1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:02,879 Speaker 1: But it is my great pleasure to welcome to the 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,320 show this week the one and only Dana White. You 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,439 know him as the UFC, the top dog at the UFC, 4 00:00:08,759 --> 00:00:11,160 and now Dana, you're coming into boxing. I'll just explain 5 00:00:11,199 --> 00:00:14,759 what's going on. You know, your your parent company, TKO, 6 00:00:15,199 --> 00:00:18,320 made a deal with Turkey al Chic to bring your 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,600 forces together to create this so called boxing league that 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,239 you're going to be the front man for. Similar I 9 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,640 guess what you do with UFC and and try to 10 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:29,239 try to make your bones and boxing like you've done 11 00:00:29,359 --> 00:00:31,719 on other combat sports. So first of all, welcome and 12 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,000 congratulations on your deal. 13 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 2: Thanks buddy, I appreciate it. 14 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, my pleasure. So that got finalized and as has 15 00:00:39,119 --> 00:00:42,200 been announced to UFC. Alright, I guess it's TKO really. 16 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,000 You get a ten million dollar fee from the Saudi's 17 00:00:45,039 --> 00:00:48,920 to run their promotion an annual and annual, an annual feed, 18 00:00:49,079 --> 00:00:51,119 to put this on and to work the magic that 19 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,399 you have done in the MMA space. And so you 20 00:00:54,479 --> 00:00:58,200 have talked Dana for many years about becoming involved in 21 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,759 boxing promotion. And so my first question that is why 22 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,320 is right now the right time for this? Because you 23 00:01:02,399 --> 00:01:03,520 have talked about it a lot. 24 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:06,599 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I've looked into it a lot and and 25 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,200 sort of played with it. And then literally every time 26 00:01:09,239 --> 00:01:11,760 I got on the phone with a boxing guy, I 27 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,079 would literally say, why the hell am I doing this? 28 00:01:14,079 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 2: This is insane? 29 00:01:15,519 --> 00:01:17,879 Speaker 3: You know, why would I put myself through this? And 30 00:01:18,239 --> 00:01:21,200 everything in life, and definitely everything in my life has 31 00:01:21,239 --> 00:01:24,280 come down to timing. And you know, I know a 32 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,400 lot of people are going to talk about money and money. 33 00:01:27,439 --> 00:01:30,120 I got money, I could go out and raise money. 34 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,920 I had raised the money at one time, and everything 35 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,480 I do, everything by gut, and it just didn't feel 36 00:01:37,519 --> 00:01:40,400 right to me. About a year and a half ago, 37 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,599 Nick conn made the introduction to me in Turkey, and 38 00:01:46,599 --> 00:01:49,159 you know, I'm a weird dude and like I like 39 00:01:49,239 --> 00:01:51,400 to stay in my own little space, my own little bubble, 40 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:52,480 and do my thing. 41 00:01:52,799 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 2: I wasn't interested in any of this stuff. But over 42 00:01:55,319 --> 00:01:56,000 the last year. 43 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 3: And a half he and I have created a relationship 44 00:01:58,879 --> 00:02:01,680 to the point where not only do I like him, 45 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:02,680 I trust him. 46 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 2: I've done business with him, and he and I are 47 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:11,479 very aligned in our outlook on boxing, our thoughts for 48 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:12,039 the future. 49 00:02:12,479 --> 00:02:15,759 Speaker 3: And this was the right time, the right place, and 50 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:16,879 the right people to do it with. 51 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: Well, I will give my listeners a brief disclosure. Nick 52 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,960 Cohn represented me as an agent for fifteen years through 53 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,759 my career at ESPN, So just to get that out there. 54 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,599 Nobody can accuse me of not being honest about that. 55 00:02:29,039 --> 00:02:30,759 I got to tell the people the real truth. 56 00:02:30,759 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying, but which I don't think 57 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,960 it has a bearing on what we're talking about or understood, 58 00:02:37,599 --> 00:02:42,199 you know, you as a as a reporter or a journalist. 59 00:02:42,319 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 3: You know, it's just Nick con is the one who 60 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,520 made the introduction. He used to be with CIA, then 61 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,560 he ended up with WWE, then we did the acquisition 62 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:53,879 of WWE. 63 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,199 Speaker 2: And you know, Nick is. 64 00:02:56,159 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 3: A big, big big boxing fans. 65 00:02:59,039 --> 00:03:02,479 Speaker 2: Has always had his and sort of in the uh you. 66 00:03:02,439 --> 00:03:04,439 Speaker 1: Know, in the boxing business as I as I used 67 00:03:04,439 --> 00:03:05,840 to joke around with Nick. I think that's why you 68 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:07,199 put up with me for so long, because I was 69 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,520 a boxing guy and he liked boxing. So there you go. 70 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,680 But you know, I understand how you're talking about how 71 00:03:12,759 --> 00:03:15,560 this uh the introduction was made, But how did it 72 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:17,800 come about from the standpoint like let's do a deal? 73 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,080 Was it you saying to Turkey, Hey, let's do something 74 00:03:21,159 --> 00:03:23,280 him saying to you, Hey, what do you think maybe 75 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,159 we should do some business on the boxing side of things. 76 00:03:25,159 --> 00:03:28,280 Obviously you had worked together on MMA events with UFC, 77 00:03:29,199 --> 00:03:31,840 and I just wondered, did it, like, how did that 78 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,400 come about in terms of who who was the one 79 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:35,560 that like asked for the first date? 80 00:03:35,599 --> 00:03:37,599 Speaker 3: I guess you're You're you're the you're the you're the 81 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:40,280 only guy that's asked me that after doing one hundred. 82 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,439 Speaker 2: And fifty seven and that's that's. Ah. 83 00:03:45,879 --> 00:03:52,879 Speaker 3: So Turkey wanted to hire me to come, uh run the. 84 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: Boxing You don't like that's the ring stuff, the read 85 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,919 season stuff, the business. 