Hunter Campbell and the power behind UFC 312 negotiations
Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell manages major UFC deals and negotiations behind the scenes. His influence shapes roster management and upcoming matchups, such as Robert Whittaker's interest in fighting Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in Sydney.
Hunter Campbell manages most big deals for the UFC and frequently threatens to strip champions of their titles. Ariel Helwani describes Campbell as the third most important person in the company behind Dana White and Ari Emanuel. While White serves as the face of the promotion, Campbell acts as the chief business officer and handles the negotiations. He operates with a less emotional style than White, similar to how Lorenzo Fertitta worked.
The power behind the negotiations
Campbell holds immense influence because he functions like a general manager for the organization. He rarely speaks publicly or explains his moves to the media. This control allows him to dictate terms without the public scrutiny that White faces during press conferences. Helwani notes that Campbell is more valuable to the UFC than a typical lawyer.
The company uses these negotiation tactics to manage its roster and scheduling. For example, the UFC decided to book an interim heavyweight championship after the company balked when Francis Ngannou’s team wanted to fight a month later than August 7. This decision resulted in the booking of Derrick Lewis against Cyril Gane for interim gold at UFC 265 in Houston. Helwani claims the UFC has threatened to strip Stipe Miocic on at least five occasions.
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Dana White | President |
| Ari Emanuel | CEO of Endeavor |
| Hunter Campbell | Chief Business Officer |
Fighting for Sydney headlines
Robert Whittaker wants to fight Sean Strickland in Sydney next February. Whittaker suggests that fighting Strickland makes sense because the fighter brings people to cards. He currently faces questions about his future following consecutive losses to Reinier de Ridder and Khamzat Chimaev. The Chimaev fight left him with severe facial damage for months.
Strickland faces a complicated timeline because he is serving a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He entered the cage at a regional event and threw hands with a competing athlete. Dricus du Plessis, the current middleweight champion, called the request from Strickland "ridiculous" during a Fox Sports Australia interview. Du Plessis expects the rematch at UFC 312 to stay standing. Will the fighters follow through on the pact to strike?
