UFC appeal rejected.
The Ninth Circuit has denied UFC's appeal in the class-action antitrust lawsuit brought forward by former fighters. The suit could go to court in 2024 following the denial.
The lawsuit against the UFC, which was first filed in 2014, became a class action suit in August. Almost 1,200 fighters can sue the UFC as a collective for alleged unfair business practices. The class period encompasses any fighter who competed in the UFC from Dec. 16, 2010, to June 30, 2017.
Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and others were involved in the original lawsuit.
The plaintiffs are seeking between $800 million and $1.6 billion in damages from the UFC.
From UFC Class Action:
At trial, the Class Representatives plan to show that if the UFC had not violated the antitrust laws, the fighters would have received 50% or more of the revenues from MMA events. That is similar to the percentage of revenues boxers receive, as do athletes in the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. UFC MMA fighters, in contrast, get paid only about 20% of event revenues. The fighters seek to recover the difference in pay as damages.
And Judge B just pushed back deadlines to submit unsealed #UFC antitrust record & for summary judgment. While you might be tempted to think this delays trial since judge is super slow for written orders, he's probably gonna shoot down #UFC summ judge w/ haste.
— Paul Gift (@MMAanalytics) November 1, 2023
Bring on trial! https://t.co/ZPWdjPk8OT pic.twitter.com/zUwlMYq8rZ
Fightful will update fans on the lawsuit and potential trial date when it is known.
