Turki Alalshikh, TKO – including UFC's Dana White – partner to establish new boxing promotion

(This story was updated with no information Wednesday, March 5 at 1:59 p.m. ET)

UFC CEO Dana White is diving into boxing. This time it’s official.

White and TKO have partnered with chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, to launch a new boxing promotion, Ring Magazine announced Wednesday. The executive leadership will be anchored by White and WWE president Nick Khan.

ANNOUNCED: Turki Alalshikh and TKO have signed a multi-year partnership to establish a new boxing promotion with executive leadership anchored by UFC President Dana White and WWE President Nick Khan. The new promotion will feature:

A highly structured system to develop new… pic.twitter.com/tK5auLy1UO

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) March 5, 2025

White has long criticized the boxing business model for not pitting the best fighters against each other. White said the new promotion aims to do that, with both rising talent and current stars.

“The model is proven to deliver the fights that the fans want to see. The best will fight the best, and the fighters will continue to move up the rankings and become world champions,” White said in a video posted on X. “We will continue to make announcements on where you can watch and all the rest of the details of the business as we get closer to the launch. I’ll see you soon.”

BOOOOOOM!!!!! Boxing here we come pic.twitter.com/XBRBT5mr3P

— danawhite (@danawhite) March 5, 2025

According to a press release, the new promotion will feature “a highly structured system to develop new talent from around the world, including athlete combines and academies.” All boxers will have access to the UFC Performance Institutes in Las Vegas, Mexico City and Shanghai. TKO will handle production of events both in broadcasting and at arenas.

More details on the multiyear partnership are expected to be announced in the coming months, but Alalshikh hinted during an interview Wednesday with “The Pat McAfee Show” that the promotion’s first event could be held in September – possibly Sept. 12.

“When it’s time to announce, we have a massive fight – and this is literally exactly what I’m talking about – a massive fight that only this guy (Alalshikh) could make happen,” White said. “Only this guy could make a fight like this happen. We will announce it when we’re ready to. This is the guy who’s literally brought boxing back.”