Latest news with #non-UFC
USA Today
3 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
New UFC antitrust lawsuit alleges all fighters harmed by 'UFC's scheme' to control MMA
New UFC antitrust lawsuit alleges all fighters harmed by 'UFC's scheme' to control MMA Phil Davis, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, said he's "proud to stand up for professional MMA fighters to unlock the UFC's stranglehold on the entire sport." The UFC is facing a new antitrust class-action lawsuit that argues the promotion's monosopsony powers financially harm all professional MMA fighters – not just those under contract with the UFC – and calls for an end to "the UFC's scheme." Berger Montague, the lawfirm that secured a $375 million settlement against the UFC in February, filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, with former UFC and current PFL fighter Phil Davis named as the plaintiff. Zuffa LLC, TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC, and Endeavor Group Holdings are listed as the defendants. Unlike the Le v. Zuffa lawsuit that was settled in February, the Davis lawsuit seeks to be certified with all-non UFC fighters represented and does not seek monetary damages. In a written statement, Berger Montague said it seeks an injunction to prevent the UFC "from continuing its allegedly illegal scheme" and aims to "create conditions for free and fair competition among professional MMA promotions which, in turn, would bolster their careers and pay of professional MMA fighters across the sport." "I am proud to stand up for professional MMA fighters to unlock the UFC's stranglehold on the entire sport," Davis said in a statement. According to the lawsuit, "the UFC's scheme impairs professional MMA promotions like PFL in their ability to attract a critical mass of top-level MMA fighters necessary to compete with the UFC at the top tier of the sport of professional MMA, and otherwise substanstially forecloses competition in the markets relevant to this case. The UFC's scheme further restrains top-level fighters such as Mr. Davis from applying their trade by preventing these fighters from competing for titles in a free and unfettered market. As a result of the UFC's scheme, rival MMA promotions have been foreclosed and, as a result, would-be top-level MMA fighters at PFL and other non-UFC MMA promotions have had their careers impaired and their pay suppressed below the compensation that would prevail in a more competitive market." The lawsuit seeks to eliminate an array of restrictive clauses from UFC contracts and requests that fighters have the ability to terminate their contracts without penalty after one year. "The suit alleges that the UFC impairs the ability of would-be UFC competitors to attract a critical mass of top-level MMA fighters necessary to compete with the UFC at the top tier of the sport," Eric Cramer, lead attorney for Berger Montague, said in a statement. "We intend to prove that the UFC engaged in a predatory scheme to undermine would-be competitors to the UFC, which the suit claims had the effect of maintaining and enhancing the UFC's dominance, and thereby impairing the careers and pay not just of the UFC's own fighters, but also of professional MMA fighters like Mr. Davis competing for MMA promotions across the MMA industry." The Le v. Zuffa case covered UFC fighters who competed between 2010 to 2017. While that was still unfolding another lawsuit, Johnson v. Zuffa, representing fighters from 2017 to present day was filed and is still ongoing. The Davis lawsuit comes on the heels of another filed by former UFC light heavyweight Misha Cirkunov to represent fighters who have signed the most recent and restrictive UFC contracts.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New UFC antitrust lawsuit alleges all fighters harmed by 'UFC's scheme' to control MMA
The UFC is facing a new antitrust class-action lawsuit that argues the promotion's monosopsony powers financially harm all professional MMA fighters – not just those under contract with the UFC – and calls for an end to "the UFC's scheme." Berger Montague, the lawfirm that secured a $375 million settlement against the UFC in February, filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, with former UFC and current PFL fighter Phil Davis named as the plaintiff. Zuffa LLC, TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC, and Endeavor Group Holdings are listed as the defendants. Unlike the Le v. Zuffa lawsuit that was settled in February, the Davis lawsuit seeks to be certified with all-non UFC fighters represented and does not seek monetary damages. In a written statement, Berger Montague said it seeks an injunction to prevent the UFC "from continuing its allegedly illegal scheme" and aims to "create conditions for free and fair competition among professional MMA promotions which, in turn, would bolster their careers and pay of professional MMA fighters across the sport." "I am proud to stand up for professional MMA fighters to unlock the UFC's stranglehold on the entire sport," Davis said in a statement. According to the lawsuit, "the UFC's scheme impairs professional MMA promotions like PFL in their ability to attract a critical mass of top-level MMA fighters necessary to compete with the UFC at the top tier of the sport of professional MMA, and otherwise substanstially forecloses competition in the markets relevant to this case. The UFC's scheme further restrains top-level fighters such as Mr. Davis from applying their trade by preventing these fighters from competing for titles in a free and unfettered market. As a result of the UFC's scheme, rival MMA promotions have been foreclosed and, as a result, would-be top-level MMA fighters at PFL and other non-UFC MMA promotions have had their careers impaired and their pay suppressed below the compensation that would prevail in a more competitive market." The lawsuit seeks to eliminate an array of restrictive clauses from UFC contracts and requests that fighters have the ability to terminate their contracts without penalty after one year. "The suit alleges that the UFC impairs the ability of would-be UFC competitors to attract a critical mass of top-level MMA fighters necessary to compete with the UFC at the top tier of the sport," Eric Cramer, lead attorney for Berger Montague, said in a statement. "We intend to prove that the UFC engaged in a predatory scheme to undermine would-be competitors to the UFC, which the suit claims had the effect of maintaining and enhancing the UFC's dominance, and thereby impairing the careers and pay not just of the UFC's own fighters, but also of professional MMA fighters like Mr. Davis competing for MMA promotions across the MMA industry." The Le v. Zuffa case covered UFC fighters who competed between 2010 to 2017. While that was still unfolding another lawsuit, Johnson v. Zuffa, representing fighters from 2017 to present day was filed and is still ongoing. The Davis lawsuit comes on the heels of another filed by former UFC light heavyweight Misha Cirkunov to represent fighters who have signed the most recent and restrictive UFC contracts. