Eight-Fight Card from Meta APEX Opens Two-Night Combat Sports Weekend On Paramount+ Ahead of UFC’s Inaugural Event; All Live from Las Vegas.
Zuffa Boxing will present its first live event, ZUFFA BOXING 01: WALSH vs. OCAMPO, from Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 24, with the three-fight main card starting at 1pm AEDT, exclusively on Paramount+.
The event will be headlined by undefeated middleweight Callum Walsh against Mexican knockout artist Carlos Ocampo in the 10-round main event.
Ahead of UFC 324 on Sunday January 25, also live from Las Vegas, the eight-fight Zuffa Boxing card launches the first-ever combat sports weekend on Paramount+.
“The first Zuffa Boxing event is filled with the best up-and-coming talent, hungry and excited to prove that they will be future world champions,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White.
“The top three fights feature four fighters who are undefeated, including 15-0 Callum Walsh as he takes on the 38-3 Carlos Ocampo, who has more knockout victories than Callum has total professional fights and his last three wins have come by knockout. I’m looking forward to bringing great fighters and incredible fights back to fight fans.”
Following a dominating 2025, Ireland’s Walsh (15-0, 11 KOs) will return to Las Vegas to face the most experienced opponent of his career when he defends his perfect record against Ocampo (38-3, 26 KOs) in the inaugural Zuffa Boxing event.
In the co-main event, a pair of undefeated middleweights will square off in a 10-round fight when Mexico’s Misael Rodriguez (15-0, 7 KOs) takes on Virginia native Austin Deanda (17-0, 11 KOs). Also featured on the undercard is New Jersey’s Julian Rodriguez (24-1, 15 KOs) against unbeaten rising prospect Cain Sandoval (17-0, 15 KOs), of Sacramento, California, in a 10-round welterweight bout.
Earlier this week, the promotion announced Australian powerhouse Jai Opetaia will be joining the Zuffa Boxing roster.
The Sydney born, Gold Coast local cruiserweight remains undeafted at 29-0 with 23 fights won by KO. An absolute force in the ring, Opetaia will look to continue his dominant reign with Zuffa Boxing. Stay tuned for more bout and event announcements in the coming weeks.
About Zuffa Boxing
Zuffa Boxing is a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (“TKO”) (NYSE: TKO) and Sela, the entertainment conglomerate. TKO serves as managing partner, providing day-to-day operational expertise, management, and oversight of the promotion, with executive leadership anchored by UFC President and CEO Dana White and WWE President and TKO Board Member Nick Khan. The promotion aims to reimagine the sport of boxing by evolving the current model to restore the sport’s rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem. For more information, follow @Zuffa_Boxing on X; and @ZuffaBoxing on Snapchat, Instagram, Threads, and TikTok.
About Paramount+
Paramount+ is a premium streaming subscription service delivering live sports, breaking news, and a Mountain of Entertainment™, and is a cornerstone of the Direct-to-Consumer division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY), a leading, next-generation global media and entertainment company. The Company’s portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS – America’s most-watched broadcast network, CBS News, CBS Sports, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, SHOWTIME®, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance’s Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Sports divisions.
For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com, and follow @ParamountPlus on social media.
About TKO
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organisation. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organise more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality.
