Dana White's blockbuster billionaire buddy business divorce
Gary Brecka vs. Grant Cardone's legal war over 10x Health has Dana White caught in the middle.
Dana White faces a tough choice between the personal trainer he credits with adding years to his life and the billionaire Power Slap supporter who brought them together.
Remember Gary Brecka, the “bio-hacker” who, according to Dana, told Dana White that a blood and DNA test revealed the UFC President had 10 years left to live unless he dramatically changed his lifestyle?
That lifestyle transformation — and Gary Brecka’s role in it — have been a central part of Dana White’s personal narrative over the past year in both traditional and social media. This Instagram post from last June is just one example. Note the almost 500,000 likes the post received. This is very valuable marketing for Mr. Brecka and 10x Health.
Mr. Brecka was featured on Joe Rogan’s show as the man who fixed Dana White’s health. Where else would Mr. Brecka get exposed to millions of people for 15 straight minutes?
But that’s not all. It’s not just a matter of Mr. White using his personal brand and social media platforms to promote Mr. Brecka. The famed “bio-hacker” has been promoted via official UFC assets as well.
Over the past two years, the official UFC Youtube channel posted two separate videos regarding Dana White’s health journey with Mr. Brecka. The first video advertised 10x Health. The second video advertised Mr. Brecka’s Superhuman Protocol.
Most businesses who get this kind of promotion via the official UFC channels are more than happy to pay premium prices to the promotion. The UFC has one of the largest and most loyal followings companies can find to promote their brands to men. UFC has insane brand power for influencer marketing.
Did Brecka and/or 10X Health pay TKO to promote their brands? Did they pay a subsidiary connected to Dana White?
This UFC campaign was part of a sales pitch for 10x Health, one prong in the 10x business franchise promoted by self-professed billionaire Grant Cardone. Mr. Cardone, the vociferous Florida Trump supporter best known for his dramatic Fox News cable hits, has been a major sponsor for Dana White’s Power Slap venture.
Mr. Cardone is not afraid of litigation. He sued former T-Mobile CEO John Legere in a $100 million dollar defamation suit for defamation. The case recently settled and Legere issued a public apology in which Mr. Legere stated: "I look forward to watching Grant's continued progress in business and investing."
10x Health is a high-profile part of Mr. Cardone’s business empire.
It’s a fascinating story bringing together a few different billionaire orbits: the rough-and-tumble world of the UFC, the often-hyped wellness industry, and the power of Dana White’s brand endorsement.
Dana White’s endorsement and support of Mr. Brecka and 10x Health carries enormous weight and business value for the parties involved, especially Mr. Cardone.
And now a civil war is brewing in litigation between Brecka and Cardone.
Over the Holidays, Mr. Brecka and his legal representatives — in Florida state court filings — made some explosive allegations regarding 10x Health.
The court filings officially disclosed that Mr. Brecka and Mr. Cardone have what appears to be irreconcilable differences. The former partners behind the 10x Health brand that Dana White successfully boosted are at each other’s throats.
This press release by Team Brecka spells out their legal allegations. One lawsuit alleges defamation. A second, likely more potent, lawsuit alleges breach of contract and breach of covenants/good faith.
In response, The Cardone Empire is striking back.
The Cardones have filed their own federal lawsuit against Brecka in the Southern District of Florida. Their complaint is based on breach of fiduciary duty, repayment of company loans, and trademark infringement based on The Ultimate Human and/or Ultimate.
Ultimate? Really?
Here’s a taste of that federal complaint:
“Gary Brecka was a relatively unknown “biohacker” in a career littered with broken business relationships, personal bankruptcy, lawsuits, and tax liens, before receiving the opportunity of a lifetime: to have a nascent, underperforming strip-mall operation run by Brecka and his fiancée, Sage Workinger, serve as a component of a rising health and wellness juggernaut – 10X Health – engineered by Grant Cardone and Brandon Dawson.”
“Brecka has further used 10X Health customer data, insights, and intellectual property without authorization or attribution for his personal benefit. He has siphoned off business of 10X Health by introducing and requiring his daughter, Madison Brecka, to service clientele and potential clientele through her entity known as Brecka Wellness, LLC.”
Did Mr. Cardone introduce Mr. Brecka to Dana White as a strip mall operator and suggest he entrust Mr. Brecka with his personal health?
I guess this is Cardone’s version of a speaking indictment.
At the heart of the dispute are the supposed business practices of 10x Health and use of the Ultimate Human trademark.
Given Dana White’s high-profile association with the 10x Health brand and Gary Brecka, as well as his business relationships with Grant Cardone, Mr. White is going to have a hard time avoiding the legal mudslinging between the two camps.
Going to court is, by definition, airing dirty laundry in public. These cases might prove to be very informative for watchers of Dana White, the UFC, and TKO/Endeavor’s web of influencers, sponsors, and media allies — even with discovery under seal.
The story has already produced one major curve ball involving a YouTube channel called Growing Up in Scientology and a cease & desist letter from an attorney representing the law firm Campbell & Williams.
That’s the law firm where Hunter Campbell’s father, Don, is a name partner. Don Campbell has represented the UFC & their former owners the Fertitta family in many high-profile legal and business matters.
An extensive review of competing court filings by Mr. Brecka and Mr. Cardone reveals some incredibly wild accusations of betrayal.
Buckle up for one of the strangest and most volatile social media business stories at the heart of litigation in the Florida court systems. What we discovered was eye-opening.