The parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), TKO Group, has agreed to a $375 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by former UFC athletes.
The settlement resolves a legal dispute that has been ongoing since 2014, alleging that the UFC’s contracts suppressed athletes’ ability to negotiate with other promotions.
The initial settlement offer of £263 million was rejected by a judge in March, who deemed it insufficient. The new agreement, which is subject to court approval, addresses the judge’s concerns regarding the Cung Le case, one of the two primary legal claims.
The lawsuit sought up to $1.6 billion in damages, alleging that the UFC had anti-competitive practices. The settlement covers fighters who competed from 2010 to 2017 and from 2017 to the present.
TKO Group, which formed after the merger of UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2023, maintains that it believes the settlement is fair and in the best interests of all parties involved.
However, a motion to dismiss remains pending in a separate lawsuit brought by fighters including Kajan Johnson.
