UFC Antitrust Lawsuit: Damages Set (By Plaintiffs) at $1,600,000,000.00

[Not A Real Fan]

So they could sue on behalf of other UFC fighters even if said UFC fighters don't join them in the lawsuit?

Basically.

This differs from a traditional lawsuit, where one party sues another party for redress of a wrong, and all of the parties are present in court. Although standards differ between states and countries, class actions are most common where the allegations involve a large number of people (usually 40 or more) who have been injured by the same defendant in the same way. Instead of each damaged person bringing his or her own lawsuit, the class action allows all the claims of all class members—whether they know they have been damaged or not—to be resolved in a single proceeding through the efforts of the representative plaintiff(s) and appointed class counsel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_action

 

[acannxr]

Basically.

This differs from a traditional lawsuit, where one party sues another party for redress of a wrong, and all of the parties are present in court. Although standards differ between states and countries, class actions are most common where the allegations involve a large number of people (usually 40 or more) who have been injured by the same defendant in the same way. Instead of each damaged person bringing his or her own lawsuit, the class action allows all the claims of all class members—whether they know they have been damaged or not—to be resolved in a single proceeding through the efforts of the representative plaintiff(s) and appointed class counsel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_action

Gotcha, thanks for the insight.

 

[FrankieNYC]

So they could sue on behalf of other UFC fighters even if said UFC fighters don't join them in the lawsuit?

They have to opt-in, but they don't have to do anything but that

 

[Trojanlegal]

There can always be provisions.
WME & the people who bought UFC (WME owned less than 50% as of 9/17) are no strangers to contracts & make the Fertitta's look like common folk.
This lawsuit was well-known & in motion before UFC started the closed-bid process
@Trojanlegal is ITT now, he could elaborate more & i trust his insight

Generally, a successor entity is not liable for the debts, acts, liabilities or obligations of its predecessor. This general rule is not absolute as they are many exceptions. For example, a purchase agreement will not take precedent on a pre-existing lien on the assets of a business (e.g., tax lien or UCC filing). Overall, the purchaser is not liable for the liabilities of the seller, except:

1. Where the purchaser (either expressly or impliedly) agrees to assume such debts or liabilities;
2. Where the transaction is really a consolidation or a merger;
3. When the purchasing corporation is merely a continuation of the selling corporation; or
4. Where the transaction was fraudulently made in order to escape liability for such debts.

I am unaware what WME agreed to in the purchase of Zuffa, but since WME is maintaining Zuffa as a subsidiary, then any jury verdict or settlement will generally come out of Zuffa's pocket and not WME.

 

[Not A Real Fan]

They have to opt-in, but they don't have to do anything but that

I think they are already included without opting in.

 

[ArmenianAssasin]

lol lawsuit is trash and will get thrown out

this is a bunch of hippie millennial cry baby hog wash

there are no actual damages ----- nobody forced anyone to sign any contracts -- they were all negotiated mostly with professional agents involved (how many fighters dont have agents nowadays)

fighters had options to sign with bellator, rizin, acb, and fng just like guys like Mousasi, Bader, McDonald, Magedov and Tumenov chose to do because they like the terms more

 

[ArmenianAssasin]

Generally, a successor entity is not liable for the debts, acts, liabilities or obligations of its predecessor. This general rule is not absolute as they are many exceptions. For example, a purchase agreement will not take precedent on a pre-existing lien on the assets of a business (e.g., tax lien or UCC filing). Overall, the purchaser is not liable for the liabilities of the seller, except:

1. Where the purchaser (either expressly or impliedly) agrees to assume such debts or liabilities;
2. Where the transaction is really a consolidation or a merger;
3. When the purchasing corporation is merely a continuation of the selling corporation; or
4. Where the transaction was fraudulently made in order to escape liability for such debts.

I am unaware what WME agreed to in the purchase of Zuffa, but since WMEis maintaining Zuffa as a subsidiary any jury verdict or settlement will generally come out of Zuffa's pocket and not WME.

WME purchased Zuffa's assets including its UFC Brand and fighter contracts

they are most likely on the hook for contracts they purchased from Zuffa

 

[Not A Real Fan]

lol lawsuit is trash and will get thrown out

this is a bunch of hippie millennial cry baby hog wash

there are no actual damages ----- nobody forced anyone to sign any contracts -- they were all negotiated mostly with professional agents involved (how many fighters dont have agents nowadays)

fighters had options to sign with bellator, rizin, acb, and fng just like guys like Mousasi, Bader, McDonald, Magedov and Tumenov chose to do because they like the terms more

It's a good thing the fighters did not hire you as their attorney.

