Reports: Amid Anti-Trust Lawsuit Against the UFC, MMA Manager’s Dirty Tactics Land Them in Trouble as Judge Orders Action on Those Cozying “Up to the Promoter”

The UFC has grown as an organization over the years with many crediting Dana White. White, the current president of the UFC has been associated with the company and the sport’s exponential growth in recent times. But despite their stellar economic progress, the company has been under fire allegedly for not paying their fighters fairly. While the UFC propels their champions to international fame and acclaim, the same cannot be said for everybody on their payroll. In a new development, a combat sports lawyer has made an incredible revelation that promises to shake things up.

A crucial point of interaction between the fighters and the UFC is the managers. One important task managers are associated with is negotiating deals with the promoter. Securing payment for a fighter is among the primary duties of a manager. However, in a recent revelation during the ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the UFC, it has been understood that there are certain “discovery documents”. These allegedly contain proof of managers not having their client’s best interests at heart. And this new court order might very well put all these managers out of business.

Legal Figure sheds light on antitrust lawsuit against the UFC

The video shared to Instagram by @spinningbackfist shows a litigation and combat sports lawyer Erik Magraken breaking down what’s happening. He set the premise and said, “So this week, the judge overseeing the antitrust lawsuit against the UFC, ordered, that all of the discovery documents are going to be unsealed. That means all sorts of documents are going to see the light of day”. Warning the UFC world of a “rude awakening”, he continued, “Now, it’s long been rumored that in those documents are either text messages or emails from managers to the UFC saying, they’re going to take even less money for their fighters than the UFC is willing to offer. Just so the managers could cozy up to the promoter”. Magraken elaborated on the not-so-cozy implications of this move.

The lawyer continued, “If this is true this is a breach of fiduciary duty. The courts hold that if you’re a combat sports manager, you owe a fiduciary duty to your client. In simple terms, all that means is you have to put your client’s economic interests first, not yours. So, if you’re trying to line your pockets. At the expense of your client’s interests, you’re in breach of fiduciary duty”. Magraken went on to describe the potential repercussions of this breach of trust. He said, “You’re not only risking to get sued but you’re risking to get run out of the sport. So keep your eye out on this rumour disclosure. If what’s rumored is true, I think things are going to get really shaken up in the MMA manager space”.

Fighting outside the Octagon: Crusade for a transparent future

Payment disputes have long marred the flashy atmosphere of the promotion; shedding attention on the finances of the fighters who make the show what it is. These deplorable financial conditions pose a threat to a fighter’s longevity in the Octagon. Many fighters currently have to work more than one job to support a career in the UFC. This fiscal fiasco is something Dana White has not been able to address substantially. To add fuel to the fire, managers have also reportedly been aggravating the situation by cutting deals within deals.

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In the video, Magraken talks about why managers resort to malpractices like these. He said that it was “Just so the managers could cozy up to the promoter. Basically, managers saying, ‘Hey I’m an easy guy to work with so let’s do more business together’ and in doing that, throwing their own clients under the bus”. The payment dispute has recently been championed by the likes of unlikely heroes such as Jake Paul who himself has not stepped foot into the world of MMA.

The YouTuber turned boxer in his ongoing feud with Dana White seeks to obtain better payment for the fighters under the banner of the UFC. As the antitrust lawsuit gathers momentum, fighters and fans both look forward to more developments, hopefully, ones that will alleviate future financial concerns, allowing fighters to return to fighting inside the Octagon, and not the court.

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