Tag: Cung Le

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.

UFC antitrust lawsuit moves forward with judge granting class-action status

The decision means 1,214 fighters are grouped together to sue the UFC for estimated damages of approximately $800 million to $1.6 billion.

In a big win for the plaintiffs in the years-long UFC antitrust lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware has certified it with class-action status.

Boulware, who made the announcement Thursday, granted certification for the bout class but did not grant the same for the identity class. The decision was expected after Boulware tipped his hand back in September.

A full written order is expected Monday.

Granting certification for the bout class is a crucial step for the plaintiffs, which include former UFC fighters [autotag]Jon Fitch[/autotag], [autotag]Cung Le[/autotag] and [autotag]Nate Quarry[/autotag]. As a class-action suit, 1,214 fighters are grouped together to sue the UFC for estimated damages of approximately $800 million to $1.6 billion, looking to prove that the UFC possessed monopoly power to depress their earnings.

“I can’t convey how big this is for the sport of MMA,” Quarry said on Twitter. “Thank you to our whole team that’s been working on this for over five years and to the other plaintiffs I’m honored to stand beside. We’re one step closer to fighters having a seat at the table.”

Quarry ended his tweet with the hashtags #FreeMarket and #Capitalism.

The bout class will move forward, pending an appeal by the UFC, which could also choose to settle.

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