Dana White & Co. might now be feeling the pressure of their legal strategy. Even as the promotion continues to reach new commercial highs this year, it continues to battle courtroom challenges. This month, the antitrust lawsuit proceedings intensified in the federal courtroom of Judge Richard Boulware.
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Dana White appeared in court alongside other UFC executives, including Hunter Campbell, for a “spoliation hearing,” where the court examined whether the promotion failed to preserve critical electronic evidence. The executives answered questions directly. However, their testimony drew even greater scrutiny toward the UFC’s internal data practices.
UFC leadership may feel legal heat if court finds intent in lost evidence dispute
“Under FRCP Rule 37(e), Judge Boulware has the power to inflict sanctions upon UFC. These sanctions could impact current ongoing antitrust litigation in his court. If Judge Boulware can prove that there was intent to deprive, then he can inflict significant sanctions, including adverse jury instructions or striking pleadings.”
“Reaching this threshold is extraordinarily rare, even in the Ninth Circuit,” as noted by ‘The MMA Draw Podcast’, underscores the breadth of the judge’s authority and signals that the promotion’s legal strategy could backfire.
On the stand, White made several striking claims. For instance, he said he uses a flip phone despite reportedly having a net worth of $500 million. He also claimed that he does not know his own phone number and does not use email or a computer.
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MMA: UFC 309 Nov 16, 2024 New York, NY, USA President-elect Donald Trump speaks with Dana White left during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. New York Madison Square Garden NY USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBradxPennerx 20241116_tcs_ae5_149
White previously surprised even the judge when he revealed that Hunter Campbell has handled fighter negotiations since 2017. Critics argue that White made these claims to support the UFC’s defense regarding missing communications and gaps in evidence. Essentially, the promotion appears to try to gain an advantage from its own mistakes or potential wrongdoing.
At this stage, the judge will decide whether to accept the UFC’s claims, how to evaluate the evidence, and whether to challenge the statements made. Meanwhile, amid the controversy, several UFC fighters stepped forward to back Dana White’s claims.
Sean O’Malley defends Dana White as court examines evidence
When Dana White claimed that he no longer negotiates directly with fighters’ managers, the MMA world immediately erupted in debate. Many questioned how a CEO could step away from important decision-making and have “less than zero” involvement. At first glance, the statement seemed questionable.
However, White clarified that he only gets involved when the UFC CBO, Hunter Campbell, and other matchmakers handle matters. Still, for some, that explanation proved difficult to accept. Amid this scrutiny, former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley stepped in to back Dana White’s statement.
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve never dealt with Dana ever dealing with fights. I’ve always dealt with, first, for a long time I dealt with Sean Shelby, and then I started dealing with Hunter. Never dealt with Dana for fights or fight contracts or anything. Hunter’s always done that,” said Sean O’Malley on his BroMalley Show.
In addition, UFC veteran Matt Brown also confirmed White’s claims. He revealed that he hasn’t interacted with Dana White since the UFC sale to Endeavor in 2017: “I’ve never talked to Dana or anybody other than Sean Shelby after that.”
Right now, the federal court holds control over all of the promotion’s crucial decisions. For now, it will be fascinating to watch how the story develops and how the court responds to the promotion’s bold moves. So, stay tuned for further updates.