UFC hires high-powered New York law firm to defend against antitrust lawsuits

The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization released a statement Tuesday defending its stance on the recent antitrust lawsuits filed against it.

The UFC’s first antitrust lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, December 16, when the legal team representing plaintiffs Cung Le, Jon Fitch and Nate Quarry filed the suit in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, in San Jose, California. The second such lawsuit was filed on Monday, December 22, on behalf of Javier Vasquez and Dennis Hallman. The third such lawsuit was filed on Christmas Eve on behalf of Brandon Vera and Pablo Garza.

The various lawsuits allege that “the UFC engaged in an illegal scheme to eliminate competition from potential rival MMA promoters by systematically preventing them from gaining access to resources critical to successful MMA promotions, including by imposing extreme restrictions on the ability of UFC fighters to fight for potential rivals during and after their employment with the UFC. Under the scheme, the UFC not only controls the careers of its fighters, but also indefinitely seizes and expropriates the rights to their names and likenesses. As a result of this scheme, UFC fighters are paid a fraction of what they would earn in a competitive marketplace.”

As expected, UFC remains committed to the belief that it has built its business position correctly and intends to defend its position.

SEE ALSO: More UFC Antitrust Lawsuits

“We’ve built a popular business from humble beginnings by catering to the needs of fans and fighters. Millions of people have watched our fights, we’ve implemented leading health and safety measures for our athletes, and fighters have the freedom to negotiate their own contract terms,” UFC said in a statement.

“We will oppose the plaintiffs in this proceeding at every stage of the proceeding and have retained attorneys from Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP with extensive experience in antitrust matters.”

The attorneys at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP have been involved in several significant cases, including United States v. Microsoft, Bush v. Gore, and defending the National Football League against antitrust proceedings brought by the NFL Players Association.

The firms filing lawsuits on behalf of the fighters include the Law Offices of Joseph Saveri; Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, PLLC; and Berger & Montague, PC, all of which are known for handling antitrust matters.

Bill Isaacson, UFC’s general counsel, said: “Antitrust laws have long favored companies that create new products and services that consumers expect. This is exactly what the UFC has done through its long and significant investment in building a popular sport.”

The UFC statement continued: “We are proud of the company we have built, confident in our legal position, and intend to prevail in this lawsuit.”

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