Winding up Zuffa’s fourth event at the Meta Apex, Dana White targeted 44 events for the year. In terms of output, he might succeed. But what about the substance? Will he succeed there as well – turning each event into a legitimate draw? That remains to be seen. Yesterday, a crowd made up mostly of Samoan heritage overwhelmed the Meta Apex as Jai Opetaia claimed the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight belt. Even if he poaches more star figures from rival promoters, the larger issue persists: how long can he continue staging shows like this?

Not for long, believes Eddie Hearn. From Hearn’s vantage point, the model may already face limitations. Though he is locked in a heated back-and-forth with White, the Matchroom boss believes Turki Alalshikh and SELA, who back Zuffa Boxing, may eventually shift their focus elsewhere. For them, it’s the blockbuster events that matter, Hearn suggested during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani. The Englishman enjoys promotional and business ties with Alalshikh. So, like many, Helwani wondered if the Saudi boxing figurehead had finally replaced Hearn with Dana White.

“We do a lot of business with Turki,” Hearn told Helwani. “We’ve just extended the snooker and the darts. Obviously, we’ve got an AJ deal potentially coming up as well. They sponsor our shows. I don’t know.”

To clarify his position, Eddie Hearn compared his working relationship with Alalshikh to the way Conor Benn departed Matchroom to join Zuffa Boxing. He values the rapport he shares with the Saudi power broker, but he also understands how the business operates.

“I like the guy. I like the atmosphere. I like the banter. And I love the business. And I love the opportunity. So I don’t have an issue with it,” Hearn said. “And if it dried up tomorrow, well, guess what? We have a 5-year deal with DAZN, probably 40 shows a year, and we run a billion-pound business. No Turki, no problem. But we like it. And if the opportunity is there and the relationship is there, long may it continue.”

That confidence, however, does not extend to Zuffa’s long-term leverage. While Hearn cannot decide whether Alalshikh backs Matchroom or not, he remains confident about his company’s footing in the fight game.

Eddie Hearn questions Turki Alalshikh’s long-term bet on Dana White

He was less optimistic about Dana White and TKO’s long-term position. In Hearn’s view, their boxing push relies on Alalshikh’s and SELA’s financial backing. Without their support, Zuffa’s expansion would face immediate strain.

Given Alalshikh’s preference for large-scale, high-impact events, Hearn believes the alignment between Zuffa and the Saudis may not be permanent.

“I’ve got to be honest with you because I know Turki Alalshikh, and I know what he expects, and I know the vision that he has for boxing,” Hearn told Helwani. “He will be sitting there watching the Zuffa shows completely unimpressed by what he’s watching. That’s the truth. He loves big shows. He loves great fights. He loves deep cards, big names, sold-out stadiums, and the buzz of boxing. And this is lazy. This is what this is. This is lazy.”

Considering the recent exchange in which White referred to Hearn as a “manager” during the Zuffa 04 post-fight presser, the friction between the two has only intensified. Yet beyond the personal barbs lies a structural debate. Boxing has historically thrived on marquee events – big names, stacked undercards, and iconic venues.

That formula built sustained momentum around the sport. If Zuffa pivots toward frequent, standardized events instead, the key question isn’t whether it can sign recognizable names. It’s whether that model holds up over time.