Darshan Desai raised the possibility, noting that Bentley and Adames are free agents while McKenna is with Zuffa.
“If Zuffa Boxing wants to take over a division and make fights where it’s ‘Best vs. The Best,’ why not go for middleweight?” Desai said on X. “They have IBF champion Aaron McKenna. WBO champion Denzel Bentley is a free agent. WBC champion Carlos Adames is a free agent.”
Zuffa has the money to bring both champions into its operation. It would not need to give either man a lengthy promotional agreement. Two- or three-fight contracts would provide enough time to run the series, eliminate the losers and retain the eventual winner.
Adames has begun promoting a fight with McKenna. He spent the past week taunting the Irishman and his team after they discussed sparring together in 2019. The WBC champion claims McKenna’s side lost interest after his team made contact.
“You say you dominated me in sparring, and now you’re saying that when someone puts pressure on me, you don’t want any more,” Adames said on X. “So why don’t you want the fight? Prove it and come take this belt so you can have two.”
A strong offer from Zuffa would give Adames a reason to remain at middleweight rather than continue exploring opportunities at 168. McKenna-Adames also provides the most natural opening fight because their public argument has supplied its own storyline. Bentley can fight another Zuffa middleweight while McKenna and Adames settle their dispute. Callum Walsh would be an option, giving the company two tournament bouts followed by a final between the winners.
More importantly, the format would prevent Zuffa from protecting McKenna simply because it promotes him. If he defeats Adames and Bentley, the company will know it has a legitimate middleweight centerpiece. If he loses, Zuffa can build around the man who beat him instead.
The tournament would identify Zuffa’s best middleweight, but it would not completely settle the division. WBA champion Erislandy Lara remains outside the company, while Yoenli Hernandez would present another dangerous test for the ultimate winner.
Zuffa can deal with those fights later. Its first move should be signing the available champions, putting them into a survival tournament, and keeping the last man standing.
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