Tag: Brandon Vera

Plaintiffs strike key win in UFC antitrust lawsuit after judges deny defendant’s appeal

The UFC was denied an appeal Wednesday, taking the ongoing antitrust lawsuit one step closer to trial.

A pair of judges have denied the UFC’s request to appeal class certification in its ongoing antitrust lawsuit.

In August, the lawsuit filed in 2014 by former UFC fighters seeking damages from the promotion was granted “bout class” certification in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. The UFC’s legal team said they anticipated the decision and planned to appeal the decision by federal judge Richard F. Boulware.

In response, the plaintiffs filed a 30-page opposition brief in September, stating the promotion’s appeal did not address “extensive evidence in support of class certification.”

In a one-page document filed Wednesday, two judges with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the appeal request from the promotion’s attorneys. The decision is a key win for the plaintiffs, who include former UFC fighters Cung Le, John Fitch, Kyle Kingsbury, and Brandon Vera, among others.

The former fighters allege the UFC suppressed fighter pay through anti-competitive tactics such as shutting out competition and controlling the market for top-level fighters from 2010-2017. They seek $811 million to $1.6 billion in damages from the Las Vegas-based promotion, which could apply to 1,200 fighters during the time period alleged in the lawsuit.

Judge Boulware previously stated he intends to make the case a priority, seeking to hold a trial in March or April 2024, a decade after the initial filing. The rejection of the UFC’s appeal means the case is one step closer to reaching trial, although there are more hurdles to be cleared.

The promotion is also dealing with another antitrust lawsuit headed by Kajan Johnson, who fought for the UFC from 2014-18. That case is similar to the one headed by Le, however, it covers fighters who competed from June 2017 to the present day.

Video: What’s the latest in the UFC’s antitrust lawsuit?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” discusses the latest updates to the ongoing UFC antitrust lawsuit.

Since 2014, former UFC fighters have been seeking damages in an antitrust lawsuit against the promotion.

This week, there was a major development in the case as federal judge Richard F. Boulware granted “bout class” certification, which means fighters under Zuffa from Dec. 16, 2010 until June 30, 2017, can collectively file suit against the UFC for potential violations of antitrust laws.

Former UFC fighters leading the charge include [autotag]Jon Fitch[/autotag], [autotag]Cung Le[/autotag], and [autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag], among others. The latest development is a big step for the former competitors, although the promotion’s legal team intends to appeal the decision.

MMA Junkie’s “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Nolan King, Brian Garcia and Dan Tom joined host “Gorgeous” George Garcia to discuss the latest updates to the case, and what it means for the fighters involved.

Watch the segment above, and Monday’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below.

Antitrust lawsuit against UFC takes next key step: class certification officially granted

Former UFC fighters seeking damages had a big win in federal court Wednesday.

Nearly a decade after an antitrust lawsuit was filed by former UFC fighters seeking damages from the promotion, a federal judge officially has granted class certification.

According to an 80-page opinion document acquired by MMA Junkie, federal judge Richard F. Boulware granted the “bout class” certification Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. The development was first reported by John Nash.

The “bout class” certification means 1,200 fighters who fought for Zuffa from Dec. 16, 2010, until June 30, 2017, collectively can file suit against the UFC for alleged violations of antitrust laws.

Boulware denied certification, however, for a proposed “identity class,” which would’ve created an avenue for fighters who claim the UFC “expropriated or exploited” their identity rights through its sale of merchandise.

The plaintiffs, who include former UFC headliners [autotag]Jon Fitch[/autotag], [autotag]Cung Le[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag], among others, seek $811 million to $1.6 billion in damages. The suit also potentially could lead to injunctive relief.

The lawsuit initially was filed in 2014 and alleges the UFC utilized monopsony power to depress fighters’ earnings as well as market competition. In 2020, Boulware initially indicated the class-action certification was coming but an official filing did not come until nearly three years later.

UFC lead counsel William A. Isaacson told ESPN he anticipated Wednesday’s decision and his legal team plans to appeal the decision.

“This is just one step in a long legal process, and we are confident that the Court will ultimately recognize that the claims outlined in this lawsuit are legally and factually meritless,” Isaacson told the UFC’s broadcast partner. “UFC’s own continued growth accompanied by the growth of other established MMA promoters and the prevalence of successful new market entrants all demonstrate the existence of a healthy and competitive MMA market which benefits athletes, promoters and fans alike.”

