Former UFC fighters Nate Quarry and Cung Le joined forces to bring a UFC Anti-Trust Lawsuit to Dana White. The UFC will be the opponent in this trial in 2024’s April. The UFC allegedly breaks Antitrust laws to establish a monopoly over the sport and set salary caps for fighters. It claimed to have achieved this by undercutting its workers and outclassing its rivals.
U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware of Las Vegas handed down the decision in a one-page document back in November. The UFC’s attorneys had hoped to put the case on hold for an additional two to three years while the appeals process was underway. Rather, in light of Boulware’s rejection, the December 2014 case is now scheduled for trial on April 8, barring a settlement before then.
It’s safe to say that the nine-year-old case against Dana White is rapidly approaching its pivotal moment, which might lead to significant changes in the UFC’s business practices in addition to compensating damages.
This could have an effect on the UFC’s brand valuation after their merger with the WWE to create TKO Group Holdings. The share price could potentially experience a sharp decline if the UFC loses a decision. That might be the case, but Dana White isn’t concerned about how any decision might turn out.
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How Is Dana White Involved In UFC Anti-Trust Lawsuit
The issue revolves around Dana White, who was appointed UFC president in 2001 by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, the proprietors of Zuffa at the time. Recently released court documents related to the antitrust action show that UFC executives, including White, engaged in tough bargaining.
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A text message exchange between Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta from August 9, 2017, was disclosed in White’s deposition as demonstrating a callous attitude toward Jon Jones. The organization intended to book Jones versus Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 in May 2014, however, there were problems because Jones preferred to fight Daniel Cormier.
Restrictive contract stipulations used by the promotion effectively prevented Gilbert Melendez from joining Bellator, leading to the revelation of more ruthless business methods in a subsequent text.
Numerous UFC fans have addressed this issue on Twitter.
The lawsuit’s plaintiffs claim that the UFC used anti-competitive strategies, such as excluding rivals and regulating the market for elite fighters, to lower fighter compensation. If demonstrated in court, the UFC’s president Dana White might be required to compensate the 1,200 competitors who participated for the company between 2010 and 2017 with up to $1.6 billion for damages.
Also Read: UFC 300: Dana White’s April PPV Plans Gets Thrashed by Ex-HW
