A federal judge in Las Vegas has preliminarily approved a class action settlement requiring the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to pay $375 million to fighters who claim they received inadequate compensation for their bouts over the years. U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware II’s decision represents a “monumental achievement” that will provide significant relief to hundreds of deserving mixed martial arts fighters, according to their lawyers.
Although UFC has denied any wrongdoing, the organization expressed satisfaction with reaching a step closer to resolving the case. In July, Boulware rejected an earlier proposed $335 million settlement aimed at resolving this case and a related lawsuit against UFC and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, which is part of Endeavor Group. The judge raised concerns about the previous settlement amount and the provisions for distributing funds to class members.
The two lawsuits, filed in 2014 and 2021, alleged that UFC abused its market power to acquire or block rival promoters and used exclusive contracts to restrict fighters’ opportunities outside the organization. The new $375 million deal will cover over 1,000 fighters who participated in bouts between 2010 and 2017, with potential payouts ranging from $15,000 to over $1 million for class members. A separate pending lawsuit includes fighters from 2017 to the present, with Endeavor seeking dismissal from that case.
As part of the settlement proposal, many fighters submitted declarations detailing how the proposed monetary relief would positively impact their lives. Matt Brown, who fought in 15 UFC bouts during the specified period, stated, “This would truly be life-changing money for me and for other members of the class.” Brown was among many fighters who supported the new agreement with their declarations.
Fighters will still have an opportunity to object to the settlement terms before the court makes a final approval decision. The plaintiffs’ lawyers plan to seek up to $115.2 million in legal fees, which constitutes approximately 30% of the settlement amount. The case is Le v. Zuffa LLC, U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, No. 2:15-cv-01045.
