It appears like UFC CEO Dana White is all set to finally pull the trigger on promoting the sport of boxing. The mixed martial arts promoter has been teasing a move to start a new venture with boxing for a long time now. Now it seems like the wait is finally over, with White claiming he’ll enter the sporting realm next year. At the Dana White Contender Series press conference back in September, the UFC head honcho said, “I did my first fight in Ireland, and we’ll start announcing stuff here [at the] beginning of 2025.”

He surely tasted success when he co-promoted arguably the biggest fight in the past decade as UFC’s Conor McGregor went one-on-one against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017. Now, he wants another taste of the sport, and this time, he has received words of wisdom from none other than Eddie Hearn. The Matchroom Boxing chief, who is often at loggerheads with Dana White, has recently pointed out the frustrating problem areas for White that the UFC head honcho will have to look over before venturing into boxing.

In an interview with SBJ, Hearn called Dana White a very wise guy and one who’s very successful in life. However, he then revealed that promoting boxing is very different from promoting the UFC. In the MMA promotion, fighters sign contracts that limit their freedom to choose opponents. Instead, the UFC can decide matchups for them, and fighters often can’t refuse fights. On the contrary, boxing gives much more freedom to their fighters, with their lawyers and managers often negotiating for them. He further revealed that while he might not be aware of the model the UFC boss would try to implement, he wishes Dana White got involved in boxing.

Eddie Hearn said, “Frustratingly for him—because it’s a real different model. He’s a very bright guy that’s incredibly successful, but he has had the benefit—and he’s the reason they’ve had the benefit—of fighters having contracts where they don’t have a choice who they fight. And boxing, with its advisors and lawyers and managers, is very, very different and very frustrating. I feel like their model might be different. It might be some kind of smaller league of guys that you’re not aware of, but love to work with those guys. I mean, they’re a huge company, and I think with the right guidance and right partners, they could have an incredibly positive effect on the sport. I hope Dana gets involved in boxing; I think it’d be great for us.”

Well, it sure looks like Dana White now knows the problem areas he surely would need to work on. But only time will tell if the UFC head honcho manages to find the same success as he achieved with the UFC and Power Slap. While his venture into boxing still has a lot of time left, the UFC CEO has another plan that he wishes to implement. One that helps the UFC expand further.

Dana White wants to bring the UFC to Spain

UFC president Dana White has reaffirmed that the organization has plans to bring its events to Spain “as soon as possible.” He further revealed that the team is already discussing two possible destinations: “Madrid or Barcelona.” These statements came to light during the press conference before the confrontation between the Spanish-Georgian fighter Ilia Topuria and the American Max Holloway. In his words, White mentioned, “We will take UFC to Spain as soon as possible. We’re studying whether to go to Madrid or Barcelona,” confirming that the arrival of the UFC in Spanish territory is a priority for the organization, which seeks to expand its presence in new markets.

Ilia Topuria, who has emerged as one of the key figures in popularizing UFC in Spain, did not miss the opportunity to joke about the subject. In this regard, he commented on the possibility of the event being held at the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid. “It’s a conversation we still need to have.” Topuria said jokingly, leaving the door open to that possibility. Recently, Dana White revealed its expansion plans to new markets, and Spain appears to be one of the primary destinations in that strategy. This expansion is part of the UFC’s effort to grow its global audience and bring the show to fans who have followed the growth of the sport from other continents.

However, the main challenge seems to be finding a suitable date within the Spanish sports calendar. According to White, “We don’t know yet if it will be in the summer or when exactly, but we’re heading to Spain in 2025. The issue is that the stadiums are all booked up, but as soon as one becomes available, we’ll be there.” One of the obstacles he mentioned is the occupation of the most important stadiums in the country, which has made it difficult to secure a venue for the event. What do you think? Will Dana White be able to penetrate the Spanish market? Let us know in the comments.