Could the UFC be legally forced to financially support Spencer Fisher?

[the big marmot]

I mean, there where similar legal cases in the NFL, and theres a bunch of proof that dana and the ufc verbally and contractualy encouraged fighters to compete as violent as possible, so maybe they could be seen as responsible to his disabling and life change injuries.

 

[Kingz]

They can be pressured into it if mass media campaigns harped on it like they did for NFL and WWE to where they put some things in place to look like they were addressing the problem, but it was never anything they were legally obligated to do..it was to counteract bad publicity. So, if the Spencer Fishers of the world bring UFC enough bad publicity they might throw the retired guys a bone. It wouldn’t “support” them though.

 

[AmericanMMA]

I mean yeah they could lose a lawsuit and be forced to pay something. More likely they'd settle out of court.

 

[chitoortiz]

Hope so,

Love King Fisher, exciting fighter and great guy to boot.

 

[AP_RESURRECTION]

Basically no. UFC doesn’t ever bend to pressure and doing so here would cause a bad slippery slope.

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

Directly, probably not. Highly, highly improbable.

Indirectly, maybe a big chuck of money would go toward things like this via the antitrust lawsuit, of which a small % would go toward Fisher's bills. But it would take years, and I wouldn't hold your breath on it.

 

[Buff]

Spencer fought for, and got KO'd in multiple organisations...
Fighters with 40+ fight careers are trying to get a payday, but you can't blame the UFC on this one.

Training has changed a lot too... "Gym Wars" also shorten/end careers... But at the end of the day, its a fighter's decision whether he wants to go back and get knocked out again after he has already started showing signs, which a lot/most of them do, starting with headaches, menory loss, and so on... Also he was cramming fights at one stage... CTE awareness was a lot different back then, and i think his own people could have protected him much better.

It sucks to see Spencer in this situation, but blaming the UFC is pointless, and he won't win a thing.

 

[pseto223]

As far as I know, NFL tried to actively cover up the number of concussions and the impact of the sport on brain injuries. That's why they are being sued, same for NHL.

MMA is a combat sport. It's well knows for centuries, if not millenia, that blows to the head cause brain injury. I don't think fighters can pretend they didn't know what could happen.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

No. He's been getting punched in the head pretty much his entire life.

 

[kflo]

fisher fought mostly in the US under athletic commissions. hard to hold any individual org responsible when the ACs oversee the fights including what happens in the cage. and who gets licensed to fight.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Is the UFC the only fight promotion he ever fought under?
After he left the UFC did he take fights in other organizations?

Wasn't he a MFS member? Can he sue Pat for putting him through grueling hours of training too?

 

[Frank McEdgar]

The UFC should provide him with financial support paid directly to services or procedures that can help or even improve his mental health situation.

But just straight up money, no.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Probably better suing Pat Miletich over unsafe training practices.

Not that he'd win that either.

 

[FreddyHazeChimaev]

No it's his problem

 

[Mesos]

Nope, fighters are independent contractors. Also when you fight for a living, brain trauma is a very obvious risk you take. He knew the risks and he probably fought longer than he should have. Blaming the UFC isnt fair since he also fought with other promotions tooZ

Sometimes it’s honestly fighters fault because they dont know when to call it quits until its way too late.

 

[SaigeVanZant]

 

[applesbananas]

Hope so,

Love King Fisher, exciting fighter and great guy to boot.

Spencer Fisher vs Sam Stout is what made me go from casual to hardcore.

 

[The Good The Bad The HBK]

Spencer Fisher knew the consequences of fighting, the same as athletes know the consequences of sports.

However since Spencer Fisher doesn't get millions like athletes then I believe he deserves compensation since he wasn't paid well.

 

[StoneWT]

It wouldn't help in the long run. Fighters would party even more on their money. Why save/invest if you can just blow through your money and the UFC will always be there as a safety net?

 

[laleggenda27]

The UFC and NFL are apples and oranges. Unlike NFL players, fighters are independent contractors and there's no union, so the terms of employment (and post-employment) are different. Also, the NFL got into hot water because they blatantly tried to hide information relating to the dangers of head trauma, whereas I haven't heard anything such claims about the UFC. And combat sports are regulated by state athletic commissions, which complicates matters relating to liability.

Under the current structure of the UFC business model, and MMA as a whole, it seems unlikely that a court would hold them liable in situations like these.