Judge dismisses Mark Hunt’s claims against UFC, Dana White and Brock Lesnar in lawsuit; case closed
It appears Mark Hunt has been dealt one final blow in his legal battle with the UFC, Dana Whiteand Brock Lesnar.
In a 27-page written opinion released Tuesday and obtained by MMA Junkie, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey concluded that Hunt failed to prove the UFC and White (then promotion president and now CEO) knowingly booked him in a fight with Lesnar while aware of Lesnar’s performance-enhancing drug use ahead of UFC 200 on July 9, 2016.
As a result, Dorsey dismissed what was left of Hunt’s lawsuit, which was first filed in 2017, dismissed in 2019, but then revived in 2021 by an appeals court. Hunt was trying to prove fraud, battery, aiding-and-abetting battery, and civil conspiracy claims that were revived two years ago. But Dorsey granted the defendants’ motion for summary judgment on all claims, meaning the case is dismissed.
“Despite extensive briefing and oral argument, Hunt has been unable to provide the necessary evidentiary support for his theories,” Dorsey wrote. “So I grant summary judgment in favor of the defendants and again close this case.”
Sports law reporter Jason Morrin of Conduct Detrimental first broke the news on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This is the second time that Dorsey has ruled against Hunt. In 2019, Dorsey dismissed with prejudice all but one of Hunt’s original claims against the UFC, White and Lesnar. Included in the claims struck down then were federal and state RICO violations; common-law fraud and aiding and abetting; breach of contract; unjust enrichment; battery and aiding and abetting; and civil conspiracy.
At UFC 200, Lesnar, a former UFC heavyweight champion, temporarily left WWE to return from a five-and-a-half-year octagon absence to fight Hunt. Lesnar was given an exemption from a four-month U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug-testing window before he stepped into the cage. Lesnar defeated Hunt by unanimous decision but was later suspended one year by USADA and the Nevada Athletic Commission after he tested positive for multiple banned substances. The result against Hunt was overturned to a no contest.
Hunt competed five more times for the promotion after UFC 200, going 1-4 until completing his contract in December 2018.
