Throwback: When Mark Hunt slammed Dana White and the UFC for Conor McGregor’s lengthy USADA debacle

Despite his strong criticism of Dana White and the UFC, Mark Hunt held the organization responsible for its management of Conor McGregor’s prolonged USADA case.

The former two-division champion has been out of action since sustaining a severe leg injury during his last fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. As a result, he had to undergo surgery and take a break from his professional fighting career to focus on recovery. During this time, he was also removed from the USADA’s drug testing pool.

‘The Notorious’ has been contemplating his return for more than a year, as his intention to face off against Michael Chandler in the previous year was hindered by the Irishman’s inability to fulfill the mandatory drug testing requirements in the USADA pool.

McGregor’s highly anticipated return was planned for UFC 296 in December of last year. However, in order to participate in the last pay-per-view event of 2023, ‘The Notorious’ was required to re-enter the drug testing program by June, which meant he had to undergo a mandatory six-month testing period before his fight.

During that period, the former heavyweight title challenger turned to X and issued a scathing rebuke to the UFC CEO in response to the USADA requirement.

“@danawhite, why don’t you give @thenotoriousmma the same exemption u gave that baboon @brock._.lesnar or whatever this cheating rat’s Instagram is? I wonder if the @ufc @danawhite is above the law? What do u guys think?

Take a look at the post below by Mark Hunt:

Hunt’s hostility towards the MMA promotion, specifically directed at White, stems from his experience at UFC 200 in June 2016 where he faced Brock Lesnar. Although he was initially defeated by unanimous decision, it was eventually ruled a no-contest. This ruling was made after Lesnar was found to have tested positive for banned substances, including clomiphene, which is known for its ability to increase testosterone levels. These substances were discovered in samples taken from Lesnar before the fight, but only came to light after the bout had taken place.

Despite his allegations, ‘Super Samoan’ failed to prove that the UFC intentionally concealed Lesnar’s pre-fight test results. As a result, he took legal action against the promotion, accusing them of fraud, conspiracy, and battery. However, after a lengthy six-year legal battle, Hunt ultimately suffered a defeat in September 2023.

Dana White Calls Mark Hunt “Delusional”After Legal Dispute

Despite a federal judge in Nevada dismissing the remaining aspects of Mark Hunt’s case against his former promoter last year, the legal battle was revived in 2021 when an appeals court overturned the prior dismissals. Dana White, who had previously taken shots at ‘Super Samoan’, was once again involved in this saga which involved allegations of fraud and conspiracy.

During a September 2023 press conference, the UFC CEO made a brief mention of his legal victory and chuckled at Hunt’s perspective.

“I mean it’s never been- Listen, Mark Hunt has had, he’s lost so many lawsuits against us, it’s insane. He’s a bit of a delusional guy. Umm, he’s going to have to pay some legal fees.”

Discover the thoughts of Dana White in the statement provided: