A new trial date of February 3, 2025, has been set for the UFC antitrust lawsuit filed by fighters in 2014, after a judge denied a $335 million settlement agreement, requiring both parties to reach a new agreement or proceed to trial.
A new trial date is set for the UFC antitrust lawsuit. This case was initially filed by fighters like Cung Le and Nate Quarry back in 2014.
On Monday, Judge Richard Boulware in Nevada announced the new trial date: Feb. 3, 2025. He also informed both plaintiffs and defendants that this date won’t change unless a new preliminary settlement agreement is approved.
The trial will commence in 2025 after Boulware denied a previous settlement agreement. This agreement involved the UFC and fighters from two separate antitrust lawsuits, covering athletes from 2010 to 2017 and from 2017 to the present.
The proposed settlement would have paid out $335 million. However, the judge objected because he felt the payout seemed low.
Additionally, fighters represented in the second lawsuit could object to arbitration and class-action waiver clauses in their contracts. Despite both parties agreeing to the settlement, the judge ordered the trial to start next year unless a new agreement is reached.
Attorneys for the fighters argued that they could use the money sooner rather than later. TKO Group Holdings, which owns UFC, had already earmarked funds to pay out $335 million with disbursement expected as early as September.
“They’d be better off both taking the money, getting the injunctive relief,” said Eric Cramer, lead attorney for the fighters. He told the judge that rejecting the settlement isn’t in the fighters’ best interests.
To win at trial, fighters must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and secure a unanimous jury decision. Even if they win, UFC would likely file an appeal, prolonging court proceedings for years.
UFC and the fighters can still negotiate a new settlement to avoid trial. However, any new agreement needs the judge’s approval.
For now, both sides are preparing for court arguments starting on Feb. 3, 2025. The legal battle continues.