Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt continues to pursue his lawsuit against the mixed martial arts promotion, despite numerous setbacks. In a recent interview, Hunt provided an update on the ongoing legal battle.
Hunt initially filed the lawsuit in 2016, alleging that the UFC, its president Dana White, and others conspired to keep athlete pay low. The case was initially dismissed in 2021 but was later revived on appeal. However, last year, Hunt was ordered to pay the UFC’s attorney’s fees and court costs.
Despite the setbacks, Hunt remains determined to see the case through. He has filed a motion to unseal all documents obtained through the discovery process in his RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) lawsuit against the promotion.
In the interview, Hunt accused his former lawyer, Christina Denning, of sabotaging the case, claiming she was “paid off” by White and his “cohorts.” He also alleged that the UFC, USADA, and other entities have been “colluding against” him for over a decade.
Hunt’s appeal of the case is currently before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. One of the arguments in the appeal is that White perjured himself in testimony given in 2022, when he stated that he had no knowledge of Brock Lesnar being granted an exemption from USADA testing ahead of UFC 200 in 2016.
The star also expressed his frustration with the promotion’s handling of PED users, stating that he had repeatedly asked the UFC to “do something about it” when he faced opponents who had failed tests.
Hunt believes that the recent split between the UFC and USADA was partially due to his ongoing lawsuit, which has also focused on the agency. He claims that USADA was “in their pocket” and that the two organizations were “colluding against” him.
