White has now confirmed that the Zuffa fighter can compete in Ring Magazine and hold titles in both organizations.

This shift is in stark contrast to his stance in September 2025, when he told Max Kellerman that Zuffa would not recognize the WBC, WBA, WBO or IBF. The idea was substitution, not coexistence. That status was diminished when Zuffa signed Jai Opetaia.

Opetaia did not enter the promotion as a prospect or developmental signing. He arrives as an active world champion with unfinished business and public standing. His team made it clear that unity remains at the core of his career and Zuffa allowed him to pursue those goals. A belt-only vision would not survive this level of leverage. From that point on, the direction was set.

White now says a fighter can carry multiple belts. He describes this shift as a flexibility and respect for ambition that long predated Zuffa’s existence. This timing suggests something more fundamental. Zuffa needs a credible champion, not a champion who needs a new champion who is still making weight. Change occurs when the original approach no longer works.

The original Zufa propaganda relied on warriors exchanging external recognition for internal control. This structure can work for prospects, veterans nearing the end of their term, or warriors who don’t have the power to negotiate. Things get tense once the roster includes champions who have established value elsewhere, under the same system that Zuffa originally fired.

Ring Magazine fits right into this reality. The ring card is owned by Turki Alalshikh, who provides financial support to Zuffa Boxing, and it offers a place to achieve recognized status without requiring White to publicly change course from the sanctioning body he once rejected. It is a stress release, not a shared philosophy.

Zuffa keeps its internal structure intact while the warriors continue to pursue their ambitions, bending the rulebook just enough to keep the action moving forward. Once boxing tested the idea early and the limits were clear, White took action.