To hear UFC CEO Dana White tell it, he is not at all concerned with the ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the promotion he helms.
Speaking to Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, White claimed to not think about the case at all.
When it was pointed out that the UFC could potentially be going to trial in 2024, and asked whether he was concerned about that fact, White said simply “No.”
The interview took place in advance of UFC 297, and is one of the rare times the UFC CEO has been asked about the lawsuit. “Literally zero,” White said when asked if he gives the trial much thought. “I never think about it ever, it has nothing to do with me.”
Full interview with Dana White at @sportsnet studios ahead of #UFC297
UFC 297 is available to order on Sportsnet+ with no subscription required 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/KZfIL4LL8Q
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 19, 2024
Take that with a boulder sized grain of salt.
Former fighters Cung Le, Jon Fitch, and Nate Quarry are among the names driving the lawsuit alleging the UFC used anticompetitive practices to keep fighter pay low for years. The lawsuit was granted class certification last year and could head to trial as early as April.
The plaintiffs are asking for between $800 million to over $1.6 billion dollars in damages, a sum that could no doubt effect the UFC’s bottom line. Likely a bigger concern for the company is that the lawsuit could potentially change the way it does business, with restrictive contracts a key point of contention.
