Mailbag: Should Dana White reverse course on crossover fights to put UFC stars in Zuffa Boxing matches?

Should Dana White consider rethinking his policy on “crossover” fights that would put UFC stars into Zuffa Boxing matches? How important is Conor McGregor return to the UFC’s summer schedule? And is mental processing ability in a fight a natural gift or a learnable skill?

All that and more in this week’s mailbag. To ask a question of your own, hit up @BenFowlkesMMA on X or @Ben_Fowlkes on Threads.

@GabeDert: Why not have crossover fights

Zuffa could take a look at One FC

No?

I can really only think of a few reasons for Dana White’s hardline stance against so-called crossover fights in Zuffa Boxing. None of them is, in my opinion, reason enough to turn down a concept that has worked pretty much everywhere else.

One possibility is that he’s telling us the truth when he says he thinks these types of fights “suck.” I’d argue he probably enjoyed watching Tito Ortiz get faceplanted by Anderson Silva in that boxing match a couple years back, but still. To accept this as the only reason for this policy, you’d need to believe that White is such a fight sports purist that he cannot abide the thought of making a profit off fights that aren’t good on a technical level. The main thing arguing against that interpretation is the existence of Power Slap.

Another possible explanation is that he doesn’t want UFC fighters to get it in their heads that this an option. He gets a migraine thinking about every guy on the UFC roster suddenly asking for a boxing match (and a boxing contract), and he knows the only thing stopping it is a firewall between the UFC and Zuffa Boxing. That’s plausible. There are some legitimately fun boxing matches that could be made using UFC fighters, but maybe White really feels it’s not worth the hassle. Plus, it’s not exactly a great look to tell UFC fighters they can get permission to box, but only some of them and only for this one boxing promotion.

The last option is that White is simply getting older and crankier and stodgier. He’s decided he hates these fights and, dagnabbit all, that’s all the explanation he needs. The supporting evidence for this theory is strong. The older he gets, the more stubborn White becomes. Promoting fights seems to be an increasingly joyless task for him. The only time he gets really excited anymore is when he’s beefing with someone like Eddie Hearn. He doesn’t care if fans might actually like to see crossover fights. We will get the gruel he decides to serve us and that’s that.

But honestly? If you wanted to give Zuffa Boxing a kickstart, there are a lot worse ways to do it. You could probably also get some UFC fan favorites out of retirement with the prospect of a boxing match. It would get fresh eyeballs on this new offering. But then, maybe it would also necessitate a move out of the Apex. And who wants to go to all that trouble?

@MJSilverfang: Best pro sports experience you’ve ever had live (actually being in the venue) and why?

I’ve been lucky enough to see some incredible sports moments while covering MMA over the last 20 years. Dan Henderson and “Shogun” Rua put on one of the craziest fights I’ve ever seen at UFC 139. (Seriously, watch the whole thing right now if you haven’t seen it before.)

Nick Diaz and Paul Daley had probably the best one-round I ever saw when they met at a Strikeforce event in San Diego. The first fight between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson was also an amazing moment, mostly because we saw Jones pushed in a way that we didn’t know was possible.

As far as total combined efforts, UFC 300 was the single best night of MMA I’ve ever seen live. The entire card was great. That wild finish in the BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje nearly blew the roof off T-Mobile Arena. 

After Alex Pereira meme-ified Jamahal Hill, I walked out of there almost stunned. Didn’t even go to sleep. Just wrote my columns and sat up thinking about it (with a cold beer or two) until it was time to head to the airport in the morning. It was a good reminder that, when properly motivated, the UFC can put on an amazing event that beats anything else any MMA promoter can do.

@Tinoladobo: Am I imagining this or does it feel like there’s no more moments like this watching ufc? Especially this year so far. Are we gonna get a moment even close to this this year? What will it be if you had to predict it

Speaking of great sports moments, the first fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen is one I’ll never forget (the second one above a little less so). But you’ve got to remember what made it so memorable.

It wasn’t just the action in the cage. What you had there was four and a half rounds of takedowns and top control, followed by a Hail Mary submission from the bottom to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at the end. In this clip from the rematch that you reference, you have one guy trying a spinning backfist (which was definitely not in his usual bag of tricks, and for a good reason), missing and falling down, and gifting his opponent the perfect opening for the finish.