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: New UFC antitrust lawsuit aims to end 'scheme' against all fighters
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who is Mark Kerr? The Smashing Machine true story explained
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson heads back into the fighting ring in his new movie The Smashing Machine - but his real-life character Mark Kerr's career was much more dangerous than any WWE match. Johnson, who started his career as professional wrestler The Rock before branching out into acting, will play Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) legend Kerr in the film, due to be released in October and which has just dropped its first trailer. Even for non-UFC fans, Kerr's story is a fascinating one, from fighting to his relationship and struggles with substance abuse. Kerr is a mixed martial arts (MMA) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star from the US who was awarded many championship titles and medals over his long career. He had dreamed of becoming a wrestler with the WWF (later WWE) and one of his regular freestyle wrestling opponents in the 90s was Kurt Angle, who would go on to become a household name in the WWF. But after Kerr lost out to Angle on getting a place in the 1996 Summer Olympics, he decided to refocus his career on MMA. Competing in MMA had started out as a way for Kerr to earn money while he was pursuing amateur wrestling, but he quickly became a sought-after athlete and was later invited to take part in the UFC, a controversial MMA league known for its brutal fights. Watch the trailer for The Smashing Machine The UFC has been criticised for its no holds barred approach to fighting and campaigners have tried to get the organisation banned. Kerr's style of fighting and success in the sport led to his nickname The Smashing Machine. He was one of the biggest names in the UFC during the 90s and was snapped up by Japanese league the Pride Fighting Championships. But while Pride was a more lucrative gig, the matches were terrifyingly violent, which contributed to Kerr's reliance on painkillers. His addiction cut short his fighting career after he was hospitalised from an overdose and went to rehab to get sober. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Franci Alberding Kerr (@franci_alberding) Kerr did go on to fight again in the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, but took a brutal beating in the quarter-finals and is now retired from the sport. Former UFC champion and Kerr's trainer Bas Rutten told Sports Illustrated in 2015: "He was such an animal inside the ring and a total gentleman outside. We knew he had that quality that once he went in the cage or the ring he would just go ballistic." Kerr added to the magazine of his substance addiction: "The prescription narcotics mixed with alcohol turns into a sloppy existence. When a bottle of alcohol takes your will it's a little bit harder because I'm fighting myself." Eventually, Kerr gave up his fighting career, saying in 2010 that he had mostly retired from the ring. By 2015, the former fighter had changed his career to working for a Toyota dealership. He married partner Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt in The Smashing Machine, in 2000 but as viewers of the film will see she was uncomfortable with his riskily violent career in fighting, leading to many rows between the couple. They had a son together but split in 2015. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Franci Alberding Kerr (@franci_alberding) In recent years, Kerr revealed that he had been suffering from peripheral neuropathy, a nerve damage condition that can cause pain, numbness, tremors and unsteadiness. He launched a GoFundMe for his care in 2019, writing: "Mark has suffered with peripheral neuropathy for the last 3 years. Over the last 6 months it has made it almost impossible to work. He has suffered in silence because pain medication is not a option." UFC and MMA fans might already have seen a 2002 documentary of the same name which gave a raw account of Kerr's career in no holds barred fighting and reliance on painkillers, as well as his volatile relationship with Staples. John Hyams who made the documentary said: "I don't think Mark liked hurting people but he was very good at it. I think that was part of what his internal struggle was." The Smashing Machine film will be familiar ground to those who have watched the documentary, even opening with the same scene of Kerr in a doctor's waiting room with a black eye trying to explain the mentality of a UFC contestant to an elderly woman. Starring Johnson and Blunt, it focuses on the couple's romance and Staples' discomfort with Kerr's fighting career as well as his escalating painkiller addiction. It also follows his friend and fellow fighter Mark Coleman's parallel campaign to make it back to the top of the championships. The film, co-written by Kerr, also features his training mentor, fighter and actor Bas Rutten, as himself and is due to be released in cinemas in October 2025. Kerr posted his respect for Johnson's portrayal on Instagram, writing: "I am still in disbelief that this is real. I am so proud of the work DJ put into becoming The Smashing Machine. I have so much gratitude, humility and respect for ever litlle detail production uncovered. Can't wait to share this experience with the world." The Smashing Machine premieres in UK cinemas on 3 October.
