Dana White may have made a grave miscalculation by getting involved with Zuffa Boxing. Why? Because from this point forward, everything the UFC does will inevitably be measured against Zuffa’s efforts in boxing. If that sounds far-fetched, just look at what unfolded with the promo for UFC 324.

Paramount rolled out a sparkling and spectacular promo for the January 24 UFC event at the T-Mobile Arena, and the timing made it even more impactful. The ad aired during Saturday’s Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills game, putting it in front of a massive audience. Simply put, it delivered.

Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett took center stage, with the promo successfully building anticipation for the night ahead. The two are set to clash for the interim lightweight title, with the winner potentially earning a shot at the division’s champion Ilia Topuria.

However, as people glanced at the calendar in anticipation, one glaring omission stood out. Dana White’s boxing venture—set to debut on January 23 on CBS and Paramount+—was nowhere to be seen on television. Even boxing commentator Dan Canobbio noticed the absence.

“UFC 324 promo on the Broncos-Bills CBS game but no Zuffa Boxing,” he wrote on X. There appears to be minimal publicity surrounding the boxing promotion. While White did promote it during last year’s Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight—its inaugural event that generated plenty of buzz—that moment now feels like the peak of Zuffa’s marketing efforts.

When Dana White wanted to promote Power Slap, it was forced down fight fans’ throats via the UFC’s social media channels. So, it is surprising that White’s long-awaited Zuffa revival is not getting the same treatment. As a result, fans echoed Canobbio’s sentiment, voicing their frustration over the stark promotional disparity between the UFC and Zuffa Boxing.

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One fan pointed out there’s a long road ahead for Zuffa to reach UFC’s popularity. “Zuffa only has a handful of boxers even signed. Dana says they wanna sign 400 or so, but this is gonna be a process. Timing is right with Top Rank, and Golden Boy in limbo with no broadcast deals,” the user commented. While Top Rank’s deal with ESPN came to an end last year, Golden Boy’s deal with DAZN has expired this year. GB Promotions head Oscar De La Hoya is working on extending the deal, but a fight between Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. will have to be on the table for that to happen. 

Meanwhile, this user felt the disparity was due to the dwindling interest in boxing. “And? I’ve seen more Zuffa boxing ads than Shakur vs Teo ads, even tho the MSG card is a zillion times better than anything Zuffa can do. Boxing is dead in the US. It’s my favorite sport. That doesn’t change facts,” the user commented. However, could the fact that UFC CEO Dana White is involved with Zuffa be enough to drive people to watch the event? 

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Someone else felt the disparity in visibility was intentional. “TKO would never let Zuffa Boxing surpass the UFC. Not shocked. It will be treated like a second-rate sport in their hands,” the user commented. In that case, there’s a good chance His Excellency Turki Alalshikh will pull out Saudi funding from the promotion. And since TKO is not burning their cash for the promotion, Zuffa may just fade away over time.

Another user felt the promo should at least have mentioned Zuffa. “Seriously—it wouldn’t have hurt to at least MENTION it during the UFC ad….,” the user commented. While UFC and Zuffa are sister companies, they operate separately. 

The next user decided to go for Dana White’s jugular. “Dana ain’t serious about boxing at all,” the user wrote. However, on the contrary, White has long wanted to promote boxing. In fact, his intentions before promoting the UFC were to become a boxer. 

At the end of the day, if people buy a Paramount+ subscription to watch UFC 324, they will be able to watch Zuffa’s debut the day before. So, while Zuffa might not be advertised as much, it can be understandable since the promotion is just starting. But what do you think? Is the disparity intentional?