Is Dana White in trouble? UFC boss ordered to testify in antitrust case

Dana White is preparing to take the stand as legal pressure mounts on the UFC. A federal judge has ordered the longtime promotion boss to testify under oath in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit that could carry major consequences for the company. The ruling places White at the center of a case that has been years in the making.The order arrived during a recent status conference, signaling that the court is moving deeper into unresolved disputes tied to evidence handling and fighter agreements. With multiple hearings scheduled early next year, attention has now shifted from filings and motions to sworn testimony from UFC leadership.Judge Richard Boulware ordered White to testify during a spoliation hearing scheduled for Feb. 4 and Feb. 5. UFC vice president of athlete compliance and regulatory affairs Tracy Long is also set to testify. An additional hearing on Jan. 6 will address outstanding discovery disputes and define the scope of the spoliation proceedings. The judge also instructed both sides to file a joint status report outlining unresolved discovery issues by December 30 this year.Spoliation refers to the destruction, alteration, or loss of evidence relevant to a legal matter. In this case, the court is examining if gaps exist in produced records related to fighter pay and contract discussions. It will also include data from personal cell phones used by White and Long. This lawsuit is led by former UFC fighter Misha Cirkunov. It focuses on athletes who signed contracts containing arbitration clauses or class action waivers. The case seeks to address fighters who competed from July 1, 2017 onward and signed agreements that limited their ability to pursue collective legal action.Per the lawsuit, Cirkunov brought the case to avoid delays in related litigation and to challenge the enforceability of those clauses. The filing states that the goal is to ensure arbitration agreements and class action waivers can be adjudicated and potentially invalidated.The current dispute builds on a long history of antitrust litigation involving the UFC. An earlier lawsuit led by Cung Le, covering fighters from 2010 to 2017, ended in a $375 million settlement approved by Judge Boulware. A separate case led by Kajan Johnson, representing fighters from 2017 to the present, remains active.The UFC recently attempted to limit that case by arguing that some fighters signed arbitration clauses or class action waivers. The Cirkunov lawsuit directly targets those provisions, seeking damages and an order eliminating such clauses from existing and future contracts.White has previously questioned Judge Boulware’s impartiality and addressed the issue publicly. “I don’t think I did anything to this guy,” White said earlier this year. “But there’s no doubt in my mind this feels absolutely personal… whatever it is with this guy, we’ll let the lawyers deal with it.”Now, the process moves forward in court. Also Read: Why Conor McGregor's UFC return remains unclear? Dana White's promise for 2025 failed to materialize