Last month, Judge Richard Boulware denied the UFC’s attempt to close out separate antitrust lawsuits against the company with a $335 million settlement, moving the case ahead to trial which will begin later this month. And on Saturday, White offered a potential explanation for this decision by exposing his connection to Boulware.
The lawsuit, which is a combination of two separate cases with fighters represented from 2010 to the present day, argues that the UFC has gained an unfair advantage in the mixed martial arts industry through anti-competitive tactics over the years.
Interestingly, Boulware’s decision to send the case ahead to trial is seemingly not a decision that the TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC, or the fighters in the case wanted.
Both Ari Emanuel, the CEO of TKO Holdings Group, and Eric Cramer, a lawyer representing the fighters, made comments expressing their interest in having this case closed with a settlement.
“We settled all claims in the UFC antitrust lawsuits, bringing that matter to a close without introducing any further changes to our existing business operations,” said Emanuel before Boulware’s ruling.
“The reality is the claim has little value,” Eric Cramer, an attorney for the fighters told the judge during a hearing about the proposed settlement. “They should take… they’d be better off both taking the money, getting the injunctive relief.”
This obviously raises the question. Why would Boulware come to this decision if neither side wants to see the case go to court?
Well, on Saturday, White discussed the decision by Boulware during an appearance on the YouTube channel of longtime combat sports columnist Kevin Iole, sharing the fact that he and former UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta actually went to high school with Boulware at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Yeah, I’ve said this through this entire thing. This is not something I focus on. Let lawyers deal with that stuff. But let me say this – it’s probably the only thing I’ve said since this whole thing’s been going on. It’s getting to a point now where this feels personal,” said White. “You know, I went to high school with [Judge Boulware]. Me and Lorenzo went to high school with him. I don’t know what the hell me or Lorenzo did to him in high school, but this seems very, very personal.
“I don’t think I did anything to this guy. I don’t know what the hell happened. There is no doubt in my mind that this feels absolutely personal. Whatever it is with this guy, we’ll let the lawyers deal with it. It is what it is.”
It is certainly one heck of a coincidence that Boulware did indeed go to high school with White and Fertitta. But to be fair to Boulware, Bishop Gorman High School is a school that currently has around 1500 students attending.
That number may have been less when White and Boulware attended the school. But it also could indeed be a coincidence that the two have ties. Regardless, White is seemingly certain that Boulware has a longstanding vendetta against him.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.