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Dana White Says Relationship With Judge He Went To High School With Affected $335 Million Anti-trust Settlement
In a recent turn of events, Dana White claimed that the $335 million settlement rejection by the judge feels personal.
UFC president Dana White recently revealed that the judge who ruled against the $335 million settlement is an acquaintance from high school. The 55-year-old claims that the lawsuit ‘feels personal’ after Judge Richard Franklin Boulware denied the settlement offer.
It appears that his connection to Judge Richard Franklin Boulware does not go beyond acquaintances. White jokingly denies bullying allegations and claims that he does not know the reason behind the supposed $335 million settlement denial.
A decade ago, former UFC fighters Cung Le, Nate Quarry, and Jon Fitch filed a civil lawsuit against the organization. The plaintiffs accused the UFC of creating a monopoly in the mixed martial arts market and suppressing the fighters’ options to explore further. This lawsuit was followed by other fighters, namely Brandon Vera, Luis Javier Vazquez, and Kyle Kingsbury.
It was also alleged that the UFC employed exclusive contracts that manipulated contenders and subdued fighter pay. In March 2024, it was revealed that the organization’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, would be willing to settle the lawsuit for $335 million, with 90% of it going to the plaintiffs. Both parties were willing to settle the civil case with the aforementioned.
However, Judge Richard Franklin Boulware II of the U.S. District Court in Nevada rejected the settlement. According to Variety, he did not give an explanation for the denial in the initial ruling. Both the plaintiffs and the defendants were against the ruling, claiming it was ‘unusual’ that he denied it. It was also stated that this would be a major step back for athletes in the future.
Dana White, who had previously never spoken about the matter, finally spoke up. The UFC president believes the lawsuit is ‘personal.’ In an interview with journalist Kevin Iole, the 55-year-old gave his thoughts on the settlement denial. He also exposed his relationship with Judge Richard Franklin Boulware II, claiming they were classmates in high school.
“There is no doubt in my mind that this feels absolutely personal,” said Dana White. Judge Boulware’s reasons for denial have not been issued to the public as of yet. However, it seems like the president of the UFC knows the reason behind the million-dollar settlement denial.
“You know, I went to high school with this guy,” said Dana White. The 55-year-old reveals that he and former UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta were acquaintances with the judge. This was a shocking revelation by the president. He claims he does not know the malice behind the $335 million settlement rejection.
When he was jokingly questioned about potentially bullying Judge Boulware back in high school, Dana White denied all accusations. The UFC CEO also further stated that the lawsuit is not a priority of his and that he will depend on the lawyers to figure it out.
Although this is the case, Dana White seems stern about the fact that the lawsuit feels personal. It appears that the UFC president does not desire to focus on the matter as of now, as he also claims his schedule is jam-packed.
Also read: Dana White Sets One Condition for the Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones Fight to Take Place
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