UFC is trending among fans and critics for two major reasons. First, the upcoming UFC White House event is drawing attention, and second, the promotion faces an ongoing antitrust lawsuit. These issues are unrelated, but they recently intersected when Ariel Emanuel, CEO of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC, appeared on The Pat McAfee Show alongside TKO president Mark Shapiro.

This week, the court summoned Dana White to testify in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of ongoing antitrust litigation. During the “spoliation hearing,” White admitted, “Less than zero,” confirming that he no longer handles fighter negotiations and that UFC CBO Hunter Campbell now oversees that responsibility. However, recent claims from UFC owners have raised questions and sparked debate over whether White misrepresented the facts while under oath.

TKO owner challenges Dana White’s court statements in UFC antitrust case

“So, at the White House, I think it’s 3,000… Yeah, 3,000, 4,000… South Lawn. So, and then there’ll be others in other areas. And Dana’s working on it right now. There’s gonna be approximately six to seven fights on June 14th. Flag Day. He hasn’t said to us what the card’s gonna be, but I know they’re working pretty hard at it right now,” Ariel Emanuel told The Pat McAfee Show when the host asked about how the preparations were going for the upcoming UFC White House event.

This makes sense, given the close relationship between UFC CEO Dana White and Donald Trump. Although White does not directly manage the matchmaking now, the UFC White House event carries significant weight for both the promotion and White personally.

Last summer, Donald Trump announced the event from the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3, and Dana White stood right beside the president. However, Emanuel’s latest remarks raise questions, particularly since White has publicly acknowledged that he will start finalizing the White House fight cards this month.

“So I have Zuffa Boxing on 23rd of this month, the 24th is UFC, and as soon as those two fights are over, I start working on the White House fight,” White told Stephen A. Smith on his podcast.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the situation grows more complex.

In court, Dana White confirmed that he only joins the matchmakers once “they get it down to the one-yard line,” actively participating in discussions or debates at that stage, not during the initial phase.

Subsequently, following White’s testimony, UFC COO Hunter Campbell appeared in court last Thursday. Let’s examine what Campbell revealed during his testimony.

What Hunter Campbell revealed under oath in court

While Dana White spent less than three hours under oath, he assigned more responsibility to Hunter Campbell, who testified for over seven hours in Nevada federal court. During that time, Campbell answered questions about the UFC’s negotiation processes, internet-based decision-making, and other operational procedures, while also painting a clear picture of Dana White’s role in the world’s largest MMA promotion.

Furthermore, during his testimony, Campbell supported Dana White’s previous statement that he does not negotiate fighters’ contracts and cannot even review related contract documents. He confirmed that since 2017, Dana White has delegated all contract-related matters to the matchmaking team. Campbell also emphasized that Dana White trusts his team completely and never questions their steps.

Despite Campbell’s explanations, Judge Richard Boulware remained unsatisfied, questioning how a CEO could not be involved in fighters’ pay or contracts. At the moment, updates are limited, as attention focuses on the promotion’s missing records and how they were handled.

The Cirkunovs v. Zuffa antitrust lawsuit is still in its early stages, but developments are already sparking polarized reactions. Stay tuned for more updates.