UFC chief executive Dana White has officially entered the world of boxing after partnering with Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabian’s General Entertainment Authority.
The duo have announced the creation of a new boxing league under the banner of the TKO Group, who are the owners of WWE and the UFC.
White took to social media to make the announcement, posting a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) with the caption: “BOOOOOOM!!!!! Boxing here we come”.
In the video, White begins by saying that he has “just done a deal to start a new boxing league with Turki, who absolutely loves the sport of boxing”.
Alalshikh states that he is “very happy today”, adding that “I give the flag of boxing to the best man who can handle it”.
“We have a tough job now, but I am sure he will be delivering to the people and the fans a magnificent league and get boxing great again,” he added.
White claims that the model “is proven to deliver the fights that the fans want to see”, adding that “the best will fight the best and the fighters will continue to move up the rankings and become world champions”.
“We will continue to make announcements on where you can watch and all the rest of the details on the business as we get closer to the launch.”
The official name of the league has not been announced, though it is expected that the first events will take place in 2026.
WWE president Nick Khan will work alongside White for the promotion, with TKO running the day-to-day operations.
Sela, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and sponsor of Newcastle United, is also part of the partnership.
The league is the latest in a string of Saudi-backed sports projects, with the country’s Public Investment Fund owning a majority share in Newcastle while also funding the creation of LIV Golf and other ventures.
