UFC’s Dana White and Co. launched their first event at the Meta Apex last Friday under Zuffa Boxing. The middleweight headliner featured undefeated Callum Walsh facing Carlos Ocampo, taking center stage in “Sin City.” So far, this is just the beginning, as the promotion works to fill its roster with top boxing talent. However, White’s ambitions recently took a hit.

Earlier this month, cruiserweight star Jai Opetaia signed with Zuffa Boxing, joining other elite fighters under Dana White & co. banner. Rumors suggested that fighters like Jose Valenzuela, Radzhab Butaev, Justin Vitoria, and Eridson Garcia could also join the promotion. The speculation grew when reports claimed that Zuffa was targeting an undefeated pound-for-pound star. However, the undefeated boxer surprised fans by declining to join Zuffa Boxing.

Rival promotions shake up Dana White’s Zuffa boxing plans

“Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez has re-signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing! Eddie Hearn confirmed that he has matched an offer from Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, per @IFLTV,” wrote COMBAT SPORTS TODAY on X.

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez clearly has his reasons for re-signing with Eddie Hearn. Since joining Matchroom Boxing in January 2022, he and Hearn teamed up to put on nine major fights in a short span. Meanwhile, in recent months, rumors suggested Rodriguez might join Zuffa Boxing. However, his longtime trainer, Robert Garcia, quickly shut down those claims, writing on X, “100% not true.”

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Garcia also emphasized that he hasn’t discussed the situation directly with Rodriguez, focusing instead on what benefits his fighter most. Jesse last stepped into the ring in November for his final bout under Matchroom Boxing, defending his Ring Magazine, WBC, WBA, and IBF World Super Flyweight titles against Fernando Martínez and finishing the fight with a sharp hook.

Ultimately, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’s decision to stay with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing shows that Zuffa Boxing’s financial offer probably didn’t match his expectations. In fact, things got even more awkward, as Zuffa’s first event reportedly didn’t impress Dana White himself.

Why White wasn’t 100% happy with Zuffa Boxing’s first event

Zuffa’s debut boxing event fell short of expectations for both fans and Dana White. Since last year, White has focused on building his boxing league, working with WWE CEO Nick Khan and Turki Alalshikh to revive the promotion. As a result, his absence from major UFC events drew backlash from fans, who expected him to remain visible in MMA.

Last Friday, Zuffa Boxing launched its first event, but it failed to capture attention, with low attendance inside the arena. Moreover, even Dana White wasn’t fully satisfied, as he continues to push to make a bigger impact in the boxing market. During his post-fight press conference, White shared his thoughts.

“I was on the phone more than I’m usually on the phone… Nothing really bad, but it’s just, I have a certain [vision]. I know where I want this to be, and I’m impatient. We’re building a whole new team here and a lot of people have never done this before so it’s going to take some time. I have a whole list of stuff that we’ll go through on Monday, meaning me and the team,” Dana White told The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the UFC took years to get to where it is now. Zuffa Boxing will also need time to establish itself and make a mark in the boxing world. What did you think of their first boxing event? Drop your thoughts below.