Al Jazeera
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
Adesanya vs Imavov: UFC Fight Night 250 start time, undercard, how to watch
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) travels to Saudi Arabia with an impressive lineup of mixed martial arts (MMA) talent, headlined by a thrilling main event middleweight clash between former two-time UFC champion Israel Adesanya of New Zealand and France's rising star, Nassourdine Imavov. The co-main event features a much-anticipated bout between the all-round brilliance of Shara Magomedov from Russia and the powerful punching Briton, Michael Page. Here's everything you need to know about UFC Fight Night 250: When is the Adesanya vs Imavov fight? The fight is scheduled for Saturday, February 1. Where is the Adesanya vs Imavov fight taking place? The fight will be held at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. When is the Adesanya vs Imavov cage walk? Adesanya and Imavov will begin their cage walks at about 11pm local time on Saturday (20:00 GMT). The main undercard fights are scheduled to begin at 8pm local time (17:00 GMT) What are Adesanya and Imavov fighting for? For the first time in six years, Adesanya will compete in a non-UFC title fight in his contest against Imavov. On September 10, 2023, Sean Strickland stunned Adesanya, taking the UFC middleweight title away from the New Zealander. On August 14, 2024, Adesanya lost a shot at regaining the title in a fourth-round defeat to UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia. Meanwhile, Imavov comes into Saturday's fight on a three-fight unbeaten streak with impressive victories over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen. If the Frenchman can beat Adesanya, it's tipped that he will be next in line for a shot at the UFC middleweight title, which will be decided on February 8 between the blockbuster Du Plessis vs Strickland fight at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia. Where and how can I follow the Adesanya vs Imavov fight live? Al Jazeera will have live text and photo coverage of the fight from 16:00 GMT on Saturday, February 1. The fight will be live-streamed and broadcast on multiple regional platforms including ESPN+ in the US, TNT Sports in the UK, as well as the UFC's Fight Pass. What will be the duration of the Adesanya vs Imavov fight? MMA fights vary in their number of rounds and the duration of each round, with title fights generally being the longest. In this case, the Adesanya vs Imavov fight will be spread over five rounds of five minutes each. Who is Israel Adesanya? Nigerian-born, New Zealand-raised Adesanya is the number two ranked fighter in the UFC's 185-pound (84kg), middleweight division – but is riding the first two-fight losing skid of his UFC career. The 35-year-old began his career as an accomplished kickboxer before transitioning to MMA in 2012. The 1.93m (Six feet, four inches) Adesanya signed on with the UFC in December 2017, going on to become a two-time UFC middleweight champion before losing the title in 2023 in an upset loss to Strickland. Who is Nassourdine Imavov? The French mixed martial arts fighter, who was born in the Russian province of Dagestan before moving to Salon-de-Provence at the age of nine, began his professional MMA career in 2016. Imamov, 29, made his UFC debut in 2020, and his most recent fight was against Brendan Allen on September 28, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 243 where he won by unanimous decision. Imavov, who stands 1.9m (six foot, three inches), is currently at a career-best fifth ranking in the highly competitive UFC middleweight division. What's Adesanya's UFC fight record? Fights: 28 Wins: 24 Losses: 4 What's Imavov's UFC fight record? Fights: 20 Wins: 15 Losses: 4 No Contests: 1 What has Adesanya said about the fight? On Imavov: 'Definitely, the pressure's on him (Imamov). But again, I always put pressure on myself when I get there because I'm Israel Adesanya. There's always that pressure, but he's going to have to be the one rising to the occasion – if he has it in him. I have it in me to stop him.' What has Imavov said about the fight? On Adesanya: 'It's a huge fight (against Adesanya). I was so happy when they announced the fight. It's the fight I have been looking for since I moved to the UFC. Israel Adesanya is a legend and I am so happy to fight against him.' Who is on the main undercard? Four main undercard events are listed in the build-up to the Adesanya vs Imavov headline fight in Riyadh, including the co-main event that pits emerging star Shara Magomedov against Britain's Michael Page in a much-anticipated middleweight clash. Has a UFC event been held in Saudi Arabia before? UFC Fight Night 250 is the second visit by the Ultimate Fighting Championship to the kingdom – but it's the first time organisers have assembled a full card of elite fights, making this the most highly promoted UFC event ever staged in the Middle East. The UFC's maiden voyage to Saudi Arabia took place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 22, 2024, with the Robert Whittaker vs Ikram Aliskerov bout as the main event.
