Dana White On UFC Contract Negotiations – ‘I’ve Removed Myself’

UFC CEO Dana White confirmed he has removed himself from UFC contract negotiations, opting instead to oversee the creative and promotional growth of the UFC. 

White revealed that the shift wasn’t forced by TKO, but was a personal choice to preserve his passion for the sport. Since the 2023 merger that created TKO Group Holdings and the subsequent $7.7 billion streaming deal with Paramount in 2025, the UFC’s financial infrastructure has become increasingly complex.

Contract duties have shifted to a dedicated team led by Hunter Campbell (Chief Business Officer) and the UFC’s matchmakers. By offloading the legal and financial paperwork, White has been able to spearhead high-profile projects like the Power Slap League and the UFC’s expansion into new territories like Africa and Saudi Arabia. Under the TKO umbrella, the UFC now operates similar to the WWE. White noted that this structure provides more stability for the athletes.

White Reacts

“We were a small business, and as we started to grow, the relationships that I had with the Chuck Liddells and the Matt Hugheses and guys like that from the early days right up to [Conor] McGregor, Ronda Rousey, ‘Cowboy’ [Donald Cerrone], and the list goes on and on.

“We were talking about ‘Cowboy’ a little bit off-camera. He was always doing something crazy. As soon as he got his check, he was blowing it. He was buying boats and jet skis and all kinds of toys, but these guys, whenever anything would go wrong in their personal life, we were the first phone call they would make.

“Obviously, it’s grown. I have completely removed myself from the negotiating part of fighter contracts. I got to a point where, ‘This isn’t fun anymore, man.’ I’m lucky that I’m at a point in my life and in my career where I can just deal with the fun stuff that I like to do,” White said