86 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,599 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, basically what I'm gonna do now. Yeah, We're 87 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:04,759 going to do it through TKO. 88 00:04:05,599 --> 00:04:09,159 Speaker 3: I'm not leaving the UFC or you know the things 89 00:04:09,159 --> 00:04:10,479 that I'm working on here now. 90 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,719 Speaker 2: So we brought the whole thing into TKO. 91 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: And so that was your sort of I guess I 92 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,720 don't want to come work for you and then leave UFC, 93 00:04:20,759 --> 00:04:22,560 but we can still do business by doing it in 94 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,560 this manner, and he was open to that. 95 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 3: It worked out that, you know, he and I both 96 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,040 like each other, trust each other and feel like we 97 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:36,680 are aligned h and what we want to do in 98 00:04:36,759 --> 00:04:40,920 the sport, and we just ended up getting a deal done. 99 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,759 Speaker 1: Okay, So you have, as you mentioned, TKO, the parent 100 00:04:43,759 --> 00:04:46,680 company of UFC now the parent company of WWE. You 101 00:04:46,759 --> 00:04:49,720 also obviously have Power Slab. And it feels like, when 102 00:04:49,759 --> 00:04:51,600 I look at it from the outside, I see, well, 103 00:04:51,639 --> 00:04:54,720 you've got those particular things I just mentioned, but that 104 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,519 boxing was sort of the one missing element, let's say, 105 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,959 of the combat sports portfolio, and it made sense. 106 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:02,759 Speaker 2: It was not Yeah, that's. 107 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,759 Speaker 3: What people are looking at as far as oh, does 108 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,279 this round out TKO and all? This has nothing to 109 00:05:07,319 --> 00:05:10,920 do with the TKO side of it. I only do 110 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,519 things that I like to do with people that I 111 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:15,279 like to do with it do it with. 112 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,959 Speaker 5: Right and you know, power Slap for me, I saw it, 113 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:24,000 there was a gut thing and I wanted to do it, 114 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,079 so I went out and did it. And now the 115 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:27,240 same thing with boxing. 116 00:05:28,519 --> 00:05:31,439 Speaker 3: I liked it. It's like if I like something, you know, 117 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,680 I'll I'll talk to Ari and I'm like, I want 118 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,120 to do this, can we do it? We end up 119 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:38,319 figuring out how to get it done. 120 00:05:38,439 --> 00:05:40,079 Speaker 1: So one thing I'm interested in I've seen in a 121 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:41,720 lot of the particulars that have been put out. I 122 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,600 had obviously got the press release, and I've seen some 123 00:05:43,639 --> 00:05:45,360 of the comments that have been made, some of the 124 00:05:45,399 --> 00:05:47,920 things that have been said, Why are you referring just 125 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:49,680 to as a league. When I think of a league, 126 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,040 I think of like a team and they're going out 127 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:53,839 to play the other team. You know, because if you 128 00:05:53,879 --> 00:05:56,759 think of like baseball, or you think of NFL or NBA. 129 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:58,959 But it seems like the word league is being used 130 00:05:58,959 --> 00:06:01,319 to describe what I of you as a promotion. 131 00:06:01,079 --> 00:06:01,879 Speaker 2: The word league. 132 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 1: I'm with you. I hate the word league. Okay, so 133 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:05,279 we're on the same page with that. 134 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 2: It's the boxing promotion. 135 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:08,959 Speaker 1: There we go, okay, promotion. The only thing is I 136 00:06:08,959 --> 00:06:11,319 thought I was missing something. You know, I know you're not. 137 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 3: You're You're absolutely right. I couldn't agree with you more. 138 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,800 But but but here's the difference. Uh, Skiff, you're in 139 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:18,600 the car. I got the great skipper Kelviro. 140 00:06:18,639 --> 00:06:19,519 Speaker 2: The car will be skip. 141 00:06:19,959 --> 00:06:23,439 Speaker 4: When when did when did boxing start? 142 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 2: First place? 143 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,079 Speaker 3: Sixteen eighty one was the first boxing match? 144 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,759 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, twenty twenty five. 145 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,519 Speaker 3: Now think about this, Think about any brand, business, sport, 146 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,920 anything that has created trillions of dollars in revenue, been 147 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:39,279 around for hundreds. 148 00:06:38,959 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 5: Of years, right, yeah, and at the end of the day, 149 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,240 there's nothing there, literally nothing. 150 00:06:44,639 --> 00:06:46,199 Speaker 2: So I guess you could look at us as a. 151 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 3: League because we're gonna build a business, right, We're actually 152 00:06:50,079 --> 00:06:53,040 gonna build a business with boxing, which has never. 153 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 2: Been done before. It's never even been attempted before. 154 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 3: People say that it has because this guy raised money 155 00:06:59,319 --> 00:07:02,399 and that guy raised money, but there was no no 156 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,920 plan to really build a league. All anybody's ever done 157 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,120 with the sport is take from it, take money, take money, 158 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:10,720 take money. 159 00:07:10,879 --> 00:07:13,199 Speaker 2: Nobody's ever reinvested back in the sport. 160 00:07:13,439 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 3: The only one who has ever invested in the sport 161 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,560 of boxect you shake Turkey. 162 00:07:17,959 --> 00:07:20,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, understood, I get that. I mean it's ever invested. 163 00:07:21,079 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 3: So we are going to build a business in where 164 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,519 we build this brand, which you know I'm looking at 165 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,920 at TKO being the name of it. 166 00:07:30,319 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: You know, we're still kind of playing with some things. 167 00:07:32,079 --> 00:07:33,120 There's a lot of things. 168 00:07:32,879 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 3: That need to be worked out still as far as 169 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,439 the business goes. But we are building a business. We 170 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,120 are building a brand, so I could see where you know, 171 00:07:40,399 --> 00:07:41,920 I know, Turkey called it a league. 172 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 2: I even called it a league in the video. Today. 