Conor Benn signed a multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing on Friday in Las Vegas during WrestleMania week, adding another major twist to a career that has moved quickly in recent months. The British welterweight had just beaten Regis Prograis by unanimous decision on Netflix and improved to 24-1.
Benn said Dana White and Nick Khan were a big part of why he chose the move, pointing to the men behind UFC and WWE as the reason the new venture appealed to him. “When you look at what he’s done with UFC and what Nick Khan has done with WWE, it’s absolutely phenomenal,” Benn said. “I plan on taking over and it’s absolutely a privilege for me to be a part of that journey.”
The signing matters because Benn is already the mandatory challenger for Ryan Garcia’s WBC welterweight title, and the two have been speculated to meet at some point during the summer. That gives Zuffa Boxing an immediate name with a real path to a title shot, not just a prospect with a profile. UFC, WWE and Zuffa Boxing all sit under TKO Group Holdings, which gives the new boxing outfit a built-in link to two of the biggest combat-sports and entertainment brands in the market.
Benn’s record now stands at 24-1, with 14 knockout victories, and his only loss came against Chris Eubank Jr. last April by unanimous decision. He got that result back in November when he beat Eubank Jr. again by unanimous decision. His recent run has put him back into the center of the division, but it also leaves Zuffa Boxing with a fighter who already carries both momentum and unfinished business.
Benn said the goal is to make the kind of nights that fans want to see, not just the safest ones. “Ultimately, you want to give the fans the biggest fight, the biggest night, that’s possible,” he said, adding that he is “an exciting boxer, who likes to give people value for their money.” For Zuffa Boxing, the early test is whether it can turn that promise into the kind of matchup that makes Benn's next step feel as big as the signing itself.
