Combat Sports Law

Headaches, suicidal ideation, depression, traumatic brain injury, likely CTE, financial hardship and outright disability.

These are facts contained in sworn declarations by UFC veterans in a recent court filing in the Le v. Zuffa class action lawsuit.

By quick background the UFC is facing two class action lawsuits alleging they unlawfully suppressed fighter pay via antitrust violations. The UFC is trying to settle the first lawsuit for $375 million. The Plaintiffs that brought the lawsuit accepted this deal. Since it is a certified class action the Court must approve it. The Plaintiffs filed declarations from over 50 UFC veterans supporting the settlement which will pay, after legal fees are deducted, an average of $250,000 to class member fighters (the individual payments could vary wildly from tens of thousands to many millions depending on the fighter).

The declarations, beyond supporting the settlement, tell a very sobering story. Many fighters have been left broke and broken. This summary from the court filing (HT John Nash), speaks for itself and is worth a quick read to face hard facts about the aftermath of a career in fighting at the highest levels.