173 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,959 Speaker 3: But at the end of the day, it's it's you know, 174 00:07:48,519 --> 00:07:51,839 if you call the NFL a league, right. 175 00:07:51,759 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, then the UFC. I guess you could call the 176 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,519 league whatever. You know, it's it's, it's, it's, it's it's complicated. 177 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 1: It was sort of like that was actually that. It 178 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:01,600 was like the next question I had in my mind 179 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,360 is that I sort of looked at the announcement of 180 00:08:04,759 --> 00:08:07,560 the league, so to speak, as somewhat audacious from the 181 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:12,160 standpoint that you make the deal with Turkey. Yet the league, 182 00:08:12,279 --> 00:08:14,959 as you say, has no name yet, as you just mentioned, 183 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,759 to my knowledge, no broadcast deal in place yet, although 184 00:08:18,759 --> 00:08:20,639 maybe you do and you haven't told anybody about it. 185 00:08:21,199 --> 00:08:23,439 To my knowledge, you don't have fighters under contract just 186 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,319 yet in terms of the boxers, and no specific set 187 00:08:27,399 --> 00:08:29,800 date other than in the press release saying first event 188 00:08:29,839 --> 00:08:32,759 in twenty twenty six. So there's a lot of unanswered questions. 189 00:08:32,759 --> 00:08:34,960 But it seems to me that the force of the 190 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:38,440 Dana White personality in Turkey al chic makes people sit 191 00:08:38,519 --> 00:08:40,039 up and say, oh, this is legit, this has got 192 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:40,799 to be the real deal. 193 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 2: It's legit, it's the real deal. 194 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 3: And yes that you know we're in the part is 195 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,679 way ahead of the horse situation here. Right now we're announcing, 196 00:08:50,879 --> 00:08:53,240 you know that, what we're doing, but there's still a 197 00:08:53,279 --> 00:08:55,240 lot of work that needs to be done. Nick CON's 198 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,120 flying out the Vegas next week. He and I are 199 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,480 going to sit down and basically start building the infrastructure. 200 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:02,639 Speaker 2: I've already got the space. 201 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 3: We're already ripping the space apart and starting to build 202 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,519 and figure out how many offices we're going to need 203 00:09:07,759 --> 00:09:08,720 and all that stuff. 204 00:09:08,799 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: So there is no broadcaster in place yet, that is 205 00:09:10,879 --> 00:09:13,799 what you're saying. No, no fighters on our contract yet, right, 206 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:14,240 So if. 207 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 2: You wanted to ask me how many fights are you. 208 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,159 Speaker 3: Going to do a year, It's going to depend on, uh, 209 00:09:18,759 --> 00:09:20,879 on who we do a deal with, what they're looking for. 210 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:22,639 Speaker 2: You know, I say this all the time. 211 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,519 Speaker 3: If you call Kevin Ka, who used to be the 212 00:09:25,759 --> 00:09:27,639 uh you know, the head of Spike TV. 213 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,759 Speaker 2: If you call Eric Shanks from Fox you know, yep. 214 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 3: If you call Chub Pataro, ask any of these guys 215 00:09:34,399 --> 00:09:36,720 who the best sports partner uh they've ever been in 216 00:09:36,759 --> 00:09:37,279 business with. 217 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 2: I'm a good fucking partner, you know what I mean. 218 00:09:40,639 --> 00:09:42,679 Speaker 3: So we will go in, we will cut a deal 219 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,200 with somebody and we will basically build this thing around 220 00:09:46,519 --> 00:09:47,879 what they need for programming. 221 00:09:48,039 --> 00:09:50,039 Speaker 1: Are you looking to do multiple deals, because I mean 222 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,879 there's plenty of professional sports outfits that have broadcast partners 223 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:55,759 that are more than one. NFL has a bunch of 224 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,000 NBA as a bunch, Major League Baseball has lots of 225 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,399 local They obviously just you know, are finishing with the ESPN, 226 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,240 but they also have bad Fox. Are you trying to 227 00:10:03,279 --> 00:10:05,120 do multiple deals? Are you looking to have one home 228 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:06,159 that's going. 229 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 3: To depend on how this whole thing plays out. What's 230 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,360 fascinating right now that's happening in the world. 231 00:10:10,399 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 2: How are you? Then? 232 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: I am fifty four years old. 233 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 3: So we're the same age exactly when you and I 234 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,200 grew up Channel three, Channel. 235 00:10:16,919 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 1: Five L Where I was it was six, ten and thirteen, 236 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:20,799 But I hear you same thing. 237 00:10:20,799 --> 00:10:21,159 Speaker 2: There you go. 238 00:10:21,399 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 3: Then in high school we had like thirty three channels 239 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,320 on cable satellite hit And then when you think of 240 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,480 the peak of linear television when ESPN was, you know, 241 00:10:29,519 --> 00:10:32,159 getting seven bucks a sub and all this other stuff, right, 242 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:35,120 it was massive. 243 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:38,639 Speaker 2: Now you know, it's also linear starting to go away. 244 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,879 Speaker 3: We're heading into you know, the world is becoming a 245 00:10:41,919 --> 00:10:43,759 much smaller place because of streaming. 246 00:10:44,279 --> 00:10:45,559 Speaker 2: And I think there's going to. 247 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,519 Speaker 3: Be a channel three, Channel five, Channel Light and Channel 248 00:10:47,519 --> 00:10:50,240 thirteen again globally. And the question is who's it going 249 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,320 to be? Is it going to be Amazon, YouTube, Disney? 250 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,840 You know, list goes on and on of who the 251 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,679 players are going to be. But what's fascinating right now? 252 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,720 And you look and you've got the NFL, college football, NBA, 253 00:11:03,919 --> 00:11:08,159 college basketball, you got the NHL, the Major League Baseball, 254 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:14,080 the NBA, you got UFC, WWE and tennis. And the 255 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,360 list goes on and on of all these sports. Power 256 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,039 slap all these sports that are looking for rights deals 257 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,799 right now, right And I was just saying the other day, 258 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,279 it's going to be interesting because even the majors, unless sure, 259 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:31,480 the fucking NFL and college football, NBA's numbers are dropping drastically. 