UFC president Dana White has said he has effectively withdrawn from day-to-day involvement in fighter contract negotiations, making the remarks while testifying during hearings related to the antitrust lawsuit filed against the promotion.
Speaking under oath, White insisted that he no longer plays any active role in negotiating or finalising contracts with athletes. “My involvement in contracts is less than zero. You will not find a single manager anywhere who can say I have recently negotiated a deal,” White said, as quoted by Idman.Biz via MMA Fighting.
According to White, responsibility for contracts and matchmaking now rests with Hunter Campbell, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard, with the UFC president only stepping in at the final stage of decision-making. The comments appear aimed at distancing White from the operational side of fighter relations at a time when the promotion is under intense legal and public scrutiny.
The statements come against the backdrop of an antitrust lawsuit brought by a group of former fighters, who accuse the UFC of monopolising the MMA market. The plaintiffs argue that the promotion has used its dominant position to suppress competition and limit athletes’ earning potential, allegations the UFC has consistently denied.
The case is seen as one of the most significant legal challenges in the organisation’s history, with potential implications for how contracts, compensation and market power are structured across mixed martial arts.