None of that is really so physically remarkable. It was all about the build-up, the narrative, the stakes. We knew who these fighters were and what their story together was. It wasn’t some fight thrown together by circumstance and availability, and it wasn’t chosen because it was the most budget-friendly option. That’s something it feels like we’re missing right now, but I’m hopeful that it’s not gone for good. A course-correction is still possible — and badly needed.

@thegiddyhorse: Tom’s snake bitten career and delicate retina’s cry out to the fight gods for a new glove design. Dana an bros be rich af. wtf gives bro?

There’s really no excuse for it at this point. Especially after the UFC spent all that time and money designing a new glove that didn’t even really try to address the skewering of eyeballs. We’ve tried it this way for a long, long time. We see where that’s gotten us. It’s at least worth a shot to try something else now.

@KneebarNewsMMA: In between rounds 1 and 2 of the Pinto-Franco fight in London, Pinto’s corner twice used the phrase “Bo Nickal.” What was that code for?

The whole point of having code words like that is that they mean something to the fighter and his camp but are not easily deciphered by those who happen to hear them. Which is to say, I don’t know what that phrase was code for. Probably something to do with wrestling? I’m guessing it was not an exhortation to stand and bang, if that’s what you were wondering.

@VoiceofGarcia: How much of a blow will it be to the UFC, if they cannot get a deal done with Conor?

Not just for IFW, but ever?

I’m torn on this one. It’s not that I think the sport of MMA really needs whatever contributions Conor McGregor is still capable of making to it in 2026. His prime is well behind him. He shortened what there was of it through, let’s just say, lifestyle choices. I question whether he can still get through a full training camp uninjured. Even if he can, I’m not sure there’s a single fighter in the top 15 at welterweight or lightweight who I’d pick him to beat right now.

But from a promotional standpoint? Yeah, the UFC desperately needs a shot of star power. McGregor still has some of that, even if that’s another department where he’s noticeable diminished. If the UFC can’t get a deal done with him now, it’ll be a troubling sign mostly because of what it tells us about how the UFC sees itself in 2026. In other words, it will be an admission that it would much rather cut costs and save money than put on big, attention-getting fights.

@JoseYoungs: Top 5 hot dog brands

Some (most) of these might be specific to the Western Montana region where I reside and do most of my hot dog consumption, but nonetheless:

1. Snake River Farms Gourmet Frankfurters

2. Redneck Fantastic Frank

3. Hill’s Old Fashioned Frankfurters

4. Applegate Organics Uncured Beef Hot Dog

5. Nathan’s Famous or whatever.

Bet you thought I wouldn’t have strong enough opinions on hot dog brands to answer this question. Didn’t you? Well. Guess again, Jose.

@joannadangerfd: would you consider mental processing, ie volk or Yan, to be a physical trait? How do we define a physical trait? I think of it as like a god given gift that you cannot train to have but to what extent can you train mental processing?

It’s not a physical trait, no. But I do agree that it is mostly an inherent mental gift. We’ve seen some fighters get better at it. We’ve watched others seemingly get worse over time. But the ability to quickly read what your opponent is doing, calculate what their tendencies are, and then adjust on the fly? That’s a lot harder than people think it is.

For one, it requires calming your own brain down enough to even be usable in that way during the fight. I’ve known even veteran fighters, guys with years in the UFC, who’ll tell you that they’re mostly operating on adrenaline-soaked autopilot once the punching starts. It’s tough to be so in control that you can process all that information and then make decisions based on it. It also requires a diverse skillset, since all that awareness is of limited use if you only have one thing you know how to do in a fight.

Is it all just a natural gift? No. I think it’s a skill that takes a lot of time and effort to hone. I also think it is, to some extent, a learnable skill — or at least it’s a skill whose development can be accelerated through intentional practice. But especially for those who stay at or near the top even the physical skills start to naturally decline — Alexander Volkanovski is probably the perfect example — it’s also one of the most important tools in the fighter toolbox.