Dana White & Co. continues expanding its reach and dominates the combat sports world. From MMA to boxing and BJJ events, the UFC has become a major powerhouse in the industry. Yet, alongside this growth, the organization navigates a series of legal battles, with one antitrust lawsuit recently settled while others remain ongoing. Meanwhile, UFC faces another legal challenge stemming from the ESPN-Disney era.

“A new complaint seeking class action has been filed against the UFC, this time looking to represent fans claiming ‘Defendants have forced Plaintiffs and Class Members to pay inflated prices in order to view pay-per-view-level offerings of mixed martial arts events…'” wrote American MMA journalist John S. Nash on X, posting a picture of the lawsuit document.

Since the beginning of 2026, Dana White & Co. moved away from ESPN and the $79.99 traditional pay-per-view model, shifting its content to streaming platforms with Paramount. Consequently, the fans pursuing the lawsuit now seek compensation related to ESPN’s PPVs.

In the last few years, UFC’s fight cards have also come under debate, as they did not meet fans’ expectations. Many fights were mismatched or lackluster, which likely contributes to the plaintiffs’ frustrations with UFC. The plaintiffs in the class action, Alana Costantino and Kyle Nicholson, filed on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, against Zuffa LLC and TKO Group Holdings Inc.

However, seeing only TKO listed, and not ESPN-Disney, can be confusing, especially since a former UFC executive previously stated that ESPN controlled PPV pricing and raised prices “aggressively.” But the absence of ESPN-Disney as defendants raises questions about the strength of the case. However, Dana White previously confirmed that ESPN makes all PPV pricing decisions, which might help strengthen the case.

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Throwback: Dana White voiced frustration at ESPN’s PPV price jump

In 2019, Dana White & Co. signed a deal to maximize their broadcasting rights, starting with a $59.99 pay-per-view price. After that, ESPN acquired UFC’s media rights and gradually raised the PPV cost. By December 2025, the price had climbed to $79.99, with broadcasters increasing it multiple times over the years.

While fans criticized UFC for the rising costs, UFC CEO Dana White clarified the organization’s role in PPV pricing. In fact, Dana White expressed his frustration at the UFC Vegas 46 post-fight press conference:

“We don’t have any say in that,” Dana White said during UFC Vegas 46. “We gave the pay-per-views to ESPN. So yeah, that’s their decision. You know how I feel about that stuff. I don’t love when prices get raised, but it’s not my decision. It’s theirs.”

Still, despite the price increases, the promotion also delivers lackluster fight cards, which many fans feel aren’t worth $79.99. This may explain why UFC stopped publicly sharing their PPV numbers in recent years.

So, what’s your take on the latest lawsuit against UFC, where plaintiffs and class members claim they were forced to pay inflated prices? Drop your opinion below.