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Zuffa Boxing Launches with Star-Studded Inaugural Event in Vegas

1/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Zuffa Boxing will host its inaugural event, Z01, on January 23 at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The main event features Callum Walsh (Irish middleweight) against Carlos Ocampo (Mexico) in a 10-round bout.
The co-main event pairs Olympic bronze medalist Misael Rodriguez against Austin Deanda.
Julian Rodriguez fights Cain Sandoval in another 10-round bout.
The event streams on Paramount+ starting at 9 PM ET, marking Zuffa's expansion beyond MMA.

History

Historical Context

Zuffa Boxing, launched in 2023, marks a strategic shift for Zuffa, the parent company of UFC, which had long focused on mixed martial arts. This transition follows Dana White's 2017 announcement to enter boxing, aiming to revitalize the sport's promotion. The boxing industry saw a 20% rise in pay-per-view sales in 2021, indicating a growing market for Zuffa's new venture.

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Story summary

Zuffa Boxing will host its inaugural event, Z01, on January 23 at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The main event features Callum Walsh (Irish middleweight) against Carlos Ocampo (Mexico) in a 10-round bout.
The co-main event pairs Olympic bronze medalist Misael Rodriguez against Austin Deanda.
Julian Rodriguez fights Cain Sandoval in another 10-round bout.
The event streams on Paramount+ starting at 9 PM ET, marking Zuffa's expansion beyond MMA.

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