Trouble may be brewing in paradise for UFC boss Dana White, who recently faced a setback concerning the highly anticipated boxing showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford. Yet, the 55-year-old wasted no time bouncing back, quickly shifting gears to celebrate a major win in one of his other ventures. 

White was originally slated to lead the promotional efforts for the new boxing league set to launch in 2026. This league is being spearheaded by TKO Group—the parent company of both UFC and WWE—in collaboration with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. To give White and the boxing league some momentum, Alalshikh had previously announced that White would also helm promotions for the blockbuster Canelo-Crawford showdown.

But that plan appears to have changed. Following an update that the fight date had been moved from September 12 to September 13—clashing with Noche UFC—and that venues in New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas were being considered, Alalshikh revealed a significant shift. He took to X to announce that the Saudi entertainment company Sela, backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), will now handle promotional duties for the bout.

“We have confirmed the promoter for Canelo v Crawford will be Sela for Riyadh Season,” Alalshikh posted. “The broadcaster we have not decided yet, but the date will be Saturday, 13th September. More details soon…🥊🔥.” It’s also worth noting that Sela was a part of the partnership between TKO and Alalshikh. Regardless, where does that leave Dana White?

Well, earlier today, White took to Instagram to celebrate a different kind of victory. He shared a graphic from Freak MMA highlighting the meteoric rise of Power Slap, his open-handed striking competition. According to the stats, Power Slap has racked up 22 million total followers and 13 billion lifetime views across social media.

White proudly captioned the story, “BOOOOOOM!!! @powerslap.” Regardless, White’s trouble with Canelo vs. Crawford came after rare praise from one of his critics.

Jake Paul praises Dana White for Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford

Jake Paul has praised UFC president Dana White for his role in promoting the upcoming Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight, scheduled for September 13. Despite a historically tumultuous relationship, Paul has acknowledged White’s impressive business skills, especially for not having to invest any money in promoting what many consider one of the biggest fights in the last decade. 

Paul took to X to express his admiration, stating, “Dana White is the promoter for Canelo Crawford & he doesn’t have to put up 1 $. Fair play Dana. Fair play.” However, this praise might not last long, not because White has now been removed from the event, but because of the salaries the new boxing league is offering to its fighters, something Paul has previously criticized White for. 

That said, it appears Dana White’s venture into the mega boxing event didn’t last very long. Whether this will affect the boxing league is unclear, but it’s definitely not a good sign. What are your thoughts on the matter?