Conversely, plaintiff attorney Eric Cramer was pleased with the decision, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Thrilled to announce that the court in the UFC case has certified the class of mma fighters,” Cramer wrote. “We look forward to demonstrating our allegations that the UFC has abused its market power to suppress fighter pay before a jury in Las Vegas. The fight for fighter justice continues!”

Court proceedings will continue Aug. 21 with the matter’s next status conference.

Farewell, fighters: A list of former UFC champs and more MMA notables who retired in 2022

The MMA world said goodbye to more than 35 notable fighters in 2022, from former UFC champions to future UFC Hall of Famers and more.

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently fighters from the era that helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves to move on to the next chapters in their lives.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete and, perhaps more importantly, get a payday will continue to drive fighters back, even well beyond their expiration dates.

In 2022, there was an uptick in notable fighters announcing they are retired, and we have a list of those who opted to walk away last year.

Brandon Vera wished he fought Andrei Arlovski and Fedor Emelianenko in his prime before retirement

Brandon Vera has fought plenty of legends in MMA, but there are two fights he would have loved before he retired.

[autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] has fought plenty of legends in MMA, but there are two fights he would have loved before he retired.

Vera (16-10-1) hung up his gloves after he was stopped in the first round by Amir Aliakbari at ONE Championship 164 earlier this month in the Philippines.

From Fabricio Werdum to Jon Jones to Frank Mir, the 45-year-old Filipino-American has fought a who’s-who in MMA. But if he had a wishlist, [autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag]’s names would be on it.

“There’s two fighters that I wish I would have shared and sweat with and go to work with,” Vera told MMA Junkie Radio. “One would have been Andrei Arlovski, and then the other one would have been Fedor in his prime. Those two would have been on my list.”

Vera departed the sport with three straight losses for the only time in his career. The former ONE heavyweight champion and WEC heavyweight grand prix winner said fighting has taken a serious toll on his body, which prompted his decision to retire.

“For me, it was time,” Vera said. “I went 0-3. Amir got that finish. I broke my damn hand again. I’m tired of having injuries. I’m tired of having broken bones. I’m tired of that part of the sacrifice for this sport. I’m willing to do all the other sacrifices, but not being able to use my body the way I want – I think I’m over that hump now.”

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UFC veterans in MMA, boxing and bareknuckle action Dec. 1-4

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in action this week.

This week, the 15-fight slate of bouts at UFC on ESPN 42 takes place at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.

Elsewhere, there are a number of MMA, boxing and bareknuckle events taking place that feature familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

These 13 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA, boxing and bareknuckle this week from Dec. 1-4.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

ONE Championship: Dangal results: Arjan Bhullar stops Brandon Vera to win title

Arjan Bhullar became the first fighter of Indian descent to win a major MMA title at ONE Championship: Dangal.

The truth is, [autotag]Arjan Bhullar[/autotag] has made history.

Bhullar became the first fighter of Indian descent to win a major MMA title on Saturday when he defeated [autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] by second-round TKO to claim heavyweight gold at ONE Championship: Dangal in Singapore.

Bhullar, a Canadian by birth who had a four-fight UFC tenure, put pressure on Vera right from the opening bell and dictated the pace for as long as the fight lasted. He secured a takedown with about two minutes remaining in Round 1 but couldn’t do much with it.

In Round 2, Bhullar (11-1) continued with pressure that forced Vera (16-9) to fight from the outside. Bhullar hurt Vera with two hard punches before securing another takedown, again with about two minutes remaining. This time, Bhullar smothered Vera from behind and rained punches on him. At one point, Vera got back to his feet only to be dragged down immediately. With Vera unable to escape and Bhullar’s punches raining from behind, the referee stepped in to stop the fight at the 4:27 mark.

After his victory, Bhullar, 35, issued a callout – not to any MMA fighters but rather pro wrestlers.

“I have reached the pinnacle of this sport,” Bhullar said. “Now I want to attack the pro wrestling industry. AEW, WWE, I’m coming for you guys next. Consider this a warning shot.”

Vera, 43, a former longtime UFC competitor, had reigned as ONE’s inaugural heavyweight champ since December 2015.

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Brandon Vera previews ONE heavyweight title defense vs. Arjan Bhullar

Brandon Vera previews his upcoming heavyweight title defense at ONE Championship: Dangal.

[autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] previews his upcoming heavyweight title defense at ONE Championship: Dangal.

Vera (16-8) meets fellow former UFC fighter Arjan Bhullar (10-1) in a five-round championship bout Saturday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. The ONE Championship: Dangal main card streams on B/R Live.

