Being connected to the UFC isn’t a top priority for every top-level martial artist, even though it’s the sport’s biggest stage.
Dana White is set to debut Zuffa Boxing later today at the newly renamed Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
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Some have wondered if the UFC president has been pulled away from his main job by other interests, including boxing.
Although Zuffa Boxing recently revealed their big signing, White and his team have also been active in other areas. One sport in particular has seen growing attention.
A new format and key signings from last year helped give MMA a boost as well, thanks in part to changes made by the UFC.
Helena Crevar explains why she isn’t signing an exclusive deal with the UFC
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Helena Crevar currently sits at #1 on FloGrappling’s women’s pound-for-pound no-gi rankings.
She holds that top spot across multiple major platforms, including ADCC, IBJJF, and CJI. And at just 18 years old, it’s a remarkable achievement.
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The rise of the first female John Danaher black belt will have surely attracted the interest of the MMA leader following their launch of UFC BJJ in June of last year.
She already has connections to the promotion too, having competed several times in UFC Fight Pass invitational events.
The main concern, which several top jiu-jitsu competitors have also voiced, is why she hasn’t joined the roster yet given her talent and profile.
Instead of joining an exclusive deal, she has chosen to compete freely across different platforms. This includes her upcoming debut with ONE Championship at ONE Fight Night 39 in Bangkok.
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The difference between the two promotions is that ONE allows its jiu-jitsu athletes to compete elsewhere rather than restricting them to one organisation.
Crevar is making the most of the path paved by other athletes
Helena Crevar has already put together an impressive list of achievements in jiu-jitsu, and her success is helping to push expectations for what young women in the sport can accomplish.
Her rise hasn’t happened in isolation. She’s learned from some of the best, connecting with figures like John Danaher and Gordon Ryan after years of following their work from afar.
It’s not just those direct connections that have helped shape her path. The structure within ONE Championship, where jiu-jitsu athletes aren’t limited to a single organisation, has made it possible for talents like her to gain wider exposure.
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Mikey Musumeci and the Ruotolo brothers are already established names who’ve benefited from that approach, showing there’s more than one way to build a high-profile career outside traditional routes.
“I’m really excited because ONE Championship has different sports that they put together on one card so I really like the idea of it,” she told Bloody Elbow. “I also like the idea of fighting in a boxing ring, which is different than anything I’ve ever done.”
