King7 hit the mailbag hard this week, asking if Dana White is gonna regret ditching the UFC to go all-in on Eddie Hearn boxing, and man, it feels like we’re already seeing the answer play out.
The Distraction Debate
Andrew Richardson didn’t mince words, flat out saying the UFC’s probably gonna be cranking out cards nobody cares about, totally lacking draws. But hold up, Alex Behunin got the inside scoop from someone super close to Dana, who was like, “Do not believe that narrative!” Even so, this same insider admitted Dana isn’t exactly bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm like he used to be, and yeah, he doesn’t know 500 of the 800 fighters on the roster anymore. The spin is that the UFC’s a “well-oiled machine” now, doesn’t need Dana to be a hype man. Alex sounds pretty skeptical about that, and honestly, so am I.
The Empire Builder’s Next Move
Jesse Holland, though? He’s convinced Dana won’t have a single regret. Why? Because what else is left for him to do? This is the guy who took the UFC from being $2 million in the red to a massive $7 billion in the black in less than two decades. And get this, the success *doubled* after the Fertittas stepped down! Jesse even called him a “slimy cockroach” in his personal life, but you seriously can’t argue with those numbers.
Tim Edwards dives even deeper, saying it’s always been about Dana, and the UFC was just the rocket ship that made him a household name. He’s peaked as an MMA promoter, so now it’s all about “bigger fish” for him: think US government deals and that sweet Saudi boxing money. Tim says Dana’s been playing “gopher for Turki Al Sheikh,” probably hoping for a monster payoff later.
But Tim’s got a point about the future, too. What happens when Trump isn’t around forever, either in office or on this planet? What if the new power brokers, especially those looking at anti-trust stuff and the Ali Act, aren’t his buddies? And those whispers about Saudi’s PLE fund not being an endless money pit, especially with the world eyeing electric vehicles and Chinese super batteries? If those sands shift, and Dana’s left without his old crew, Tim reckons we’ll see him back to promoting stuff like Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong fights way more.
Speaking of which, Jack Reacharound asked if that Silva vs. Cong fight is the worst title bout since Nico Montano and Roxanne Modafferi slugged it out for a vacant belt. Andrew Richardson actually defended it, saying it’s “not a bad fight for the division,” and that Silva is “clearly one of the best.” High praise, I guess?
So, is Dana White just sailing into a new sunset, or is this boxing pivot gonna leave the UFC, and maybe even him, in a tough spot down the road? With questions swirling about bottomless funds and shifting political tides, the future looks way more complicated than a simple cash grab. We’ll be watching to see if his golden touch keeps shining when he’s not the undisputed king of his own castle anymore.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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