UFC's Dana White says it ‘never stopped' working with Russian fighters
The Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world's leading mixed martial arts organization, never stopped working with Russian fighters despite international tensions, UFC president Dana White has said.
At the post-fight press conference following UFC on ESPN 66 in Kansas City, a reporter asked White about comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide, Kirill Dmitriev, that talks were ongoing to bring UFC events back to Russia.
While White did not explicitly confirm that negotiations were taking place, he emphasized that the UFC never ceased cooperation with Russian athletes.
'Yeah, listen, we never stopped. Our fighters still fought, and those things all happened during all that,' White replied.
White stressed that Russian athletes have always remained active in the UFC throughout periods of political tension and international sanctions. 'We're a global business,' he continued. 'Bad shit happens all the time all around the world and, uh... yes we will run the business like we always have.'
Earlier in April, Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special representative for investment and economic cooperation, said efforts were underway to bring UFC tournaments back to Russia. Dmitriev, who is also CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), has emerged as a key figure in recent Russia-US diplomatic engagements, particularly concerning the conflict in Ukraine.
His announcement regarding the UFC came after a meeting with Steve Witkoff, special envoy for US President Donald Trump, in St. Petersburg.
Since 2018, RDIF has partnered with UFC Russia to promote mixed martial arts in the country. Earlier this year, Dmitriev urged Russian fans to stay optimistic about the UFC's return following Magomed Ankalaev's victory at UFC 313, where he became the first Russian fighter to win the UFC light heavyweight title. White had previously indicated that a full UFC return to Russia could depend on improved diplomatic relations.
In 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from global competitions, but leading promotions such as UFC, Bellator, and One FC did not enforce the recommendation. Despite international sanctions imposed on Moscow after the escalation of Ukraine conflict, Russian fighters have continued to compete in major mixed martial arts (MMA) organizations.
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