Zuffa denied request to restrict financials from Rob Maysey (MMAFA)

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Ted Williams' head

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Sep 23, 2015
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If you don't take them to court then you are essentially hoping they use the honour system and will pay fighters more from the bottom of their hearts. They could continue to rip them off for years to come. No one would be the wiser.

Through the discovery process you could see if they are truly ripping off fighters or paying them fairly. They might be taking a larger share of the profits for each event/ sponsor then they claim.
I don't think we need a lawsuit to know that the fighters are getting fucked over. I'm still just puzzled on what grounds they have to file the lawsuit and how the lawsuit will help fighters get paid more. Maybe someone could explain that to me?
 

Ted Williams' head

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Sep 23, 2015
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Ted Williams' head @DannyNL believes it will........ For some weird reason
When did I say that? The fighters are getting fucked on money and the UFC is hurting the sport with the low pay and the Reebok deal. I'm not team Zuffa on this, I just don't understand the lawsuit. It seems like most here are just happy Zuffa is getting sued for some reason. I don't see how that benefits anyone. It's sucking millions and millions of dollars out of the sport and handing it over to lawyers.

If someone can explain to me how it's going to help, I'm all ears.
 

Ted Williams' head

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Sep 23, 2015
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it certainly wasn't happening without a fight. well now they have a fight.
Again, maybe someone can explain how this is a fight to get fighters paid. As far as I know, the only fighters who stand to get paid are the plaintiffs, who seem to be a group of disgruntled ex-employees who couldn't cut it in the UFC.
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
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Again, maybe someone can explain how this is a fight to get fighters paid. As far as I know, the only fighters who stand to get paid are the plaintiffs, who seem to be a group of disgruntled ex-employees who couldn't cut it in the UFC.
I strongly disagree but am not the best at replying on this question of yours. I'm hoping ErikMagraken @ErikMagraken or R @Rob Maysey can enter in for the best way to inform you.

Also the comment about "couldn't cut it in the UFC" isn't really accurate. Nate fought for the title, Fitch was the number two WW for a long time and fought for the title, Carlos was a former champ and highley respected PRIDE guyand Cung gave us some good fights at the end of his career like KOing former champ Franklin. If you don't agree with the lawsuits intentions that's one thing but I see no need to try and discredit those fighters who are doing what they feel is right.
 

Zeph

TMMAC Addict
Jan 22, 2015
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When did I say that? The fighters are getting fucked on money and the UFC is hurting the sport with the low pay and the Reebok deal. I'm not team Zuffa on this, I just don't understand the lawsuit. It seems like most here are just happy Zuffa is getting sued for some reason. I don't see how that benefits anyone. It's sucking millions and millions of dollars out of the sport and handing it over to lawyers.

If someone can explain to me how it's going to help, I'm all ears.
Lets use Likeness rights as an example. If the judge rules that Zuffa should have to pay fighters for their likeness rights, every fighter will have to be paid royalties when the UFC use their likeness in a videogame, commercial, highlights used on their broadcast, and every other time they use an image of the fighter.

Yes lawyers are making money, but lawyers bring about as much good as bad. There are definitely leeches amongst the profession, but there are just as many, or more, lawyers with integrity and want to make a difference for the people they help.
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
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I don't think we need a lawsuit to know that the fighters are getting fucked over. I'm still just puzzled on what grounds they have to file the lawsuit and how the lawsuit will help fighters get paid more. Maybe someone could explain that to me?
Sorry I didnt respond earlier...was on the road all day driving home.

It's not just about the fighters being paid more. And it's definitely not about Nate Quarry, Carlos Newton, Jon Fitch, or Cung Le suing for monetary damages. This is an anti-trust suit claiming the UFC monopolized the market, allowing them to dictate revenue sharing, contract terms, sponsorships, likeness rights, etc without the fighters having proper representation & a fair open market to work in because the UFC has bought up & dissolved all of their competition.

The plaintiffs want fighters of today & future generations to have representation (via the MMAFA) and more rights than they had during their time with the company. God bless em, I say.

If this lawsuit wasn't filed and Zuffa was allowed to continue to conduct business as they have done for over a decade,,,then things like the Reebok deal would continue to happen for who knows how long. Where the UFC negotiates a deal that directly impacts the fighters income...without any input from the fighters whatsoever. Just "We negotiated this deal. Here's what you're wearing & here's what we're paying you to do so. Don't like it? Tough shit...you're under contract for 4 more fights, and we'll only schedule you 1 fight per year if you make any waves."