260 00:11:32,279 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 2: You know, the. 261 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,279 Speaker 3: Major League Baseball just went back and ESPN turned them down. 262 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:40,919 Not only they turn them down the deal, they cut 263 00:11:40,919 --> 00:11:43,080 their fucking what their deal was. 264 00:11:43,039 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: In half, well more than half. It was five fifty 265 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,360 a year to two hundred they offered, right, So. 266 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 2: It's going to get fascinating here. I just announced. 267 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,279 Speaker 3: So when I announced this on Friday, they embargo the 268 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,200 story on power Slap. I always go out and figure 269 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,279 out how to build shit without the help of any 270 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,240 You don't believe in my fucking thing, beautiful, no problem. 271 00:12:03,279 --> 00:12:05,519 I'll go out and figure it out myself. That's what 272 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,519 I do, because then you get into the combat sports thing. 273 00:12:07,759 --> 00:12:10,679 Top rank just lost their deal, right, Top rank lost 274 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:11,039 their deal. 275 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 2: You got Eddie. 276 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:16,279 Speaker 3: Hearn, you got you know, these bare knuckle boxing guys 277 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,440 that are running around looking for everybody's looking for a 278 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,480 TV deal, everybody's. 279 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 2: Looking for money. 280 00:12:20,879 --> 00:12:23,399 Speaker 3: I always try to figure out how do I take 281 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,759 my thing to the next level and figure it out 282 00:12:26,799 --> 00:12:29,080 on my own without our first part. Think about this, 283 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,720 Top Rank had ninety million dollars, right, My first Spike 284 00:12:32,799 --> 00:12:34,440 deal was thirty five million bucks. 285 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:36,879 Speaker 1: Did pretty well of. 286 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 3: Thirty five million dollars, you know. Then from there we 287 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:40,080 went to Fox. 288 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 2: Our Fox deal was like one hundred and ten, you 289 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:42,960 know what I mean. 290 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,919 Speaker 3: We had less money and just a little bit more 291 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,080 money than Top Rank did. 292 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:50,519 Speaker 2: And look at what we built. 293 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: You went to a billion at ESPN. Yeah, so we're 294 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:55,559 in the ballpark. 295 00:12:55,879 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, eight and change. 296 00:12:57,279 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 1: Still pretty dark. 297 00:12:58,039 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: Good. 298 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: So now you mentioned in in the press announcement that 299 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,320 the first event of this would be twenty twenty six. Now, 300 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,480 I hear rumors all the time, Dan, I'm listening to 301 00:13:06,519 --> 00:13:07,919 the people. I'm talking to people every day in the 302 00:13:07,919 --> 00:13:11,120 boxing space. May not follow UFC Ultra closely or anything 303 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:12,759 like that, but in boxing, I got a lot of 304 00:13:12,799 --> 00:13:14,480 people that talk to me about a lot of different things. 305 00:13:15,519 --> 00:13:17,559 Twenty twenty six may be the case, but I know 306 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:19,240 there's a mega event that's supposed to take place in 307 00:13:19,279 --> 00:13:23,720 Las Vegas in September between Kenel Alvarez and Karence Crawford. 308 00:13:23,799 --> 00:13:26,759 Kenel Alvarez just announced and Turkey and Hidt did a 309 00:13:26,759 --> 00:13:29,440 four fight agreement that's going to commence with the fight 310 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,759 that will take place in Saudi Arabia coming up in May. 311 00:13:32,159 --> 00:13:34,320 But that fight in September is supposed to be back 312 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,320 here in the United States. Boy, wouldn't it be make 313 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,320 a lot of sense that Canelo does not have a promoter, 314 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,440 specifically that Dana White, and this new league that doesn't 315 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,399 have a name yet, it starts at the very top 316 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,440 of the sport and promotes the biggest fight in North 317 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,080 America that you could possibly make right now, one of 318 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,120 the biggest fights in the world period is that on deck? 319 00:13:52,159 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 2: That would be amazing, That would be amazing. 320 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:58,039 Speaker 1: Does that come up? I can't imagine that. It's not. 321 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,200 He's got the number one star on the sport. And 322 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:01,759 like I said, when all the people were talking about 323 00:14:01,799 --> 00:14:04,879 Dana White coming into boxing, I was like, Okay, bring 324 00:14:04,879 --> 00:14:07,200 it on. You know, I'm all for a competition. But 325 00:14:07,279 --> 00:14:08,679 I can tell you one thing, even though I don't 326 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,480 know you, well, I've followed you. Dana White's not coming 327 00:14:11,519 --> 00:14:13,519 into boxing to do four round plimentary fights and be 328 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,080 call it a day. He's going to do it. He's 329 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:16,720 going to try to do it at the absolute peak 330 00:14:16,799 --> 00:14:17,720 level of the sport. 331 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 3: Well, what I do is but what I do is 332 00:14:20,399 --> 00:14:23,600 I come in and build things that people think can't 333 00:14:23,639 --> 00:14:26,879 be done. I take niche sports and blow them up 334 00:14:26,879 --> 00:14:28,120 and turn them into monsters. 335 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 2: That's what I do. That's my passion, right. 336 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 3: I mean, if you look at what I did with 337 00:14:32,639 --> 00:14:34,840 the UFC, why the fuck would I get involved in 338 00:14:34,879 --> 00:14:35,399 power slap? 339 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:35,639 Speaker 1: Right? 340 00:14:35,679 --> 00:14:37,679 Speaker 2: Why would I? Why would I do that? You know why? 341 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 3: Because I believe in it. I think it can be big, 342 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,720 and you know nobody else does. I mean, that's that's 343 00:14:43,759 --> 00:14:44,759 basically what I do. 344 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 2: Now. 345 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 3: I also believe that the sport of boxing is absolutely 346 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,320 broken and has to be fixed. It has to be 347 00:14:50,399 --> 00:14:55,279 rebuilt from the ground up. And that's pretty much what 348 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:55,879 I'm good at. 349 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:57,759 Speaker 1: So are you going to be promoting Crawford and Canelo. 