Overview
This dispute against the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) involves two class actions, one called Le v. Zuffa (dba UFC), which settled in February 2025 for $375 million and the other called Johnson v. Zuffa (dba UFC), which was filed in 2021 and continues today.
Both class actions allege that UFC unlawfully monopolized the markets for promoting live professional mixed martial arts (MMA) bouts and for purchasing the services of elite professional MMA fighters.
Fighters in both cases claim that UFC engaged in an anticompetitive scheme to suppress compensation for these elite fighters for years by unlawfully eliminating competition from rival MMA promoters and by maintaining and unlawfully enhancing its monopsony power in the market for MMA fighter services.
Specifically, the fighters allege that, among other things, UFC’s alleged anti-competitive acts from at least 2010 to the present, have made (and maintained) UFC as the only option for MMA fighters who want to earn a viable living in the profession. The fighters further allege that, as a result of its anti-competitive conduct, UFC receives more than 80% of all revenue generated by MMA events in the US, while paying UFC fighters a fraction of what they would earn in a competitive marketplace.
Cohen Milstein was court-appointed Co-Lead Class Counsel in both of these antitrust wage-suppression class actions.
Important Dates & Rulings
- On February 6, 2025, the Honorable Richard F. Boulware, II for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada granted final approval of a historic $375 million against the UFC. Citing his wanting to see “life changing” money for the fighters on July 31, 2024, the final settlement goes exclusively to MMA fighters in the Le, et al. v. Zuffa (dba UFC), et al. class action. The Johnson, et al. v. Zuffa (dba UFC), et al. class action continues.
- On March 20, 2024, parties reached a landmark $335 million settlement agreement.
- On January 18, 2024, the court denied UFC’s motion for summary judgment and reaffirmed the findings in its August 9 class certification order.
- On August 9, 2023, the Court granted class certification to the “Bout Class” of current and former UFC fighters. Specifically, the court granted class certification with respect to Defendant’s unlawful use of its monopsony power in the relevant input market of fighter services for live UFC promoted MMA bouts taking place or broadcast in the United States from December 16, 2010 to June 30, 2017. UFC appealed the class certification to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
- On November 2, 2023, in a single page order, the Ninth Circuit denied UFC’s request to review its appeal.
- On June 24, 2021, a second class action was filed against UFC alleging the same claims (July 1, 2017 – present).
On July 22, 2021, Bloomberg aired an investigative report on the matter.
Quotes from the Judiciary
“Due to this anticompetitive, coercive conduct, fighters were trapped by Zuffa’s exclusionary contracts and their restrictive terms, creating a situation in which Zuffa had unfettered power and opportunity to suppress fighters’ compensation. . . . In conclusion, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have established that Defendant’s tactics were anticompetitive. Defendant evinced a clear intent to acquire and maintain monopsony power.”
Judge Richard F. Boulware, II, Order – Class Certification (Aug. 9, 2023), Pg. 39