Molly Qerim Hosts Zuffa Boxing Debut After ESPN Exit

Molly Qerim, the former ESPN host known for moderating First Take, returned to television on Friday as the lead host for Zuffa Boxing's inaugural event at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. The promotion's debut streamed live on Paramount, marking Qerim's first on-air assignment since her departure from ESPN in September 2024.

Qerim anchored the studio desk alongside former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, boxing insider Mike Coppinger, and veteran journalist Mark Kriegel. Joe Tessitore handled play-by-play duties with analysis from Max Kellerman, while former champion Andre Ward joined the broadcast team and Heidi Androl reported from ringside. The reunion with Kellerman, her longtime co-host on First Take, highlighted the event's broadcast lineup, as the two had collaborated daily on the ESPN debate show before Kellerman's exit in 2021.

Zuffa Boxing represents a new joint venture between TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE, and Sela, a Saudi entertainment firm owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The promotion is overseen by a team including Turki Alalshikh, WWE President Nick Khan, and UFC President Dana White. White, who has been involved...