350 00:14:58,039 --> 00:15:00,279 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not some guy that has to walk can 351 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,879 and and do you know I'll leave forman you know, 352 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:05,919 because you know it's it's a big ego play. 353 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 2: It's the exact opposite. 354 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: No, I'm thinking. I'm thinking that's the way to make 355 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,120 the splash. Though you can do all that stuff, but 356 00:15:10,159 --> 00:15:11,600 you make the splash at the highest level. 357 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: Listen, we made a splash today. 358 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 3: I mean the announcement that we're going to do it 359 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:19,240 is a splash. But I'll say this to you, anything 360 00:15:19,279 --> 00:15:21,120 is possible. Anything is possible. 361 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: So one of the things in terms of boxing, you 362 00:15:24,879 --> 00:15:27,720 check it it's broken. You know that it's that people 363 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:29,559 haven't invested in it through the years. That you're looking 364 00:15:29,559 --> 00:15:32,480 to change that sort of concept the way things are done. 365 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,679 So I guess the question is what do you think 366 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,039 is the biggest thing that you can do in boxing 367 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:38,480 to make it better than all the things that you've 368 00:15:38,519 --> 00:15:40,679 kind of ragged on it about over the years. 369 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 2: What's the thing You just answered your own question. 370 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:45,799 Speaker 3: Literally, all the things that I have ragged on over 371 00:15:45,799 --> 00:15:47,000 the years is exactly. 372 00:15:46,639 --> 00:15:48,519 Speaker 1: What I know. But but there's got to be priorities. 373 00:15:48,559 --> 00:15:49,960 Though you can't do everything at once. 374 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,519 Speaker 3: You can though you can. So here's here's how you 375 00:15:53,559 --> 00:15:57,399 build a business. Right in the comments point everybody focuses 376 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,320 on all this other goofy shit. Number one is go 377 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,279 out and find the best up and coming talent that 378 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,240 you can find. Number two, put on the best fights 379 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,440 that you can possibly put on, from the first fight 380 00:16:08,519 --> 00:16:09,080 of the night to. 381 00:16:09,039 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 2: The last fight of the night. 382 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,559 Speaker 3: Make sure that the live in house production is off 383 00:16:13,559 --> 00:16:16,039 the charts right, and that everybody who shows up that 384 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,039 has a good experience, and the people that are watching 385 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:23,240 at home have to have that same experience too on television. 386 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:25,840 And then the other thing that I do is I 387 00:16:25,919 --> 00:16:28,919 sell holy shit moments, right, That's what I do for 388 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:29,360 a living. 389 00:16:29,799 --> 00:16:30,039 Speaker 2: Now. 390 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 3: I have to have three or four holy shit moments 391 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,360 a night to make the people that paid for tickets 392 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,440 and people that watch it on TV to feel like 393 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,919 they got their money's worth. We have gotten the UFC 394 00:16:40,039 --> 00:16:43,279 brand to a place where I'll put on I'll say 395 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,519 I'm coming to a town, tickets will sell out before 396 00:16:45,559 --> 00:16:49,080 I even announce the main event. I also have gotten, 397 00:16:49,399 --> 00:16:52,039 you know, to a place with my fan base where 398 00:16:53,279 --> 00:16:55,840 they know that if something falls off the card, people 399 00:16:55,879 --> 00:16:58,559 don't start returning their tickets. They know I'm gonna put 400 00:16:58,559 --> 00:17:01,320 something else on there. It's either as good or better 401 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,599 than the first fight we had. So I have a 402 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:09,440 really good relationship with my consumer and that's what boxing 403 00:17:09,519 --> 00:17:10,599 doesn't have, and that's what. 404 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 2: I need to build. 405 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,079 Speaker 1: So what do you think then are the differences? You 406 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:17,599 obviously have vast experience promoting MMA through your UFC affiliations, obviously, 407 00:17:17,839 --> 00:17:19,319 but what are the what do you think is the 408 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,640 biggest difference then that you're going to need to do 409 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,160 maybe a little differently to promote the boxing it is. 410 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,200 You know, they're similar, but they are different sports. They 411 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,480 do have somewhat different fan bases. What are you looking 412 00:17:28,519 --> 00:17:29,319 at in that respect? 413 00:17:29,759 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 3: You need to build a good product. As long as 414 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:33,960 you build a good product, you know what I mean, 415 00:17:34,319 --> 00:17:38,599 it's gonna I'll give you an example, like the difference 416 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:40,000 between UFC and other sports. 417 00:17:40,039 --> 00:17:42,799 Speaker 2: Like I'm an MBA fan, I'm a Celtics fan, Right, 418 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,000 I shouldn't say I'm an MBA fan. I'm a Celtics fan. 419 00:17:46,519 --> 00:17:49,000 Now when I when when when the. 420 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 3: Games are on TV, you got to watch the last 421 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,880 six minutes of the game, right, Other than that. 422 00:17:55,599 --> 00:17:57,079 Speaker 1: That goes with pretty much any basketball game. 423 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 2: I guess it's true. 424 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 3: And it's not a great work on TV in my opinion, 425 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,519 it's slow and boring and da da. But when you 426 00:18:04,559 --> 00:18:09,039 go live, it's awesome. I love live basketball now. The 427 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,759 NFL is incredible on television. I don't like the NFL 428 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,200 so much live. I don't like being at the sitting 429 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:16,880 in the traffic and getting to the stadium. 430 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 1: Well, we agree on both of those factors. I feel 431 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:20,799 the same way about the NBA and the NFL. What 432 00:18:20,839 --> 00:18:23,000 you're saying, right, and the. 433 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,400 Speaker 3: Game looks different live than it does on TV. The 434 00:18:25,519 --> 00:18:28,240 NFL is probably one of the most perfect products you'll 435 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:29,720 ever see on television. 436 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 2: It's so good on fucking TV, right, yep. 437 00:18:32,279 --> 00:18:39,160 Speaker 3: Now, boxing is bad live and bad on fucking TV. 438 00:18:40,039 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily agree with that, but I hear what 439 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,440 you're saying. There's definitely things that can improve. 440 00:18:43,799 --> 00:18:46,599 Speaker 3: The UFC is exactly opposite. Well, I'll give you an example. 441 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,400 My son who's been going to UFC his whole life. 442 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:51,440 He just went to the Tank Davis fight the other night. 443 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:53,640 He asked me to buy him tickets, so I bought 444 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,440 them tickets to the fight. He said the live experience 445 00:18:56,599 --> 00:19:00,240 was terrible. He said it was completely fucking unorganized eyes 446 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:01,480 and it's just. 447 00:19:03,039 --> 00:19:04,599 Speaker 2: He couldn't say enough bad things about it. 448 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 3: Unfortunately, when you watch it on TV, you fucking sit 449 00:19:09,039 --> 00:19:11,319 there all night waiting for a fucking these guys will 450 00:19:11,319 --> 00:19:14,279 put on a fight and then do a podcast, then 451 00:19:14,319 --> 00:19:16,680 another fight will fucking come on and they do. You know, 452 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,000 you blow your whole evening sitting there waiting for them. 453 00:19:20,039 --> 00:19:21,400 Speaker 1: I have to I will say this though, in terms 454 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,119 of what happened on Saturday with the Tank fight. And 455 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,039 I've been a critic of exactly what you said many times. 456 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,319 The PBC folks that ran that Tank Davis show, they 457 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:31,319 finally got it figured out because they actually was only 458 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,400 a few minutes between fights. They actually ran them in 459 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,039 pretty quick. They didn't have anthems and a lot of nonsense. 460 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 2: Uh. 461 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 1: They didn't even do some in ring interviews after some 462 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:39,880 of the pay per view fights. So that was actually 463 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:41,200 better than it's been, believe it or not. 464 00:19:41,599 --> 00:19:43,559 Speaker 2: Apparently they didn't even do replays. 465 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: Well, that's a whole different story. The one thing I 466 00:19:47,079 --> 00:19:48,319 was thinking about, But it's not. 467 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 3: It's part of the story, Dan, if you're not an 468 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,960 avid UFC watcher, right, But what happens is when something 469 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,839 happens I poke low blow, uh, you know, knock out, 470 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,759 the fucking re play plays during the fight. While the 471 00:20:02,799 --> 00:20:06,000 fight's still happening, we do the replay. We have multiple 472 00:20:06,039 --> 00:20:06,599 camera I. 473 00:20:06,559 --> 00:20:10,279 Speaker 1: Am a fucking well, Dana. They did have They had 474 00:20:10,279 --> 00:20:12,240 the replay, they just were not able to apparently to 475 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,599 transmit it in time from the truck to the replay. 476 00:20:14,599 --> 00:20:16,640 Officially had to look at the official replay. But that's 477 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:17,880 a whole different matter. 478 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 2: But it's not. 479 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 3: It's all part of the fucking problem. It's all part 480 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,200 of the problem. There's no money going into the fucking 481 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,920 production the way that it should be. Our production is second. 482 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: To none, and you're bringing that to this TKO project. 483 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:31,759 Speaker 2: Yeah. 484 00:20:31,759 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 1: One of the things I was thinking about though, when 485 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:35,680 I was asking about the differences between promoting and then 486 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:37,720 they in boxing. Yes, their things in terms of the 487 00:20:37,759 --> 00:20:40,400 arena experience and as you just mentioned, the pacing. I 488 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,599 also think about on the business side, of things like 489 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,440 for example, uh, you know, like the boxing promoters, they 490 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,680 are bound by the Federal Muhammad ali Ak and so 491 00:20:47,759 --> 00:20:49,160 they have certain things they have to do on the 492 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,559 business side of things that will make it different if 493 00:20:51,559 --> 00:20:54,079 you're promoting boxing compared to and then a win is 494 00:20:54,079 --> 00:20:54,799 not covered by that. 495 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, we will be too, but none of these guys 496 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,920 think outside the box. The bigger problem with with boxing 497 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,400 promotion iss Nobody wants to spend the money, right, Nobody 498 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:05,519 wants to spend the money. 499 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 2: You have to spend the money to be invested in 500 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:08,480 the business. 501 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: Boxing is such a worldwide sport UFC, I mean, and 502 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,759 then you guys kind of created it. Not to say 503 00:21:13,759 --> 00:21:16,359 it didn't exist before UFC came along, but you've obviously 504 00:21:16,559 --> 00:21:18,839 changed it into you know, to become what it would 505 00:21:18,839 --> 00:21:23,440 it became boxing. There's there's big time promotions that happen 506 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,440 all around the world in their own countries that they 507 00:21:26,519 --> 00:21:29,640 do other things. I mean, you know, I don't know 508 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:31,400 if can you not are you looking to roll up 509 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,400 all these different places around the world to do this. 510 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,519 I mean a lot of great fighters and champions come 511 00:21:35,519 --> 00:21:38,680 from all places in South America, Asia, throughout Europe, and 512 00:21:38,759 --> 00:21:41,200 you know in in the former Soviet countries, et cetera. 513 00:21:41,319 --> 00:21:43,640 I mean, is this going to be American focused or 514 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:45,119 is this like all over. 515 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 2: The post global. Yeah, it's going to be global. 