After nearly eight years and five separate legal proceedings, the legal feud involving UFC President Dana White, former fighter Mark Hunt, and Brock Lesnar has finally reached its conclusion. The dispute originated in 2017, following UFC 200, when Mark Hunt accused White and the UFC of knowingly allowing Brock Lesnar to compete despite allegedly being aware of his use of performance-enhancing drugs. Hunt filed a lawsuit that included claims of fraud, battery, breach of contract, and civil conspiracy.
However, in February 2019, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey dismissed most of these accusations. Later that same year, she also ruled out the remaining claims. Even so, the matter didn’t end there. In 2021, parts of the lawsuit were revived, enabling certain allegations to be reconsidered in court. By September 2023, Judge Dorsey once again dismissed all outstanding charges, citing a lack of compelling evidence. She noted that Hunt failed to present a convincing argument or sufficient proof to support his claims.
Despite this, Hunt continued his legal pursuit, appealing the decision even after his legal counsel had stepped away from the case. He accused White of harassment and claimed intimidation toward his family. Yet, a three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court upheld Judge Dorsey’s ruling. They determined that Hunt had not adequately demonstrated any harm—emotional, physical, economic, or reputational—that could be directly linked to the UFC or its officials. Though Hunt insisted such evidence existed, the panel found that he failed to properly present it.
The controversy stemmed from Lesnar testing positive for the banned substance clomiphene after UFC 200. He received a one-year suspension and a $250,000 fine from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The fight result was changed to a no-contest. Hunt voiced strong disapproval, but Lesnar remained silent. White, however, didn’t hold back. In a 2022 press conference, White dismissed Hunt’s lawsuits as baseless, labeling Hunt as “delusional” and implying he might be liable for legal fees.
Hunt, in turn, was critical of White and the UFC, especially after the 2019 judgment. He accused the promotion of favoring fighters who use steroids and warned that serious harm could occur if this continued. Hunt also claimed that the lawsuit effectively ended his MMA career. After UFC 200, he fought five more times in the UFC, losing four bouts, and eventually transitioned to boxing in 2020. After the court’s final decision, he expressed that he had lost his passion for fighting and believed the legal battle prevented him from securing future opportunities in combat sports.
Meanwhile, UFC 200 was also the last time Brock Lesnar appeared in the octagon.