UFC Labeled a “Puppy Mill” by Legendary Ex-Champ Over Dana White’s Ali Act Push

Randy Couture, a name synonymous with the UFC’s foundational grit, left Dana White’s promotion after falling out with the CEO. During a recent interview, ‘The Natural’ isn’t just airing old grievances – he’s launching a full-scale assault on the promotion’s entire business model.

The Hall of Famer spoke about how fighters are treated in the UFC now compared to the days when he was at the epitome of the sport. He claims there is a massive disregard for the fighters because they are treated like products and not as athletes.

Randy Couture rips into Dana White and Co.’s promotional tactics

During a conversation with former UFC fighter Jake Shields on his YouTube podcast, Jake Shields’ Fight Back Podcast, Randy Couture pointed out his issues with the MMA giants. Indicating that the UFC’s rapid expansion is a massive problem for the fighters, his statements revealed that the mainstream success of the promotion has eroded the careful nurturing of fighters.

“The sport is going through some growing pains right now. There’s no transparency in our sport. It’s a puppy mill. Literally just pumping out and, ‘Oh, you don’t wanna sign that contract? This guy will sign it,’” Randy Couture noted. “They used to take the time to do the behind-the-scenes stuff and build stars.”

Many veterans and big names in MMA have spoken about the UFC’s objective in building itself as a brand rather than building superstars. The lack of proper big names has become one of the reasons why mixed martial arts is in recession. Couture claims that the consolidation of the MMA market by the UFC is a problematic thing for the fighters. The legendary three-time heavyweight champion is calling for the Ali Act to be implemented in all the combat sports disciplines, which, for many, is something Dana White isn’t a fan of.

“It’s too much power. That’s the difference in boxing… The Ali Act was founded in 1996 to protect boxers from promoters like Don King and Bob Arum, who had taken advantage of a bunch of boxers,” Randy Couture added. “We’ve been lobbying to try and change that to all combat sports athletes, not just boxers. And the UFC is lobbying very, very hard against us to keep it from getting to a vote.”

The Ali Act ensures contract transparency, doesn’t let managers act as promoters for the same fighter in major bouts, prevents manipulated rankings, limits restrictive contracts, and gives boxers the legal standing to challenge promoters if they suspect financial discrepancies.

No wonder, Randy Couture has been on a mission for a long time to push for the Ali Act.

Couture’s comments on getting pushback for supporting the Ali Act

Randy Couture has worked with the MMAFA (Mixed Martial Arts Fighters’ Association). Since then, he’s been spreading the word about fighters needing to get better pay and protection. When he was pushing for the Muhammad Ali Expansion Act, Couture revealed the opposition he faced and how that halted their campaign.

“H.R. 44 (the Muhammad Ali Expansion Act) is still being pushed. We’re still being lobbied against pretty seriously. They’ve found ways to stall us. They bounced us from one committee,” Couture shared with MMA Junkie in 2019.

“We were originally in the Energy and Commerce (committee), which is where the Ali Act was originally implemented in 1996 for boxers. We were with that committee. We had 60 bipartisan supporters in Congress. It looked like a no-brainer, and then they somehow got us tossed to the Education committee, and then we kind of have to start all over again.”

Hearing Randy Couture’s statement, some might get the impression that he’s saying all these things out of spite for Dana White. However, his long-running campaign raises a fundamental question for the sport’s future: can the UFC maintain its market dominance while its foundational legends feel left behind?