Judge Approves New $375M Settlement for UFC Fighter Lawsuit

Judge Approves New $375M Settlement for UFC Fighter Lawsuit

Introduction

A federal judge has granted preliminary approval for the UFC’s longest-running fighter pay lawsuit, two months after initially blocking an earlier settlement.

The reworked agreement, valued at $375 million, was reached last month between the UFC and approximately 1,100 former fighters. The U.S. District Court Judge had previously halted the original deal, which covered two separate fighter pay lawsuits, citing concerns over compensation levels.

If the process advances smoothly, the average payout for each fighter in the settlement could be around $250,000, with payments potentially beginning by mid-next year. “This is a monumental achievement providing significant relief to hundreds of MMA fighters,” said the lead plaintiff's attorney, praising the representative plaintiffs for their decade-long effort.

The lawsuit, first filed in December 2014, includes former UFC fighters who competed between December 2010 and June 2017. The UFC expressed approval of the judge’s preliminary decision, stating, “We are pleased to be another step closer to closing the case.”

Previously, in March, UFC had agreed to a separate $335 million settlement for a newer lawsuit involving around 1,200 fighters who fought from July 2017 onward. This separate case, which includes another retired UFC fighter as lead plaintiff, is not covered by the recent $375 million agreement. Attorneys representing fighters in the ongoing suit remain committed to pursuing “significant business changes and more damages” against the UFC in this second antitrust case.

Following the preliminary approval, the process will enter a three-month period to finalize the terms. This includes determining legal fees and allowing class members to voice objections. A final approval ruling is expected after this period, with funds anticipated to be distributed within about 90 days of finalization.

Since the case began, UFC was acquired by Endeavor in 2018, which later merged UFC with WWE to form TKO Group.