Major Class Action Lawsuit Against UFC To Be Announced At 4 P.M. Today

USATSI 7380283

News broke from Bloody Elbow this weekend that the UFC would face a major class action lawsuit from current and former fighters that could end up costing Zuffa, LLC hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to a press release and sources that remained anonymous via MMA Junkie, the details of the suit, which reportedly alleges that the UFC violated antitrust laws by using their enviable position as the clear leader in MMA to dominate the free market, will be revealed at a press conference at 4 p.m. today (Tuesday, December 16, 2014) from the Hyatt Place in San Jose, California.

The release also stated that the names of plaintiffs involved would be announced at the press conference.

READ MORE:  Exclusive - How John Dodson went from turning down a Bare-Knuckle fight to becoming BKFC Champion

It’s no surprise that something like this has erupted, as UFC fighters have criticized the promotion for low pay for years now. With the recent announcement of a revolutionary uniform deal with Reebok that many fighters felt took away their freedom to negotiate with sponsors, the fighters will now have a chance to stand up for themselves.

The suit will be centered on fighter pay, video game rights, and potentially many other financial gains that were allegedly withheld from fighters by Zuffa.

This isn’t the first time that the UFC has come under investigation for antitrust laws, as the Federal Trade Commission looked into their business practices back in 2011 and 2012 before ultimately not deciding to pursue any disciplinary action. The commission did not close the book on the UFC, however, and those findings may or may not come into play in this investigation.

READ MORE:  Tom Aspinall calls for Curtis Blaydes title fight with UFC England PPV set: 'I want to get that one back'

Regardless, with profits down 40 percent after an absolutely brutal year for the UFC, a lawsuit that could potentially cost them a huge portion of their assets is obviously the last thing they needed.

With the details sparse, how will this “game-changing” lawsuit impact Zuffa in 2015?

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea for USA TODAY Sports