UFC reaches new $375M settlement in antitrust lawsuit
The UFC reached a new settlement in one of its two antitrust lawsuits.
TKO Group - the UFC's parent company - announced an agreement Thursday with the plaintiffs of the Le v. Zuffa class-action lawsuit to pay out $375 million.
The lawsuit - led by a group of former fighters, including Cung Le - dates back to 2014. It alleges that the UFC used unfair business practices "to acquire and maintain monopsony power" in the mixed martial arts industry.
In July, Judge Richard Boulware of the U.S. District Court of Nevada denied a combined $335-million settlement in both the Le v. Zuffa and Johnson v. Zuffa cases. Boulware cited a concern that the monetary damages against the UFC weren't sufficient.
The second antitrust lawsuit - filed by former UFC fighter Kajan Johnson in 2021 - is still pending.
"We have reached a revised agreement with plaintiffs to settle the Le case with terms that we believe address Judge Boulware's stated concerns," a TKO Group statement read, per Luke Thomas of Morning Kombat. "While we believe the original settlement was fair - a sentiment that was also shared by plaintiffs - we feel it is in the best interest of all parties to bring this litigation to a close.
"As for the Johnson case, that process is in very early stages, and a motion to dismiss the complaint remains pending."
Boulware must approve the new settlement to avoid a trial. In August, the judge set a trial date of Feb. 3, 2025.
"We believe this new proposed settlement for the Le case is an excellent result for the class of UFC fighters we represent," Eric Cramer, the plaintiffs' lead attorney, said in a statement to MMA Junkie. "If approved, it would provide immediate monetary relief to over 1,000 fighters, who would each recover a significant enhancement to what he or she earned from the UFC during his or her fighting career.
"We look forward to presenting the proposed settlement to the court for preliminary (approval) in the near future. We also plan on vigorously pursuing claims on behalf of the fighter class in the later-filed Johnson case, including claims for injunctive relief against the UFC."