UFC, Ex-Fighters Get Preliminary Approval of $375 Million Deal

Ultimate Fighting Championship’s $375 million antitrust settlement with former fighters has secured preliminary approval by a Nevada federal judge, a milestone for litigation over wages that began a decade ago.

Judge Richard F. Boulware of the US District Court for the District of Nevada granted a motion to preliminarily approve the settlement at an Oct. 22 hearing, the plaintiffs’ attorneys confirmed to Bloomberg Law.

Under the deal, a certified class of 1,100 former mixed-martial artists would receive back pay worth nearly 70% of the total compensation paid by UFC to its roster of fighters during a nearly six-and-a-half year class period.

Final approval of the deal would put to rest claims by a group of ex-fighters that sued UFC in 2015, arguing the company abused its power over their labor and depressed wages. A separate but related case led by plaintiff Kajan Johnson that covers fighters who fought for UFC since 2017 is being litigated separately.

“We are extremely pleased that Judge Boulware granted preliminary approval of the $375 million settlement,” said Eric Cramer, chairman of Berger Montague, which represents the fighters. “It is a monumental achievement that will get significant relief to hundreds of deserving MMA fighters. We honor our brave representative plaintiffs who fought for this result for ten years. And we look forward to pursuing significant business changes and more damages in our second antitrust case against the UFC.”

UFC said in a statement that the judge’s decision is welcome news for both parties, adding that the company is pleased to be another step closer to bringing the former fighters’ case to a close.

The plaintiffs first reached a $335 million deal in March with TKO Group Holdings Inc., the parent of the UFC mixed-martial arts league, that was designed to settle claims brought by former and current fighters.

Boulware rejected that deal after expressing concerns about the size of the settlement and whether one class of fighters would receive materially less than a separate class.

UFC is represented by law firms including Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

The case is Le v. Zuffa LLC, D. Nev., No. 2:15-cv-01045.