Fitch, Le and Quarry named as plaintiffs in class-action suit against the UFC
Jon Fitch, Cung Le and Nate Quarry were named today at a press conference is San Jose, CA as the first three fighters who will be plaintiffs in the class-action suit.
A press conference was held today at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT local time) at Hyatt Place in San Jose, CA, to formally announce a class-action lawsuit against the UFC.
Jon Fitch, Cung Le and Nate Quarry were revealed as the first three fighters who are plaintiffs in the class-action suit. Each has documented public differences with management in the league. Only Le is currently under contract.
Although only those three were named, the class-action would be open to “All persons who competed in one or more live professional UFC-promoted MMA bouts taking place or broadcast in the United States during the Class Period. The Bout Class excludes all persons who are not residents or citizens of the United States unless the UFC paid such persons for competing in a bout fought in the United States.”
The suit alleges that the UFC violated the Sherman Antitrust Act, eliminating competition, and thus reducing what the fighters would be able to earn in a free market.
In addition to the fighters, the law firms were also named:
•Joseph Saveri Law Firm, Inc (previously brought antitrust case against Apple, Google, Adobe);
•Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, PLLC (previously brought cases against Dow Chemical and Countrywide Financial Corporation); and,
•Berger & Montague, P.C.
The case is being brought in the Bay Area of California, former home to StrikeForce. It is also an area that would in all likelihood be far more friendly to a class action lawsuit against the UFC than would Las Vegas.
There was a previous investigation of UFC and Strikeforce parent company ZUFFA in 2011 by the Federal Trade Commission, to determine whether ZUFFA holds a monopoly position in the space.
“Upon further review of this matter, it now appears that no further action is warranted by the Commission at this time,” concluded the FTC. “Accordingly, the investigation has been closed.”
It is difficult to imagine how if a monopoly situation did not exist then, with the UFC having bought both Strikeforce and Pride FC, that one exists now, given the rise of Bellator. The one thing that is absolutely certain at this point is that a lot of lawyers are being paid handsomely.
The 63 page demand for Jury Trial can be found here.