- Dana White shared his honest thoughts on UFC being labeled as a monopoly
- The UFC has reached a settlement in March for the lawsuit alleging its abuse of monopoly power
UFC president Dana White refused to believe in the notion that the UFC is a monopoly.
The UFC is just the best
Speaking to Fox News, White downplayed accusations that the UFC has been monopolizing the sport for years. For the UFC boss, their promotion has been the best and no other company has come close to competing. That said, White suggested that some people may have mistaken dominance with monopoly.
“People have called us ‘monopoly’ and all this stuff for years. We’re not a monopoly, we’re just the best. We’re the best at what we do,” White explained.
“There’s no barrier to entry, anyone could get into this. You could start a league tomorrow and pay the guys whatever you want, you can do whatever you want but a lot of smart, talented, big business moguls have got into this sport and tried to compete with me and they couldn’t do it. But everybody, there’s no barrier to entry, anyone can get into this thing tomorrow,” he continued.
The UFC’s recent legal battle stemming from monopoly claims
In relation to claims that the UFC is a monopoly, it is worth noting that in 2014, an antitrust lawsuit was filed against the UFC, accusing the organization of unfairly controlling fighter pay through its dominant position in the industry.
After a lengthy legal battle, TKO Group Holdings, UFC’s parent company, agreed to a $335 million settlement to resolve the decade-old dispute with numerous past and present fighters.
Indeed, White made a good point as the UFC is still considered as the most prestigious MMA promotion in the world.
