Tonight marks a historic moment in the world of boxing as Dana White, the President of UFC, fulfills a long-held ambition of establishing his own boxing promotion. The inaugural event for Zuffa Boxing is set to premiere on Paramount+ this evening, January 23, 2026, live from Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event features an electrifying 10-round middleweight clash between Callum Walsh and Carlos Ocampo, complemented by a co-main bout that sees Misael Rodriguez take on Austin Deanda, also in the middleweight division.
Let’s hope these fighters have more success than those involved in earlier projects like the ill-fated reality show "The Fighters," which was canceled by Discovery Channel.
The broadcasting team for this exciting event includes the well-known WWE SmackDown announcer Joe Tessitore, who will be managing the play-by-play commentary. Joining him for expert analysis are boxing veterans Max Kellerman and Andre Ward. Other key figures contributing to the fight night include Heidi Androl, Molly Qerim, Antonio Carver, and Mike Coppinger, all bringing their unique perspectives to the audience.
As for the ring announcements, that responsibility falls to Joe Martinez.
Fans can tune in for the preliminary fights starting at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the main card at 9 p.m. ET, both available on Paramount+.
Callum Walsh shared his thoughts with talkSPORT.com, stating, "I’m just like everyone else; there’s a lot of uncertainty about how big Zuffa Boxing will become and what the future holds. All I know is that I’m scheduled to fight soon, and they haven’t provided me with too many details beyond that. It’s an incredible opportunity, and being the first-ever main event for Zuffa Boxing is something I’ll always cherish."
For those interested in the finalized fight card and the complete lineup for Zuffa Boxing 1, more information can be found here.
