Throwback: When Mark Hunt slammed Dana White and the UFC for Conor McGregor's lengthy USADA debacle

Mark Hunt once vehemently denounced Dana White and the UFC, holding the organization accountable for its handling of Conor McGregor's drawn-out USADA situation.

The former two-division champion has remained sidelined since his severe leg injury during his last clash against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. This injury compelled him to undergo surgery and subsequently pause his competitive fighting career for rehabilitation, during which he was removed from the USADA's drug testing pool.

'The Notorious' has been pondering his comeback for over a year now, with his plans to square off against Michael Chandler last year thwarted by the Irishman's failure to meet the obligatory drug testing prerequisites in the USADA pool.

McGregor's eagerly awaited comeback was targeted for UFC 296 last December. However, to compete in the final pay-per-view event of 2023, 'The Notorious' needed to re-enter the drug testing program by June, ensuring a mandatory six-month testing period before his fight.

The former heavyweight title challenger turned to X and launched a scathing rebuke at the UFC CEO in response to this USADA requirement during that period:

"@danawhite, why don’t you give @thenotoriousmma the same exemption u gave that baboon @brock._.lesnar or whatever this cheating rat's Instagram is? I wonder if the @ufc @danawhite is above the law? What do u guys think?

Check out Mark Hunt's post below:

Hunt's animosity towards the MMA promotion, particularly White, originates from his UFC 200 encounter with Brock Lesnar in June 2016. Despite initially losing the bout via unanimous decision, it was later declared a no-contest. This decision came after Lesnar tested positive for banned substances, including clomiphene, known for its potential to enhance testosterone levels, in out-of-competition samples taken before the fight.

'Super Samoan' alleged that the UFC had intentionally concealed Lesnar's pre-fight test results. Subsequently, he initiated legal action against the promotion, citing fraud, conspiracy, and battery. However, after a protracted legal battle spanning six years, Hunt's efforts culminated in a defeat in September 2023.

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When Dana White branded Mark Hunt "delusional" following legal battle

Following the dismissal of the remaining aspects of Mark Hunt's case against his former promoter by a federal judge in Nevada last year, Dana White took shots at 'Super Samoan'. This legal saga, revived in 2021 after an appeals court overturned prior dismissals, involved claims of fraud and conspiracy.

During a press conference in September 2023, the UFC CEO briefly acknowledged his legal victory and chuckled at Hunt's perspective:

"I mean it’s never been- Listen, Mark Hunt has had, he’s lost so many lawsuits against us, it’s insane. He’s a bit of a delusional guy. Umm, he’s going to have to pay some legal fees."

Check out Dana White's comments below: