UFC and Dana White have found themselves entangled in legal turmoil as a class action lawsuit dating back to 2014 gains traction. The lawsuit, initiated in 2020, has been recently granted class certification by U.S. District Court Judge Richard F. Boulware. The lawsuit alleges that UFC has engaged in unfair practices to dominate fighters and maintain an iron grip over MMA.

The case’s details came to light during a recent episode of the MMA Uncensored podcast. One of the most intriguing details in the podcast emerged from Attorney Rob Maysey‘s shocking revelations. Maysey talked about an email sent by Joe Silva, a former UFC matchmaker, back in 2011. It goes back to the time when UFC acquired Strikeforce for $40 million. Moreover, this email shed light on the promotion’s alleged monopolistic tendencies.

Joe Silva’s email mocking Dana White and the UFC?

According to Maysey, the email, dated late February 2011, was sent just weeks before the finalization of Strikeforce’s acquisition. In the email, Silva ranked the top 15 fighters across various weight categories. “Back in 2011, the UFC finalized their domination. They bought Strikeforce and there’s an email this is cited, in the judge’s order. It’s from Joe Silva to Dana White and Lorenzo,” he said.

The subject line of the email read, “We own MMA.” While seemingly cryptic, this statement hinted at UFC’s dominance strategy. Following the purchase of Strikeforce, UFC effectively controlled a significant portion of the top-ranked fighters in nearly every weight category.

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“The email was – ranked Fighters 1 through 15 by the predominant MMA sites. And then in the subject line he just writes we own MMA. That’s it, it doesn’t say anything else,” the Attorney revealed. According to many, the acquisition of Strikeforce in 2011 essentially solidified UFC’s position as a powerhouse within the MMA landscape. Further, it raised some concerns about potential monopolistic behavior. However,  Maysey was far from done.

Unfair practices with Aljamain Sterling?

In another startling revelation, the Attorney shed light on an alleged manipulative tactic used by UFC President Dana White. He discussed the past situation of former champ Aljamain Sterling. According to Maysey, White orchestrated a strategic maneuver involving three fighters, ostensibly gauging their readiness for a title shot.

“This happened to Aljamain Sterling a couple years ago. Dana White was basically playing three fighters off of each other, (saying) ‘who’s ready for a title shot? Oh Aljo is not quite ready for a title shot’,” he said. However, he claimed that this tactic was essentially a coded message, indicating that a fighter’s opportunity for a title shot hinged on their contract extension.

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As per Maysey, this tactic suggested that until a fighter like Sterling signed a lengthy nine-fight extension, they would not be deemed “ready” for the title. “And that that is really code for is ‘Aljo hasn’t signed his nine fight extension yet. Until he signed his extension, he’s not ready’. No other sport works like this, just this one,” he said.

Such a practice, the attorney emphasized, is unparalleled in other sports and could potentially raise legal concerns. What are your opinions about this? Let us know in the comments below.