The Ninth Circuit has denied UFC’s appeal in the class-action antitrust lawsuit brought forward by former fighters. The lawsuit could go to court in 2024. Read more about the ongoing lawsuit and the fighters’ quest for fair compensation.
| UFC Appeal Rejected: Class-Action Lawsuit Continues |
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| The Ninth Circuit has denied the appeal made by the UFC in the class-action antitrust lawsuit brought forward by former fighters. This means that the lawsuit could proceed to court in 2024 following the denial. The original lawsuit against the UFC was first filed in 2014 and later became a class-action suit in August. Now, almost 1,200 fighters have the opportunity to sue the UFC as a collective for alleged unfair business practices. The plaintiffs are seeking damages ranging from $800 million to $1.6 billion from the UFC. At trial, the Class Representatives plan to demonstrate that if the UFC had not violated the antitrust laws, the fighters would have received 50% or more of the revenues from MMA events. This is comparable to the percentage of revenues that boxers receive, as well as athletes in major sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. In contrast, UFC MMA fighters currently receive only about 20% of event revenues. The fighters aim to recover the difference in pay as damages. Judge B has recently pushed back deadlines to submit unsealed UFC antitrust records and for summary judgment. While some may perceive this as a delay in the trial process, it is speculated that the judge will swiftly reject the UFC’s summary judgment. This development sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated trial. Fightful will continue to provide updates to fans regarding the progress of the lawsuit and any potential trial dates. |
The Ninth Circuit has recently denied the appeal made by the UFC in the class-action antitrust lawsuit brought forward by former fighters. This means that the lawsuit could proceed to court in 2024 following the denial.
The original lawsuit against the UFC was first filed in 2014 and later became a class-action suit in August. Now, almost 1,200 fighters have the opportunity to sue the UFC as a collective for alleged unfair business practices.
The class period includes any fighter who competed in the UFC from December 16, 2010, to June 30, 2017. Notable fighters such as Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and others were involved in the original lawsuit.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages ranging from $800 million to $1.6 billion from the UFC. At trial, the Class Representatives plan to demonstrate that if the UFC had not violated the antitrust laws, the fighters would have received 50% or more of the revenues from MMA events. This is comparable to the percentage of revenues that boxers receive, as well as athletes in major sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. In contrast, UFC MMA fighters currently receive only about 20% of event revenues. The fighters aim to recover the difference in pay as damages.
Judge B has recently pushed back deadlines to submit unsealed UFC antitrust records and for summary judgment. While some may perceive this as a delay in the trial process, it is speculated that the judge will swiftly reject the UFC’s summary judgment. This development sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated trial.
Fightful will continue to provide updates to fans regarding the progress of the lawsuit and any potential trial dates.