Listen to Vera discuss the advantages he has over Bhullar, their contrasting styles, and much more in the video above.

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Brandon Vera defends ONE heavyweight title vs. Arjan Bhullar on May 15

Brandon Vera scheduled to defend his ONE Championship heavyweight title on May 15.

[autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] will return to the cage for his first fight since the pandemic.

The ONE Championship heavyweight titleholder is set to defend his belt against former UFC heavyweight [autotag]Arjan Bhullar[/autotag] in the main event of ONE Championship: Dangal on May 15 in Singapore, the promotion announced.

Vera (16-8) hasn’t competed since October 2019, when he suffered a TKO loss to light heavyweight champion Aung La N Sang in an attempt to become a two-division champion. Prior to the defeat, Vera was on a four-fight winning streak, which included the capture of the ONE Championship heavyweight title and two title defenses.

Bhullar (10-1) gets his first opportunity at ONE Championship gold since joining the promotion in 2019. Bhullar only has one bout for the promotion – a win over Mauro Cerilli in 2019. Before joining ONE Championship, Bhullar went 4-1 in the UFC.

The ONE Dangal lineup includes:

  • Champ Brandon Vera vs. Arjan Bhullar – for heavyweight title
  • Bi Nguyen vs. Ritu Phogat
  • Rayane Bastos vs. Ayaka Miura
  • Roshan Mainam vs. Gurdarshan Mangat
  • Anthony Do vs. Liang Hui

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Fabricio Werdum eyes Fedor Emelianenko rematch, ONE FC title fight with ‘scared’ Brandon Vera

As Fabricio Werdum navigates the free agent market, the former UFC heavyweight champion has a few targets in mind.

As [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] navigates the free agent market, the former UFC heavyweight champion has a few targets in mind.

Werdum (24-9-1) said he’s open to hearing all offers but sees a few primary options on the table: Either a move to Bellator for a rematch with Russian legend [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (39-6), or perhaps a switch to ONE FC and a showdown with current heavyweight champ [autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] (16-8). Werdum said he’s just waiting on his manager, Ali Abdelaziz to let him know which route they will take.

“Next step in my career, I want to make like superfights,” Werdum told MMA Junkie. “Maybe a Fedor fight. Maybe I go to ONE FC. I have a lot of options. Bellator. Ali talked with the guys, the organizations, and I’m just waiting because, you know, I’m young. My mind is young. This is very important. I’m 43 years old, but I’m not feeling that. I just want to fight again and again and again.

“It’s so hard when I say, ‘stop fighting.’ Everybody says that. I’m going to stop. I’m going to retire. But it’s so hard for us to stop the fight because this is my life. I love fighting. For sure, the money is very important, too – the money for sure, 100 percent. But now I just fight because I like this. This is my life. I want to fight again. I’m ready.”

Werdum, of course, defeated Emelianenko in a historic 2010 clash, ending the former PRIDE champion’s incredible 10-year unbeaten run. Werdum likes the idea of revisiting the contest while Emelianenko is on his “farewell tour” into retirement.

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“The history is very important, too,” Werdum said. “Fedor, I think everybody wants to see this fight. Maybe Russia, maybe USA, I don’t know, but I think this is a good deal for the organization, and I respect him a lot.

“I respect Fedor. I never said nothing about him. Zero. Nothing. For sure, I saw two days ago, he said something about the rematch, and I love this. Maybe. Why not the rematch? I don’t know if he’ll retire after that, but I’ll keep going for sure like two years more.”

Werdum said he considers current Bellator boss Scott Coker a “good friend” and would enjoy working with him again. However, the idea of potentially going to ONE FC and challenging for a belt is appealing, as well, Werdum said – and there is history there, as well, with “Vai Cavalo” defeating Vera in a 2008 bout under the UFC banner.

“Brandon Vera is my son, man,” Werdum said. “I beat him. He is my son. He is scared, for sure. When I go to ONE FC, I’ll take his belt. Maybe not even fight – just give me the belt, please.

“I love belts. This is a beautiful belt. I’m just waiting for Ali to say something, but I’m ready.”

Werdum, 43, says wherever he ends up, he’d like it to be for the remainder of his career, which he thinks will be about two years. But during that stretch, he wants to fight frequently.

And though he saw action just one month ago, Werdum said he’s anxious to get back into the cage before the end of the year.

“Just sign, and October, November, I’m ready,” Werdum said. “I just fought one month ago. Monday I start again training, and I keep going. That’s it. I want to keep fighting.”

To hear more from Werdum, check out the video above.

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