Dana White summoned to court over evidence destruction claims

The American UFC has again recovered itself successful superior ineligible problems, and the halfway of attraction is Dana White, the long-time president of this organization. On December 18, 2025, national justice Richard Boulware issued a tribunal bid that caused rather a absorption wrong UFC office successful Las Vegas. According to that decision, White and Tracy Long, an experienced ineligible section official, volition person to attest nether oath astatine a peculiar proceeding scheduled for February 4 and 5, 2026.

The proceeding involves superior allegations of imaginable demolition of evidence, which represents a further escalation successful the long-running ineligible conflict against the UFC. Judge Boulware volition analyse whether the enactment decently preserved documents, messages and different materials applicable to aggregate antitrust lawsuits presently active.

Problems with evidence

Special attraction volition beryllium focused connected the idiosyncratic devices utilized by the archetypal antheral of the UFC. The judge, known for his thorough approach, wants wide answers astir the information retention practices connected each his phones and physics devices. In earlier disputes, which person lasted for much than 10 years, it was the compartment telephone records that were the constituent of contention. Lawyers for the fighters claimed that determination were gaps successful the submitted information and suggested that determination could beryllium other, undocumented devices.

The tribunal documents intelligibly authorities the following:

"It is hereby ordered that the Spoilage Hearing is acceptable for February 4th and February 5th of 2026 astatine 9:00 a.m. Mr. Dana White volition attest archetypal and past Ms. Tracy Long."

Three antitrust cases further complicate the situation. The first, Le v. Zuffa, filed backmost successful 2014, ended successful August 2025 with a $375 cardinal colony involving much than 1,100 fighters. An earlier connection of 335 cardinal was rejected due to the fact that it was considered excessively low. Another case, Johnson, is inactive successful the evidence-gathering stage, portion the latest, Cirkunov v. Zuffa, focuses connected arbitration clauses that person already been the taxable of criticism.

If the tribunal finds that grounds was so destroyed oregon improperly preserved, the consequences could beryllium superior and semipermanent for the full UFC.