A GROUP OF former and current MMA professionals have filed a class-action lawsuit against the UFC in the US District Court, Northern District of California.
The suit alleges that the UFC, and its parent-company Zuffa, engaged in anti-competitive business-practices which hindered both fighters and rival-promotions.
According to the complaint, filed by former UFC fighters Jon Fitch and Nate Quarry (now retired), as well as current UFC fighter Cung Le, the promotion used an ‘overarching scheme to maintain and enhance its monopoly for live elite level professional mixed martial arts bouts… and elite level MMA fighters.’
The complaint also alleges that the UFC, ‘through a series of anti-competitive, illicit and exclusionary acts have illegally acquired and maintained dominant positions in the markets.’ Beginning in 2007, the UFC either purchased, absorbed or merged with rival promotions Pride, the WEC and Strikeforce.
Furthermore, it states that the company, owned by the Fertitta brothers, Frank and Lorenzo, Dana White and Flash Entertainment, ‘possesses the ability to reduce the demand of, and compensation for, elite professional MMA fighters without losing so much revenue as to make their conduct unprofitable. As a result of the UFC’s monopoly power… fighters do not have ability to turn to alternative MMA promoters for competitive compensation.’
The UFC is aware of the action filed yesterday but have not been served, nor have they had the opportunity to review the document. The UFC insist it will vigorously defend itself and its business practices.