A dramatic legal battle is unfolding, and it's not just any ordinary case. This is a story of missing phones, mysterious messages, and a powerful figure in the world of sports - Dana White, the face of the UFC.
On February 4th, 2026, White took the stand in a Nevada courtroom, under oath for an astonishing two and a half hours. The setting? An ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the UFC. Judge Richard Boulware presided, occasionally interjecting with his own inquiries, as White faced a grilling from lawyers representing a group of former UFC fighters.
The focus of the questioning? Potential spoliation - a legal term for the destruction or loss of evidence. The plaintiffs claimed the defendants had failed to produce a complete set of chat documents, despite years of litigation. White and his fellow executive, Tracy Long, found themselves in the hot seat, answering questions about their roles, communication methods, and the whereabouts of missing messages.
White painted a picture of himself as a tech novice, relying on assistants for phone upgrades and app installations. He admitted to using multiple cell phones during the litigation period and claimed to have given his old phones to Hunter Campbell, the UFC's chief business officer, for safekeeping. But here's where it gets controversial... one phone, an iPhone 11, has gone missing, and White has a theory.
According to White, a former UFC employee, whom he described as "a runner," was fired for stealing various items, including a baseball championship ring and company Christmas presents. White suspects this individual, a relative of Ari Emanuel, may have also taken his missing iPhone.
But White isn't the only one under scrutiny. Tracy Long, the UFC's vice president of athlete compliance and regulatory affairs, was questioned about her role in contract negotiations and her communications with fighters and managers. Long denied being directly involved in negotiations but admitted to corresponding with managers and athletes, as she is responsible for preparing promotional agreements.
Judge Boulware even got involved, asking Long about missing text messages. Long claimed she had not deleted any messages and had tried to recover them through Verizon but was unsuccessful.
And this is the part most people miss... the case isn't over yet. Tomorrow, Hunter Campbell, Elliott Howard (White's videographer), and Eric Yee (a social media manager) will testify. Even the UFC's attorney, Colby Williams, might find himself on the stand, as both White and Long suggested they followed proper procedures regarding the litigation hold.
So, what do you think? Is White's story credible, or is there more to this missing phone mystery? The legal battle continues, and we'll keep you updated as this intriguing case unfolds.
Stay tuned, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
