Dana White took the stand in Nevada Federal District Court on February 4, 2026, providing testimony in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the UFC that has captured considerable attention. For over two and a half hours, he responded to a variety of inquiries posed by attorneys representing a group of former UFC fighters, while Judge Richard Boulware intermittently interjected with his own questions, adding to the proceedings' complexity.
The crux of the questioning revolved around potential spoliation of evidence, with plaintiffs arguing that the UFC had not fully complied with document production requests after years of legal battles. White and fellow UFC executive Tracy Long faced intense scrutiny regarding their involvement within the organization, the nature of their communications, the apps they utilized, their correspondences, and possible reasons behind the absence of certain messages.
In an unexpected revelation, White depicted himself as somewhat lacking in technological savvy. He expressed uncertainty about specific functions within messaging applications and stated that he typically relied on his assistants for tasks such as phone upgrades and app installations. He even humorously noted that if it weren’t for court orders requiring him to upgrade to a smartphone, he would still prefer using a flip phone—a device he intends to switch back to once the lawsuit concludes.
The discussion then shifted to whether White conducted business with fighters through messaging platforms, as illustrated by past communications with fighter Jeremy Stephens via WhatsApp. However, White consistently denied engaging in significant negotiations through these channels, claiming that his days of negotiating fighter contracts are firmly in the past. Instead, he mentioned that he now directs fighters to colleagues Hunter Campbell, Mick Maynard, and Sean Shelby for contract discussions. "You won’t find one manager on this planet who will tell you I’ve negotiated a deal in I don’t know how long," he asserted, emphasizing that this shift occurred since Campbell joined the matchmaking team around 2017.
Among the more intriguing aspects of White's testimony was his acknowledgment of having used multiple cell phones since the litigation began. He explained that he would typically hand over his old devices to UFC's chief business officer, Hunter Campbell, for safekeeping. Yet, he admitted to the disappearance of one particular iPhone 11. While he was uncertain about its whereabouts, he speculated that it may have been stolen by a former employee, whom he referred to as a "runner"—a term he used to describe someone fired for theft in the company, notably pointing out that this individual was related to Ari Emanuel. White recalled feeling suspicious when personal items, such as a baseball championship ring he had received from a Little League team, went missing, along with company Christmas gifts. After reviewing security footage, UFC security identified the alleged thief, and White voiced concerns that his missing iPhone could also be tied to this incident. He firmly denied any actions of destroying correspondence related to the case.
Tracy Long, UFC's vice president of athlete compliance and regulatory affairs, was subsequently questioned following White's testimony. Similar themes emerged, as attorneys probed her role in UFC's negotiations with athletes. Conversations between Long and matchmakers about various fighters and their contracts were highlighted, including discussions regarding champion Ilia Topuria’s management and issues surrounding late paperwork submissions. Long maintained that she was not directly involved in negotiating contracts but acknowledged her communication with both managers and athletes, given that she prepares promotional agreements. She mentioned that she documented crucial messages with screenshots, keeping both digital and hard copies for reference.
When Judge Boulware inquired about any missing text messages, Long denied deleting any and shared that she had attempted to recover missing messages through her phone carrier, Verizon, but encountered significant wait times.
This legal saga is far from over; Campbell is scheduled to testify next, along with other UFC personnel like Elliott Howard, White’s videographer, and Eric Yee, a social media manager. Notably, Judge Boulware indicated that UFC attorney Colby Williams might also need to take the stand in the future, as both White and Long claimed that they had adhered to appropriate procedures during the litigation hold and document retention process.
The court session is set to resume at 9 a.m. local time, and MMA Junkie will provide ongoing updates.