516 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,799 Speaker 1: You're gonna do events globally and. 517 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,799 Speaker 3: And yes, we'll do events globally and and understand this, 518 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,200 I'm not here beating my chest like I'm the fucking 519 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,440 big you know. Oh, I'm gonna come in and I'm 520 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,319 gonna fucking fit. I'm gonna blame it. This is going 521 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,680 to be a very humble beginning. I'm gonna I'm gonna 522 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,759 start from the ground up try to rebuild this business. 523 00:22:07,279 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 2: And uh yeah, I'm. 524 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 1: Don't don't take a sense, but I've never really heard 525 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,480 the words Dana White and humble in the same sentence. 526 00:22:13,559 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, I'm going to be very humble in the 527 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,680 way that we build a sport. You know, I'm not 528 00:22:19,799 --> 00:22:22,160 coming in crash bang boom. I want all the big 529 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,279 events and i want to be you know, I'm going 530 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:25,880 to come in and I'm going to build this thing. 531 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,720 Think when we bought the UFC, right they were going bankrupt. 532 00:22:29,039 --> 00:22:31,599 We bought those three letters in old wooden Octagon and 533 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,200 we had twelve contracts right, and look at what we built. 534 00:22:35,279 --> 00:22:37,039 Speaker 1: How many do you have? How many contracts in UFC 535 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:37,480 right now? 536 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:39,079 Speaker 2: Over one thousand? 537 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:42,559 Speaker 1: Wow? Okay, So if you're doing I heard some of 538 00:22:42,599 --> 00:22:44,720 the comments, you know, earlier in the day when you 539 00:22:44,799 --> 00:22:47,079 guys were doing some the video for example, in some 540 00:22:47,079 --> 00:22:50,559 of the other interviews and stuffs that you were specifically 541 00:22:50,599 --> 00:22:53,400 talking about, like, you know, we don't need like the letters. 542 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:55,440 I took that to mean the sanctioning bodies. You know, 543 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,839 we don't need five belts, four belts, three belts whatever. 544 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,799 Are you looking to dislodge the anting bodies from their 545 00:23:00,839 --> 00:23:02,079 position or do you want to work with them in 546 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:04,119 some capacity or do you want to create your own belt. 547 00:23:04,599 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 2: I'm going to create our own belt. 548 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: But that is against the Mahamad Ali for reformat though, 549 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:09,119 you know that right? 550 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, we got to figure that out. 551 00:23:11,519 --> 00:23:11,839 Speaker 1: Okay. 552 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not interested in working with sanctioning bodies. I 553 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,039 have no interest in it whatsoever. 554 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,279 Speaker 1: So Turkey has been working with the sanctioning bodies as 555 00:23:19,279 --> 00:23:22,119 he's doing these big read cards and the Ring magazine cards. 556 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,279 How do you square that circle? 557 00:23:23,759 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 2: He will continue to, yeah, but. 558 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,519 Speaker 1: Just not with TKO's project, you know, not with. 559 00:23:29,519 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 3: The thing that I'm working on. I'm working on not 560 00:23:32,039 --> 00:23:38,920 working with them, okay, and doing less less weight classes, 561 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,759 you know, not three fucking weight classes in one weight class. 562 00:23:41,759 --> 00:23:43,319 Speaker 1: You're not looking at You're not looking to change the 563 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,359 number of pounds that the tradition has been for one 564 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,839 hundred years of Like the featherweight divisions are are twenty 565 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,079 six pounds right, exactly? Okay, exactly? 566 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,839 Speaker 3: Now stay the same, ten rounds, twelve rounds, all that stuff, 567 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:58,480 stay the same. I'm just I want the best guys 568 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,319 that I have in the organization, fighting the best till 569 00:24:01,319 --> 00:24:03,440 they get up. When when when guys get up into 570 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,640 the top five, there's no question to the top five 571 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:06,839 best guys are in the weight class. 572 00:24:06,839 --> 00:24:09,559 Speaker 1: And I figure the weight classes will continue to exist, 573 00:24:09,599 --> 00:24:11,079 you just may not use all of them within the 574 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,519 content confines of this promotion. Okay. So the other question then, 575 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:16,720 is this Turkey. 576 00:24:16,759 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 2: Here's the other thing. 577 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 3: These sanctioning organizations will exist too, because guess what, Eddie 578 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,319 Hearn isn't going anywhere. Eddie Hearn's still going to. 579 00:24:23,279 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 2: Be around, and and and all these other. 580 00:24:25,039 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 3: Guys that will still be you know, promoting the sport 581 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,319 of boxing are still going to be there and still 582 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:32,759 do everything I'm assuming. 583 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 2: The way they always did. 584 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,599 Speaker 3: So that's and then as far as relationships go, there's 585 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,240 guys that I'm really cool. I love Eddie Hearn, I 586 00:24:39,279 --> 00:24:42,000 respect Eddie Hearn, me and Eddie Hearn I'm assuming will 587 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,880 always be cool. And there's going to be guys that 588 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:44,519 I don't like. 589 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 2: I don't like. 590 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 3: Oscar Da Lakoya and Bob Aeron and you know these guys. 591 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 1: So so that that was that was I was kind 592 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,839 of getting at. Turkey has been doing business with Queens 593 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,599 Queensberry and match Room, some top ranked Golden Boy even 594 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,920 working with all these promoters and bringing them together to 595 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,799 do the Mega cards. So Mike, my thought was, you know, 596 00:25:01,839 --> 00:25:04,480 does Dana White and the New Project do you want 597 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,799 to reach out and you could you do co promotion 598 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:08,519 on a right fight with Eddie or are you looking 599 00:25:08,519 --> 00:25:10,640 to do what you've done with the UFC where you 600 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,400 know you you haven't worked with you know, one Championship 601 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,359 or you know Bellatour when they were doing their thing 602 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:16,680 or PFL or what have you. 603 00:25:17,599 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 3: Right now, that's a great question. As of right here, 604 00:25:20,559 --> 00:25:23,119 right now, I'm going to live in my own little bubble. 