It appears the path ahead for Dana White is marred with difficulties. Things are finally moving fast after the court took over five years to class-certify the antitrust case against the UFC. The promotion has been under fire since five fighters tried to seek justice against it and knocked on the court’s door. The allegation of monopoly, arm-twisting the fighters, and illegal practices is at the forefront of the tussle between the fighters and the UFC. With the latest update, the promotion finds itself knee-deep in troubled waters.

Notably, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware dropped a bombshell on the UFC on Monday afternoon when he stated that the lawsuit would be expedited. As understood by media reports, the UFC plans to file an appeal against the latest order within the stipulated time. However, this is not the only cause of trouble for the promotion.

Dana White in trouble as the UFC’s antitrust drama unfolds

Erik Magraken has broken down what it simply means to the stakeholders and the MMA fans. He shared a video on his X handle dissecting the latest post by John S. Nash, who posted the summarized courtroom updates.

The post read, “So at today’s status hearing Judge apparently announced: 1) he wants to fast track Le v Zuffa trial for March/April (barring 9th circuit picking up appeal) 2) unseal everything 3) Plaintiffs’ can pursue injunctive relief 4) start discovery for Johnson v Zuffa (as separate case)”.

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Magraken mentioned that the lawsuit was going to be fast-tracked and that the trial would probably begin in the spring of 2024. He said, “So after many years of not much happening, this thing is moving a mile a minute right now.”

Following this, he also touched upon the evidence that was going to get unsealed. He pointed out that the public didn’t have access to the concerned emails and texts. He announced, “The judge said all this stuff could see the light of day, with very limited exceptions.”

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Talking about injunctive relief, Magraken explained that the plaintiffs could stop their anti-competitive business practices. Lastly, he detailed that the second lawsuit was now “unpaused”, and, therefore, the investigation could take place. Further, the trial for that second lawsuit would commence after the current lawsuit.

How does it all impact the UFC?

Notably, Le vs. Zuffa covers all the fighters who fought under the UFC banner from 2010 to 2017. Meanwhile, Johnson vs. Zuffa covers all the fighters in the UFC since 2017. The five plaintiffs in the original suit are Cung Le, Jon Fitch, Kyle Kingsbury, Brandon Vera, and Javier Vasquez.

In the event that the plaintiffs emerge victorious, the damages will range from $800 million to $1 billion. It can also be doubled or tripled. Furthermore, it will also open the floodgates for Johnson vs. Zuffa. Hence, as labeled by Magraken, the UFC has two strikes against it.

What do you think of this latest update regarding the UFC antitrust suit? Let us know in the comments below.

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