The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is expected to finalize a $335 million settlement with fighters, ending a long-standing dispute over wage suppression. The settlement will avoid a trial where fighters sought $1.6 billion in damages.
| UFC Settles $335 Million Lawsuit with Fighters |
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| The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is expected to finalize a $335 million settlement with hundreds of fighters by September, putting an end to a long-standing dispute over wage suppression. The settlement comes after TKO Group Holdings Inc., the parent company of UFC, reached an agreement to settle two class-action lawsuits involving its fighters. The details of the settlement are currently being negotiated and must be approved by the US District Court for the District of Nevada. |
| The settlement will allow the UFC to avoid a lengthy trial that was scheduled for next month, where fighters were seeking $1.6 billion in damages. While the exact amount each fighter will receive remains unclear, the settlement will be subject to approval by the court, taking into consideration various factors such as the likelihood of winning the lawsuit, the total amount awarded to fighters, attorneys’ fees, and the distribution of funds. |
| Eric Cramer, chairman of Berger Montague PC and attorney for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the result and stated that the details of the settlement will be presented to the court for approval in the coming weeks. Final approval of the settlement is expected to be granted in September. |
| A spokesperson for the UFC stated that the organization is pleased to have reached an agreement to settle all claims asserted in both the Le and Johnson class-action lawsuits, bringing an end to the litigation and benefiting all parties involved. |
| Cung Le and Kajan Johnson are among the plaintiffs in the lawsuits. The settlement covers UFC fighters who fought since 2017 and approximately 1,200 fighters were granted class-action status in the Le lawsuit last year. |
| UFC has consistently argued that the fighters’ claims are without legal and factual merit, emphasizing the company’s growth and the presence of successful new market entrants as evidence of a competitive mixed martial-arts market. |
| The settlement marks the resolution of a decade-long legal battle between UFC and a group of mixed martial artists who alleged that the company abused its power over their labor and suppressed their wages. |
| The plaintiffs are represented by law firms including Berger Montague PC, while UFC is represented by law firms including Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. |
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is expected to finalize a $335 million settlement with hundreds of fighters by September, putting an end to a long-standing dispute over wage suppression. The settlement comes after TKO Group Holdings Inc., the parent company of UFC, reached an agreement to settle two class-action lawsuits involving its fighters. The details of the settlement are currently being negotiated and must be approved by the US District Court for the District of Nevada.
The settlement will allow the UFC to avoid a lengthy trial that was scheduled for next month, where fighters were seeking $1.6 billion in damages. While the exact amount each fighter will receive remains unclear, the settlement will be subject to approval by the court, taking into consideration various factors such as the likelihood of winning the lawsuit, the total amount awarded to fighters, attorneys’ fees, and the distribution of funds.
Eric Cramer, chairman of Berger Montague PC and attorney for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the result and stated that the details of the settlement will be presented to the court for approval in the coming weeks. Final approval of the settlement is expected to be granted in September.
A spokesperson for the UFC stated that the organization is pleased to have reached an agreement to settle all claims asserted in both the Le and Johnson class-action lawsuits, bringing an end to the litigation and benefiting all parties involved.
Cung Le and Kajan Johnson are among the plaintiffs in the lawsuits. The settlement covers UFC fighters who fought since 2017 and approximately 1,200 fighters were granted class-action status in the Le lawsuit last year.
UFC has consistently argued that the fighters’ claims are without legal and factual merit, emphasizing the company’s growth and the presence of successful new market entrants as evidence of a competitive mixed martial-arts market.
The settlement marks the resolution of a decade-long legal battle between UFC and a group of mixed martial artists who alleged that the company abused its power over their labor and suppressed their wages.
The plaintiffs are represented by law firms including Berger Montague PC, while UFC is represented by law firms including Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
Summary:
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to finalize a $335 million settlement with fighters, ending a long-standing dispute over wage suppression. The settlement, subject to court approval, will avoid a trial where fighters sought $1.6 billion in damages. The exact amount each fighter will receive is yet to be determined. The settlement is expected to gain final approval in September. The plaintiffs are represented by Berger Montague PC, and UFC is represented by Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
