Could ZUFFA boxing actually happen?
Remember when part of Dana White’s shtick was claiming that boxing was dying and that mixed-martial-arts would one day be bigger than soccer? Well, none of that happened. And when it comes to boxing, White seems to think it has enough of a future that it’s worth investing his time and energy in it.
In 2017 he gleefully followed Conor McGregor’s dalliance in the sweet science, making sure he and the UFC got a piece of the pie (knowing that that boxing match was going to make more money than something inside of a cage could have).
Around that time White also announced his intention to launch ZUFFA boxing; an organization that promised to bring his style of promotion and matchmaking to a new sport. There was never any word if he expected boxers to accept his style of pay structure, too, one that helped turn the UFC into a billion dollar product.
Things went quiet on all things ZUFFA soon after it was announced. And this year White said that the boxing business was “broken” and that’s why he hasn’t pushed forward with his concept.
White’s interest in boxing, as a spectator, hasn’t seemed to waver, though. Since 2017 we’ve seen him stream (legally, we hope) fights while at his own shows and even dip out on fight night cards to watch the sport he previously claimed was on its last legs.
And that sustained interest could mean that ZUFFA boxing might have a chance, yet.
Supporting this theory is the fact that ZUFFA LLC filed two new trademark applications for the term ‘ZUFFA BOXING’ on November 29.
That being said, given how the trademarks were filed, they shouldn’t be taken as a sign that there will be a ZUFFA boxing show happening anytime soon. These trademarks were filed to ensure that ZUFFA could sell more merch with ‘ZUFFA boxing’ written on it.
Under the ‘Goods and Services’ section one application listed, ‘Sports equipment for boxing and martial arts, namely, protective helmets.’
That application was filed with the International Class code 009, which covers scientific equipment and things which calculate and process data.
That class code might mean that ZUFFA is interested in developing equipment that has some sort of biometric element to it.
The other application had a longer explanation under the ‘Goods and Services’ section:
“Boxing swivels; boxing bags; punching bags; sports equipment for boxing and mixed martial arts, namely, boxing gloves, mixed martial arts gloves, punching mitts, shin guards, belly protectors, groin protectors, athletic equipment, namely, striking shields and striking bags; bags specially adapted for sports equipment; hand wraps for sports use; athletic protective pads for boxing and mixed martial arts training”
That application was filed with the 028 International Class code, which includes ‘games and playthings’.
So even if you can’t watch ZUFFA boxing on TV, and have to resort to watching UFC cards, at least you’ll be able to do so in your ZUFFA boxing branded groin protector.