 

[LongDongSilver]

what is this even about ?

 

[FrankieNYC]

I think they are already included without opting in.

Any C.A. I was asked to be in, I had to opt-in.
I been asked at least a dozen times
@Trojanlegal can verify

 

[TouchButtDork]

what is this even about ?

This lawsuit is basically a bunch of farts in a bag

 

[Trojanlegal]

Any C.A. I was asked to be in, I had to opt-in.
I been asked at least a dozen times
@Trojanlegal can verify

You are correct. When the class is ceritfied, then potential class members will be notified that they can opt-into the class.

 

[iNoScopedJFK]

Holy shit
For the first time ever, that pic fits perfectly lol

Favorite Dana reaction from my favorite season of TUF.

 

[FrankieNYC]

You are correct. When the class is ceritfied, then potential class members will be notified that they can opt-into the class.

That is what i thought
Glad you popped in when I gave the Bat Signal

 

[ArmenianAssasin]

what is this even about ?

US Legal system

WME probably has to spend upwards of $700,000 in legal fees to defend this nonsense they hope to squeeze out a $1,000,000 or so from them to save attorneys costs and minimize exposure

nothing more than legal extortion

 

[Trojanlegal]

WME purchased Zuffa's assets including its UFC Brand and fighter contracts

they are most likely on the hook for contracts they purchased from Zuffa

Unfortunately, WME did not release the details of the transaction so we can only speculate on how the final corporate structure works. How that plays out for WME will depend on what the corporate documents say. For example, I am currently representing a client in a case where a new global company purchased the company I was originally suing. I am unable to include the purchaser in the case unless I can pierce the corporate veil of the purchasing entity, which I cannot do with the existing facts of the case.

 

[EndlessCritic]

What fuck do you do?!

I am a lawyer. While most of my practice is not class action related, I have enough experience to say the entire lawsuit is horseshit.

 

[chefdiablo]

Utter nonsense. Who are these contenders that the UFC is signing and shelving? The only guy I'm aware of who's been complaining (and has a legit gripe) is Leo Santos.

But that's nothing compared to the stuff ONE is pulling with Tynanes, and Bellator pulled with guys like Tony Johnson, Tyson Nam, and Jonathan Brookins.

I didn't say that they shelved contenders...I said talent.

If you sign 100+ WW fighters and have them fight very few times, while the contenders get most of the action that is a shitty system. Of course once the lawsuit was launched, suddenly they started to trim the roster and stopped matching contracts.

Zuffa did exactly that. Hell, even Dana kept saying that they had too many fighters a while back. Curb your emotions and trying to read for context and comprehension before wailing.

 

[ArmenianAssasin]

Unfortunately, WME did not release the details of the transaction so we can only speculate on how the final corporate structure works. How that plays out for WME will depend on what the corporate documents say. For example, I am currently representing a client in a case where a new global company purchased the company I was originally suing. I am unable to include the purchaser in the case unless I can pierce the corporate veil of the purchasing entity, which I cannot do with the existing facts of the case.

practicality wise wouldn't make sense for them to take any other route (agreed that Im speculating but these are generally how these transactions work -- wouldn't make sense otherwise)

Since WME purchased the contracts and continued the same alleged business I think they will definitely have a hard time arguing they they are not liable -- won't stop them from trying though

just my 2 cents -- not an attorney but have been on the receiving end these types of shake downs for years now in the real estate industry

 

[FrankieNYC]

Unfortunately, WME did not release the details of the transaction so we can only speculate on how the final corporate structure works. How that plays out for WME will depend on what the corporate documents say. For example, I am currently representing a client in a case where a new global company purchased the company I was originally suing. I am unable to include the purchaser in the case unless I can pierce the corporate veil of the purchasing entity, which I cannot do with the existing facts of the case.

The owners behind WME are very powerful. This lawsuit was in the press prior to the sale.
I cannot imagine the billionaires & the legal teams involved in the sale would let that slip.
I know some SDers think Ari & Patrick bought UFC on a whim, but the people who make up over 50% & the people behind WME are serious players.