$375 Million Victory: UFC Fighters Claim Life-Changing Compensation After Decade-Long Legal Battle
The landmark antitrust lawsuit settlement involving Berger Montague and UFC fighters marks a historic milestone in the world of mixed martial arts and class action litigation. After a decade-long legal battle, Berger Montague, a leading national plaintiffs’ law firm, secured a $375 million settlement on behalf of a certified class of UFC fighters who competed between December 16, 2010, and June 30, 2017.
Historic Settlement: UFC Fighters Secure Unprecedented Payouts in Landmark Antitrust Case
The case, known as Le v. Zuffa, LLC, addressed allegations that the UFC used its dominant market position to suppress fighter pay and limit opportunities for athletes to seek better offers from rival promotions.
What sets this settlement apart is the unprecedented level of participation among class members. Over 97% of the roughly 1,100 eligible fighters submitted timely claims, accounting for an estimated 99% of the total compensation earned by these athletes during the relevant period. According to Berger Montague Chairman Eric Cramer, such high participation rates are rare in class action litigation and reflect the widespread impact of the UFC’s alleged anticompetitive practices. The class included fighters from the United States, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Russia, and Latin America, among other regions.
Under the court-approved plan of allocation, the average payout to each fighter is expected to be around $250,000. Thirty-five fighters are projected to receive more than $1 million, while nearly 100 will net over $500,000. More than 200 fighters are set to recover over $250,000, and over 500 will each receive in excess of $100,000. These payouts are described as “life changing” for many former UFC fighters, who often faced financial hardship despite their years of service in the sport.
The legal team at Berger Montague, led by Eric L. Cramer, Michael Dell’Angelo, Josh Davis, Patrick F. Madden, Robert Maysey, David Langer, and Susan Leo, played a pivotal role in achieving this outcome. The firm continues to advocate for UFC fighters who competed after July 1, 2017, in the ongoing Johnson v. Zuffa, LLC, et al. case.
This second lawsuit seeks both damages and injunctive relief to address persistent anticompetitive conduct by the UFC.In addition to these ongoing efforts, Berger Montague has recently filed two new antitrust class action lawsuits against UFC’s parent companies. The Cirkunovs v. Zuffa LLC, et al. case targets the UFC’s use of arbitration clauses and class action waivers in fighter contracts, which plaintiffs argue further solidify the promotion’s control over the market and limit fighters’ legal options.
The Davis v. Zuffa LLC, et al. case, brought on behalf of professional MMA fighters who competed for other promotions, seeks injunctive relief to reform UFC’s business practices and foster greater competition across the MMA industry.
The $375 million settlement is widely seen as a significant victory for UFC fighters, providing meaningful financial relief to over 1,000 athletes. However, while the settlement addresses past harms, it does not mandate changes to the UFC’s current business practices or contract structures.
