UFC‘s parent company, TKO Group, has agreed to a $375 million settlement in relation to a lawsuit involving about 1,200 former UFC athletes.
The group of former fighters claimed the UFC’s contracts suppressed their ability to negotiate other promotional options. TKO Group’s initial settlement of £263 million was rejected by the judge, who deemed it insufficient.
In a statement, TKO Group said the new agreement addresses the judge’s concerns regarding the Cung Le case. A new court date of February 3, 2025, has been set, and the settlement will need to be approved by the judge.
While TKO Group maintained that the original settlement was fair, they agreed to the new settlement to bring the litigation to a close. The anti-trust lawsuits had sought up to $1.6 billion in damages.
There are two separate legal claims: one filed by fighters Cung Le and Nate Quarry in 2014, representing fighters who competed from 2010 to 2017, and a second filed by fighters including Kajan Johnson, representing fighters from 2017 to the present.
The 2014 claim alleges the UFC attempted to acquire and maintain monopsony power in the market for elite professional MMA fighter services. TKO Group said that a motion to dismiss remains pending in the Jung case.
The UFC merged with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2023 to form the TKO Group.
