“You are one of the most selfish, capitalistic motherf—ers that I’ve ever seen,” said YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, delivering a sharp jab at UFC president Dana White in 2022. Under White’s leadership, the UFC transformed from a struggling organization to a multi-billion-dollar empire. However, despite the UFC’s immense financial success, White’s legacy remains shadowed by criticism over the fighters’ pay.

Last year, a court ordered Dana White and TKO to pay an eye-popping $375 million to thousands of fighters as part of the settlement in the Cung Le vs. Zuffa LLC antitrust lawsuit. Despite this, the spotlight on the UFC CEO’s business practices remains as controversial as ever. Known for his sharp business instincts, White recently announced his return to the boxing scene, fueled by his long-term vision for the sport. This time, he’s joining forces with Saudi mogul Turki Alalshikh—a key figure known for orchestrating high-profile bouts. Together with Dana White and TKO Holdings Group, they aim to write “a new chapter in boxing.”

Dana White’s ambition is to reshape boxing the same way he revolutionized the UFC over the past couple of decades. “It’ll be like the UFC. The model is the model that we have [in the UFC], WBC, IBF, WBA, etc.,” White said. Several prominent figures, including WBC, WBO, WBA, and Ring Magazine’s super middleweight champion, Canelo Alvarez, enthusiastically received the idea. Alvarez has hinted at the possibility of joining White’s new boxing league, which is set to launch in September 2025 in Las Vegas. “There’s always an opportunity to fight in September,” Canelo said.

But will former WBC interim lightweight champion Ryan Garcia join Dana White’s boxing venture? That will depend largely on White’s ability to improve the pay structure for his fighters. When asked by ‘The Schmo’ about White’s new boxing venture and his partnership with Alalshikah, ‘KingRy’ shared his thoughts: “Yeah, I mean, if they pay like the UFC, we might not like it, but I’m happy. You know, Dana is getting involved—he’s a great dude, and I’m sure they’re going to do big things.”

Ryan Garcia, who has spent the last year on the sidelines due to a suspension from the New York Commission for banned substance use, is set to make his comeback in May against Rolando Romero.

During his time away, Garcia voiced his interest in joining the UFC. However, Dana White quickly shut down that possibility, stating, “He’s under suspension, you know what I mean?” Despite this, the UFC boss is pushing ahead with his plans to launch a boxing league modeled after the UFC, leading to the question: will UFC fighters cross over and compete in White’s new boxing venture? Let’s hear from the UFC CEO.

Will Dana White allow crossovers in his newly launched boxing league?

“Who knows if the fight could happen in September, Saudi Arabia, champ?” said UFC’s former 205 lbs champion Alex Pereira at the UFC 313 media day last month, sharing his hopes of fighting under Dana White’s newly established boxing promotion—set to launch in September 2025 in Las Vegas. This idea came after the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury 2 during the Riyadh Season.

Since then, the 37-year-old former kickboxer has openly expressed his desire to pursue boxing, following in the footsteps of MMA stars like Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and Francis Ngannou, who have made it a trend to retire with boxing matches. However, UFC President Dana White isn’t keen on the idea. In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, White shot down the possibility of collaboration, stating, “No, never. I’m sure there are guys that want to box, but I literally don’t want to see any of that. We keep the boxers in boxing and MMA guys in MMA.”

What’s your opinion on Dana White’s decision to shut down the idea of UFC fighters participating in his newly launched boxing league? Do you believe White’s upcoming collaboration with Turki Alalshikah will address the long-standing issue of fighter pay that the UFC has often faced criticism for? Share your thoughts below.