Dana White has unveiled a new path for boxing’s future, describing his efforts to rebuild what he calls a “busted sport” through a model inspired by the UFC’s Contender Series.

Speaking on Vegas PBS, White framed the initiative as a complete overhaul, blending fresh talent with high-stakes matchmaking.

“What I’m going to do is basically like Contender Series,” White told Vegas PBS, as noted by MMA Fighting. “The best will fight the best, undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys, and what you will do is you will care about the first fight of the night, and not just the main event. So I will build stars, put on great fights, and then these guys will graduate and fight with Sheik Turki.”

White also added that he plans to focus on what was successful in the growth of the UFC and try to adapt it to the boxing model. “What we did with the UFC is turn the UFC into an NFL, an NBA. There’s a league, you reinvest into the sport, and other people want to invest in the sport … That’s what needs to be done with boxing, too, and that’s what I’m going to attempt to do.”

The UFC boss also acknowledged the legal and regulatory hurdles ahead, particularly around the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, which restricts promoter control contrary to his desired league-style operation. Still, he’s prepared to compete, already signing upwards of 60 to 70 fighters.

The new boxing series is set to debut in early 2026 under the Zuffa Boxing banner, White’s joint venture with Turki Al-Sheikh and TKO, with its first major test taking place this weekend in the form of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford superfight.