News UFC Anti-Trust Lawsuit Has Been Settled and Will NOT Go To Trial Paying Out $335 Million

[Substance Abuse]

Well that’s good news.

I didn’t ever believe there would be $1B+ resolution to the lawsuit.

And I was surprised by how many people actually wanted to see the UFC go under because of this. Clearly the UFC was in the wrong. But either you want the biggest org in the sport around. Or you want to settle for minor league orgs.

I don’t see how a real fan of mma would have wanted the UFC to go under. Every other mma org does the same things with their contracts, etc. why is it always the UFC that gets shit on?

The UFC wouldn't have gone under anyway. The fighters deserved more money. The UFC needs to pay their fighters more. At least more than 13%. Maybe 25% to start? Up the bonuses to $100K? They used to be $75K. I understand entry level contracts being low, but up those to 25K/25K? And yes, I did the $280K math on front page. Again, the UFC got off easy.

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Man I cannot wait to see Luke’s reaction to all this

 

[El Fernas]

This means old style contracts are back?

 

[Whitestallion]

So Fitch gets 70k after tax and the ex

 

[Substance Abuse]

This means old style contracts are back?

It means business as usual. Nothing changes. The UFC paid out a settlement and life goes on.

 

[NoSmilez]

Cung, Quarry and Randy are happy now. In the end nobody cares about future fighters.

 

[d2s]

Man I cannot wait to see Luke’s reaction to all this

That miserable fucker will no doubt be bitching and moaning while clutching his thesaurus.

 

[2004 account]

I had a feeling the ufc would get off lightly, i mean they are connected and untouchable after all.

Semi L for the fighters imo.

 

[skylolow]

Matt Hughes if true!

In my eyes they are basically admitting to fault. Because if your not guilty then why settle?

Let's see what else comes of this. Cung Le is a badass.

Maybe TKO put pressure on the UFC to resolve this quickly. Sweep it under the rug like many have said. But still in my eyes makes them look guilty and we ain't gonna forget. Can be used against them.

I don't know I call it fault.

These cases are very complex and when you put it in the hands of third party to rule on it, who by the way knows next to nothing about the business at hand, you never know the ruling either side could get including settlement money.


P.S.: I knew this would happen even when the plaintiffs said they'd never settle. When that kind of money gets put in front of you, you take it.

 

[egk]

I would have preferred trial as that would set a precedent for the future and perhaps change things completely

But that much money is nothing to sneeze at.

What fighters get it and how much?

I'm assuming the lawyers are gonna wind up with like half.

It sounds like the fighters involved in the suit took the money and ran. I can't really blame them but it does nothing to stop the UFC from utilizing it's predatory contracts. They'll just tweak them a bit if they haven't already but look at the news about Aldo. It says he's only coming back because the UFC won't release him from his contract so he can box.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

The UFC wouldn't have gone under anyway. The fighters deserved more money. The UFC needs to pay their fighters more. At least more than 13%. Maybe 25% to start? Up the bonuses to $100K? They used to be $75K. I understand entry level contracts being low, but up those to 25K/25K? And yes, I did the $280K math on front page. Again, the UFC got off easy.

I can’t disagree with anything you said. Except the revenue percentage. According to Forbes the number is 19%-20%.

But I agree with everything else you said. I don’t defend the UFC’s shady business practices. As long as whatever anybody is saying is factual.

This article is from April, 2022.

UFC Fighter ‘Wage Share’ Held Steady At 19-20% For 11 Straight Years​

​

UFC Fighter âWage Shareâ Held Steady At 19-20% For 11 Straight Years

How much do fighters get when the UFC brings in more revenue? The answer was consistent for over a decade.

www.forbes.com

 

[skylolow]

They were initially looking for anywhere from $894 million to $1.6 billion. Looks like TKO (UFC parent company) made a good deal. It isn't enough money, but it's something.

There were 1,200 fighters involved in the lawsuit, so that works out to about $280K per fighter. I would say the company got off light, to put it kindly.

To put things into perspective the TKO is looking to double the UFC's media rights fees, which are currently $300 million a year. If they sign a new deal, it'll likely be a 5 year, $2.4 to $3.0 billion dollar deal. This doesn't include the $105 million a year Bud Light is giving them, gate, UAE fees, tax breaks, site money and countless other deals.

The UFC just made $1.3 billion last year and $1.1 billion the year before.

This settlement is a drop in the bucket.

@Black9

I also updated the OP with quotes and the article. I can't stand a half assed OP, lol.

Keep in mind the settle amount they were asking for was not guaranteed by any means. The judge could've rule in their favor and only awarded 400M in damage or whatever.

I'm guessing they settled because maybe they knew the judge wasn't going to go beyond awarding damages in the case and took the 100% deal.


Personally, I'd hope they could get all the fighters involved to forfeit the money due to them and reinvest it in path to forming and association/union for UFC fighters and actually have a long term plan to help all current and future fighters.

 

[C0NCH3TO]

Each one gets three fiddy.

 

[GIBLERTBAPTISTA]

I want my cut for complaining about UFC pay on sherdog

 

[GrantB13]

If thats the settlement there was no chance the UFC was losing. Given the UFC could have been dismembered by this suit if they were really pressed they would have went much higher.

Wouldn't a settlement mean they thought they WERE going to lose?

 

[wlu.29]

They were initially looking for anywhere from $894 million to $1.6 billion. Looks like TKO (UFC parent company) made a good deal. It isn't enough money, but it's something.

There were 1,200 fighters involved in the lawsuit, so that works out to about $280K per fighter. I would say the company got off light, to put it kindly.

To put things into perspective the TKO is looking to double the UFC's media rights fees, which are currently $300 million a year. If they sign a new deal, it'll likely be a 5 year, $2.4 to $3.0 billion dollar deal. This doesn't include the $105 million a year Bud Light is giving them, gate, UAE fees, tax breaks, site money and countless other deals.

The UFC just made $1.3 billion last year and $1.1 billion the year before.

This settlement is a drop in the bucket.

@Black9

I also updated the OP with quotes and the article. I can't stand a half assed OP, lol.

the lawyers most likely would have gotten 50% of the agreement, so each fighter gets $140K is my guess

 

[Black9]

Luke Thomas Finally Reacted To It and lets say he's pretty disappointed..

 

[Substance Abuse]

I can’t disagree with anything you said. Except the revenue percentage. According to Forbes the number is 19%-20%.

But I agree with everything else you said. I don’t defend the UFC’s shady business practices. As long as whatever anybody is saying is factual.

This article is from April, 2022.

​

UFC Fighter âWage Shareâ Held Steady At 19-20% For 11 Straight Years

How much do fighters get when the UFC brings in more revenue? The answer was consistent for over a decade.

www.forbes.com

I've seen anywhere from 13% to 19%. Still, as revenue rises, lock in 25% and grow incrementally from there as revenue remains steady or grows. We shit on fighters all the time, but they do things we cannot or do not want to, and it's the most cumbersome, singular sport there is in my opinion. They deserve more.

 

[Substance Abuse]

the lawyers most likely would have gotten 50% of the agreement, so each fighter gets $140K is my guess

That's a damn shame.

 

[ferrisjso]

Wouldn't a settlement mean they thought they WERE going to lose?

Depends on the context. Corps generally want to avoid trials.