LAS VEGAS – The anticipation, mystery and sporting consternation over the debut of Zuffa Boxing gave way to the simple reality Friday that impassioned boxers fighting to build a career in a blood sport continues to entertain many.
Staged for a humble debut on Paramount+ in the 700-seat UFC Apex, the eight-fight card honored the promise of youth.
Developing 20-something talents including Troy Nash, Robert Meriwether III and Emiliano Cardenas produced encouraging victories that will help further narratives certain to be accentuated beyond everyday prospects thanks to the marketing and financial muscle of Zuffa’s parent company, TKO.
A glimpse of that push was in play Friday as each fighter provided recorded footage with a brief back story of how they got here and what they hope to achieve – an element that the sport has frankly been missing on other platforms.
Complete with the classic red, white, blue and black-roped ring and ring-card girls, Zuffa updates the sport with an apparel/gloves deal for its fighters and lights on the ring posts showing a ticking round clock and round number.
Zuffa positioned video monitors in front of the judges, with Nevada Athletic Commission Executive Director Jeff Mullen overseeing the events.
The pace of the transitions between bouts was also crisp, a needed development following many long-delayed pay-per-views that have proven to be agony, particularly for East Coast viewers.
The in-person presentation is a cousin of sorts to what Zuffa Boxing head Dana White insists upon as UFC CEO/president, the company he and former owner Lorenzo Fertitta guided from a $2 million purchase to a $400 million sale to TKO Group Holdings Executive Chairman Ari Emanuel, who, like TKO CEO Mark Shapiro and company executive and WWE President Nick Khan, was in attendance from the first bell of Friday’s first bout.
Instead of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” to hype up the crowd for the UFC’s main card, Zuffa Boxing employed Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for its highlight package.
Zuffa will present two more shows in coming weeks. As it has lobbied to create new federal regulations that will allow it to rank its stable of fighters and award its own belts, the fighters are being pointed toward bouts that will determine champions in Zuffa Boxing’s eight divisions.
The company, supported by a reported $10 million annual investment from Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh and the global streaming reach of Paramount+, is obviously angling to stage fights in larger venues than the Apex.
Earlier this week, Zuffa signed IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, who arrived at Friday’s show during the undercard. The unbeaten Australian has ambitions to unify the division – or perhaps move to heavyweight.
And Zuffa is actively seeking high-profile free agent champions and elite contenders, officials have told BoxingScene, including unified super-flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and former unified super-bantamweight champion Murodjan “M.J.” Akhmadaliev.
Middleweight Shane Mosley Jnr also attended the show.
Among the youngsters showcased Friday was bantamweight Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz, a child prodigy whose punching brilliance was showcased on the former premium cable reality television series produced for now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jnr at the height of his fame.
Diaz, 14-0, from Las Vegas, staggered opponent Gutierrez in the second round and maintained control of the bout, winning by three 79-73 scores.
In the opening bout of “Zuffa1,” Colorado featherweight Nash improved to 6-0-1 by delivering Jaycob Ramos his first loss by scores of 59-55, 59-55 and 58-56.
Nash flashed an impressive jab in the first round, added in more power blows in the second and willingly participated in exchanges with Ramos, who’d won his first four bouts.
Nash iced the outcome by slipping a Ramos power right in the sixth, and digging a right to Ramos’ chest.
Two more unbeatens met in the second bout and Las Vegas lightweight Meriwether III, 10-0, flashed impressive hand speed and poise to land heavy shots on Cesar Correa, who responded with some forceful counterpunches as the fight stretched on.
Meriwether sought to finish Correa, 5-1, with several head-rocking blows in the sixth, but the Idaho fighter withstood the barrage as judges awarded Meriwether a 60-54, 60-54, 59-55 unanimous decision triumph.
Bantamweight Cardenas, cornered by Trainer of the Year finalist Robert Garcia, cruised to a unanimous decision victory by scores of 60-54, 60-54 and 58-56 to join Meriwether at 10-0.
It took a minute – until the second round of Friday’s fifth fight – before the first knockdown occurred, when featherweight Omar Cande Trinidad decked Max Ornelas.
Trinidad, 20-0-2, added a third round knockdown on a left uppercut and then referee Thomas Taylor stopped Ornelas, 18-3-1, because of the fighter’s injured shoulder in the 10th round.
For now, Zuffa is staging bouts in the original eight divisions, eschewing the junior or super categories that exist elsewhere in the world.
The tempered Friday show was likely done purposely, to factor for any unexpected glitches, marking a slower build compared to some other promotions that have surged in with a major show and then flamed out quickly.
The product – as was seen Friday – can sell itself.
How this deep investment moves it along is now underway, for all to see.