I dont see how anyone that wants to see the fighters receive better treatment, could be opposed to this lawsuit.
 

ErikMagraken

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Apr 9, 2015
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I strongly disagree but am not the best at replying on this question of yours. I'm hoping ErikMagraken @ErikMagraken or R @Rob Maysey can enter in for the best way to inform you.

Also the comment about "couldn't cut it in the UFC" isn't really accurate. Nate fought for the title, Fitch was the number two WW for a long time and fought for the title, Carlos was a former champ and highley respected PRIDE guyand Cung gave us some good fights at the end of his career like KOing former champ Franklin. If you don't agree with the lawsuits intentions that's one thing but I see no need to try and discredit those fighters who are doing what they feel is right.
This lawsuit, whether successful or not, will create a prolonged and focused audit of Zuffa’s business practices. As previously discussed, when a sporting organization obtains the market power of the UFC they gain a significant bargaining advantage over the talent. Eventually this creates a critical inequality in contract rights. This is a reality and the stronger the UFC’s market position becomes the more important it will be to balance this with collective bargaining rights through some sort of MMA fighters association.

Zuffa wants the UFC to be the NFL of MMA, a quote which is thrown back at them multiple times in the lawsuit. They can achieve this status and enjoy the benefits that come from market dominance but not without embracing athlete collective bargaining rights that also come at this elite level. This lawsuit is a powerful accelerant in this direction That's my 2 cents.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
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When did I say that? The fighters are getting fucked on money and the UFC is hurting the sport with the low pay and the Reebok deal. I'm not team Zuffa on this, I just don't understand the lawsuit. It seems like most here are just happy Zuffa is getting sued for some reason. I don't see how that benefits anyone. It's sucking millions and millions of dollars out of the sport and handing it over to lawyers.

If someone can explain to me how it's going to help, I'm all ears.
So if the situation isn't correcting itself, what else should they do as a group beside have a class action lawsuit against the UFC?
 

Ministry of Silly Walks

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Jan 15, 2015
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As far as I know, the only fighters who stand to get paid are the plaintiffs, who seem to be a group of disgruntled ex-employees who couldn't cut it in the UFC.
i just love how this is all you've been able to put together out of all the news and posts about this subject. this is exactly what the ufc has been spreading about the fighters, while turning a blind eye to anything that shows the reality of the situation.
zuffa is going to be looked at for their contracts, all of the sponsorship problems, fighter/zuffa pay split, the likeness rights that Zeph @Zeph brought up, and more. there is a lot of info out there now, for those that are willing to look. hell, we've talked about the benefits at length, on the very site that this is being read.
did you know that nick was dropped from a championship fight for not doing his media obligations that he wasn't being paid for? if a fighter has to do these media spots, should they not be compensated?
 

Rob Maysey

Active Member
Aug 5, 2015
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Well folks, economist Paul Gift did a great job explaining what all this means on Blood Elbow. I recommend reading this in full if you want to know exactly what this means. In short Zuffa is going to be forced to open their books. Details here

UFC loses two motions in antitrust lawsuit, full discovery to begin - Bloody Elbow
Paul is keeping tabs on the filings and his articles are using the source materials. . . so, if you want to learn what is contained in some of those filings. . .
 

Rob Maysey

Active Member
Aug 5, 2015
25
99
I 100% agree that the UFC are paying shit money. I said in another thread that it's going to hurt the sport and young athletes are better off taking up boxing than MMA.

I just don't get the legal issue about the monopoly. It's not against the law for a business to offer mediocre pay, or put confidentiality agreements in a contract. And if people want the UFC to pay fighters more money, it certainly isn't going to happen by costing them millions of dollars fighting a lawsuit.
Really? It has worked for many other industries--including sports. What makes this industry different?

For more on our allegations, please see the initial complaint that is posted here: http://www.cohenmilstein.com/media/pnc/5/media.1675.pdf
 

Rob Maysey

Active Member
Aug 5, 2015
25
99
Well it isn't going to happen with wishful thinking and a cap in hand. We've seen that.
I could not agree more.

Doing the same things over and over--and expecting a different result-one might say is the definition of insanity.

Sometimes you have to fight.