605 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 2: And do my own thing. 606 00:25:23,799 --> 00:25:27,279 Speaker 3: Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect the 607 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,359 other guys that are out there or just like the 608 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,119 other guys got that, that's all going to remain the same. 609 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: So then I wonder this, and this actually was something 610 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,400 that popped in my mind immediately when I heard about this, 611 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,240 this potential project. There have been a lot of UFC 612 00:25:40,279 --> 00:25:42,640 guys through the years that have wanted to try boxing 613 00:25:42,839 --> 00:25:44,960 for whatever reason. You know, obviously Connor McGregor Floyd may 614 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:46,960 whether it being the number one example and the amount 615 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:48,880 of money and interest of that generator, but there's been others. 616 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,000 We saw it happen with France and Naganhu not that 617 00:25:51,039 --> 00:25:53,640 long ago. But if TKO is running a boxing league, 618 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:56,599 a boxing promotion and you have your fighters under contract 619 00:25:56,599 --> 00:25:58,960 with UFC, is it one of those things where if 620 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,000 they're under contract with you, seeing they come to your 621 00:26:01,079 --> 00:26:03,359 folks at UFC and say, hey, I would like to 622 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:05,440 go try my head up boxing, that you could seamlessly 623 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,759 allow them to do that in some capacity because you're 624 00:26:07,799 --> 00:26:10,119 still the promoter under the TKO banner, you know, the 625 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:10,799 the whatever. 626 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 3: I definitely could, but I'm definitely not interested in doing 627 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,400 the the you know, the matches between discipline, so you know, 628 00:26:18,759 --> 00:26:21,119 the boxer box and the MMA, guys will fight. 629 00:26:21,799 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 1: Understood. I will wrap up with this because we've been 630 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,720 doing this for a bit. I wonder when you think 631 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:27,599 when you lay your head down at night and you 632 00:26:27,599 --> 00:26:29,880 think about all the things that have to get done 633 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,400 on your launder list, of your your checklist of stuff 634 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,920 that you need to deal with, what is like the 635 00:26:36,039 --> 00:26:39,000 number one thing that you that was like the reason 636 00:26:39,039 --> 00:26:41,200 that you wanted to do this because you said yourself, Dana, 637 00:26:41,279 --> 00:26:43,799 you've got You've got your own money, you can raise money. 638 00:26:43,799 --> 00:26:46,279 You don't need this headache. Your busiest heck already with 639 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,640 UFC and with your other endeavors. But why why this? 640 00:26:49,759 --> 00:26:51,160 And what is the first thing you got to do 641 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:52,160 when this all gets rolling? 642 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? 643 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:58,559 Speaker 3: I just felt like the timing and the Turkey relationship 644 00:26:58,599 --> 00:27:01,880 and all this stuff was you know, I just felt 645 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:03,319 it and I do everything by gut. 646 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 2: Number one. 647 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 3: Number two, The first thing that needs to get done 648 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:07,920 is we need to build infrastructure. We need to build 649 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:12,960 the right team, you know for this project. I always 650 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,160 surround myself with really good. 651 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 2: People, you know. 652 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: And when you say team, what what roles are you speaking? 653 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:21,799 Was it like you know, an executive matchmaking? 654 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:25,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, I need I don't need executives, I need matchmaking. 655 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,759 We we we got the legal I need, uh operations, 656 00:27:30,799 --> 00:27:34,559 people like my girl Amber that runs the show is 657 00:27:34,559 --> 00:27:36,839 the fucking animal, you know what I mean? I need 658 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,720 people like those are the key people I need. I 659 00:27:39,759 --> 00:27:46,000 need ops, I need, I need matchmaking, and uh. 660 00:27:45,839 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: You need a talent scout to go sign some fighters, right? 661 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:49,319 Speaker 2: Yeah? 662 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:51,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, we we got a laundry list of guys. We 663 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,279 got over one hundred and fifty guys right now that 664 00:27:53,279 --> 00:27:56,559 we're looking to sign. Okay, but that even the fighters 665 00:27:56,599 --> 00:27:58,359 that are going to be signed are all going to 666 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:02,200 be determined by our steal and uh, you know what 667 00:28:02,279 --> 00:28:03,240 they need, you don't. 668 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:05,160 Speaker 1: You don't sound too concerned about getting a right skill 669 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:05,799 because the party. 670 00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:09,559 Speaker 3: I just I just to the fucking right steal for 671 00:28:09,559 --> 00:28:12,319 for power, slap for for insane money. 672 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 2: I figured that stuff out. That's that's what I do. 673 00:28:15,519 --> 00:28:18,160 Speaker 3: I mean, I will always figure out how to break 674 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,599 the business and how to distribute it to as many. 675 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:21,279 Speaker 2: People as possible. 676 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 1: Well, I'm looking forward to seeing how you shake things up. 677 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:25,359 I think it's gonna be very interesting. And I'll just 678 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,359 say this, I'll see you with the Canelo property, which 679 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:28,480 I think you're going to be promoting. 680 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 2: I appreciate it. Dan. 681 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:32,839 Speaker 1: Thanks Dan, thanks a lot for doing this. Thank you 682 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:33,920 very much, good love and everything.