuffa LLC, the company that acquired the UFC in 2001 before its sale to Endeavor in 2016. White is widely credited with transforming the UFC into the world’s leading MMA promotion, a feat he achieved by focusing on what he perceived as both the strengths and weaknesses of the boxing industry.

He intends to apply similar principles to Zuffa Boxing, aiming to address what he sees as a lack of structure in the sport. White has openly stated that he is modeling Zuffa Boxing after "Tuesday Night Fights," a popular USA Network boxing program that aired from 1982 to 1998 and cultivated a dedicated following.

While the specifics of Zuffa Boxing’s format are still under development, White has indicated that he plans to reduce the number of weight divisions from the current 17. He also aims to move away from the existing four-belt championship system operated by the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF.

To facilitate these changes, TKO has been advocating for an amendment to the "Professional Boxing Safety Act," enacted in 1996. The proposed adjustments, which have garnered bipartisan support, are expected to be presented to Congress later this year, despite some opposition within the boxing community.

White has emphasized that Zuffa Boxing will proceed regardless of whether the proposed amendments are approved, dismissing concerns about the impact of the changes.

"There will be zero changes to the ["Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act" of 2000]. Not one word will be changed; we are going to add on to it," White said. "So, the fighters who want to fight under the Muhammad Ali Act exactly the way it is will have that opportunity to do that, or you can bet on me and fight with me under our version of the Muhammad Ali Act. That thing has been blown out of proportion, and I get it I knew people were going to freak out because that’s what people do. The Muhammad Ali Act was put in place with all good intentions, but I think that it has held the business back."

White believes Zuffa Boxing can revitalize the American boxing market, which he considers to be underperforming. He envisions Zuffa Boxing as an independent league, distinct from existing promotions, and does not anticipate co-promoting fights with established players in the industry.

"I live in my own little bubble; I’m going to do my thing," he said. "I’m not worried about what any of those guys are doing, and to be honest, those guys don’t think big enough. These guys have been in the business for however long, and I think all of those guys think small. They don’t think the way that I think. I’m not competing with the other promoters; I’m competing with whatever takes the attention of the fans on the night that we are on television."

White acknowledges the challenges facing the sport and the varied opinions surrounding his involvement.

"Some people say I can save [boxing], and some people say I’m the worst thing to ever happen to it. I have absolutely zero ego going into this thing because I know how messed up the sport is. I have a plan, I started to build a team, and I’m going to put my head down and grind like I do for the next couple of years and we will see where we end up," he said.

"I am very optimistic about this."

Paramount, a Skydance corporation, is the parent company of CBS Sports.