“We’ve already done seven fights since we launched,” Dana told iFL TV. “We’ve signed a lot of great talent, put on great fights with great matches, fights that matter with young, talented people, and we’re already on television in over 90 countries worldwide.
“So, in a very short time we made a very big impact on the sport.”
The UFC president suggested the growth has exceeded even his own expectations.
“This thing is growing a lot faster than I expected. No, no, multiple. And I’m already trying to get more dates from Paramount for this year. I think that from now until January 1st, yeah, you’re going to see a lot of signings,” Dana said.
“I’ve said a hundred times, at the end of this year, we’re judged by the amount of work we’ve done in one year.”
White also outlined a long-term goal that would represent a major change from boxing’s traditional business model.
“When we started, if you think about boxing traditionally, even here in the US, you would have them fight in Las Vegas or Atlantic City because that’s where all the money was at the casinos, or you would have to go to somebody’s hometown where you knew they could sell tickets.
“Now we’ve gotten to a point with the UFC where I can have a fight in Arizona with a Brazilian versus an Australian, and we’ll sell out. So my long-term goal for boxing is to make that happen.”
The commentary offers one of White’s clearest updates yet on the pace of Zuffa Boxing’s expansion. The ambition is clear. Whether boxing can be rebuilt into a UFC-style model is a much more difficult question.
