Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt has harshly criticized Dana White, evaluating him to infamous boxing promoter Don King and expressing his disappointment that Australian cruiserweight champion Jay Opetaia signed with White’s Zuffa Boxing. Hunt, who competed in each Ok-1 and PRIDE earlier than his UFC profession, additionally expressed concern in regards to the neurological dangers related to White’s powerslap competitors.
Mark Hunt Sounds the Alarm: Dana White Recreates ‘Don King’ Mannequin with Zuffa Boxing Growth
Mr. Hunt didn’t mince phrases when characterizing Mr. White’s strategy to combatant reparations. “Dana White is like Don King,” Hunt mentioned. He did the identical factor to each fighter within the UFC after which went away and badmouthed each fighter who opposed him. ”
The comparability to King, who has been extensively criticized for exploiting boxers all through his profession, means that Hunt believes White operates on related rules of maximizing promotional earnings whereas minimizing fighters’ earnings, he defined in an interview with CoinPoker.
The previous heavyweight contender detailed his views on the UFC’s compensation construction. “While you signal a participant like Dana White or Zuffa, you are going to find yourself with a shorter contract,” Hunt defined. “They are saying he is making an attempt to avoid wasting boxing, however from what? The Dana White of boxing, what’s he making an attempt to avoid wasting? He is simply taking one thing away from the game, similar to he is been doing for years in MMA.” White introduced Zuffa Boxing in June 2025, and the promotion finalized his first main contract with Opetaia in January 2026.
Hunt questioned the legitimacy of the UFC Championship itself. “How is he going to avoid wasting boxing? He is all about belts. Hey, your UFC belt is trash. Inform me, Dana, how a lot do you pay your fighters?” Hunt mentioned. “UFC belts are trash. They don’t have any worth in any respect. There isn’t a integrity of their belts.” Knowledge from the UFC’s antitrust case exhibits that from 2010 to 2017, fighters acquired about 13 to twenty % of occasion income, in comparison with 48 to 50 % for main skilled sports activities leagues.
zuffa boxing
Hunt additionally talked about proposed adjustments to the Muhammad Ali Act, a federal legislation designed to guard boxers from exploitative practices. “Why are they making an attempt to vary the Ali Act? What is the level of adjusting the Ali Act? The Ali Act helps the fighters and offers them transparency,” Hunt questioned. “Why would they do this? As a result of they’re making an attempt to close them down and so they’re already oppressed. There isn’t any transparency for the fighters and so forth. They’re really profiting from them sufficient as it’s while not having to vary the Muhammad Ali Act.” The California State Athletic Fee voted in October 2025 to uphold the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. The invoice is supported by Zuffa Boxing, and critics say it will scale back protections for fighters.
Hunt expressed private disappointment in Opetaia’s determination to signal with Zuffa Boxing. “He (Jay Opetaia) is a good participant. He is earned his place and gotten so far. And on the finish of the day, it is as much as them to determine who they go along with, no matter my emotions,” Hunt admitted. “It has nothing to do with me. It is his profession and finally his life. It is a disgrace.” Opetaia, the undefeated 29-0 IBF and Ring Journal cruiserweight champion, introduced his partnership with Zuffa Boxing on January 17, 2026.
Dana White Powerslap
The powerslap competitors, launched by White in November 2022 and controlled by the Nevada Athletic Fee, has drawn medical scrutiny. “The issue with slapfights is that everybody undoubtedly will get CTE,” Hunt mentioned bluntly. His considerations are according to a examine revealed in JAMA Surgical procedure in September 2024. On this examine, 79.1% {of professional} slap combating matches had seen indicators of concussion, and practically 80% of individuals confirmed at the least one seen signal of concussion.
Mr Hunt pressed additional on athlete welfare. “Who takes care of the so-called slap fighter athletes after they end their sport or end competing? Who takes care of them? Are you able to inform me who takes care of these individuals? Or who takes care of the UFC fighters after they end?” he requested.
“Relating to the fellows who signed Zuffa and Dana White, it is solely a matter of time earlier than they do not attain their full potential and worth. They should know their value now as fighters,” Hunt warned.
Hunt’s martial arts credentials lend weight to his criticism. Previous to becoming a member of the UFC, the New Zealand-born fighter received the Ok-1 World Grand Prix Championship in 2001, defeating Francisco Filho within the closing. He additionally competed within the PRIDE Combating Championship from 2004 to 2006, competing towards elite opponents corresponding to Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop.
Zuffa Boxing held its first occasion on January 23, 2026, and Opetaia was scheduled to defend his cruiserweight title on March 8, 2026 on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The promotion is operated as a three way partnership between TKO Group Holdings and Sela of Saudi Arabia, with monetary preparations designed to reduce TKO’s danger publicity.
Mr. Hunt concluded his evaluation by highlighting patterns throughout Mr. White’s companies. “All they did was take away from the game of combined martial arts. They took away from the fighters.”
