With the UFC’s antitrust trial date rapidly approaching on April 15, Decide Richard F. Boulware dominated on a number of motions within the case in a Nevada courtroom on Monday together with 13 witnesses that were potentially being called to testify on behalf of the promotion.
The fighters on the record included UFC Corridor of Famer Michael Bisping, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Chael Sonnen, Miesha Tate and Michael Chandler in addition to outstanding managers corresponding to Ali Abdelaziz, Dan Lambert from American Prime Staff and Iridium Sports activities Company CEO Jason Home.
It seems none of them will probably be allowed to testify on the trial after Decide Boulware granted the plaintiff’s movement to exclude the 13 named witnesses, which included the fighters, managers and even present UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard. Paul Present initially reported the news on Twitter.
The plaintiff’s attorneys had argued that the witness record was not disclosed forward of time to permit for depositions to be taken lengthy earlier than trial started.
Regardless of objections from the UFC’s authorized staff, Decide Boulware in the end dominated that the 13 witnesses wouldn’t be allowed to testify at trial as a result of they weren’t correctly disclosed in time.
Throughout the listening to, Decide Boulware additionally acknowledged that the UFC and the plaintiffs stay in discussions a couple of doable decision earlier than going to trial. No agreements have been made but, however each side are nonetheless in mediation.
After quite a few delays in setting a trial date, Decide Boulware ordered that there can be no additional extensions until the 2 sides reached a decision forward of the April 15 date. In any other case, the trial would begin as ordered on April 15.
On the coronary heart of the antitrust lawsuit, the fighters concerned claimed that the UFC engaged “in a scheme to amass and preserve monopsony energy out there for elite skilled MMA fighter companies.” They declare UFC used three elements to realize this aim, together with acquisitions, unique contracts, and coercion.
The plaintiffs are in search of damages between $894 million and $1.6 billion.
In the meantime, the present UFC homeowners at TKO Group Holdings addressed the upcoming trial in the antitrust lawsuit throughout a quarterly monetary assembly with traders.
“As we’ve all the time stated, and that is our constant message since we began speaking about this case publicly, we imagine strongly that the details and the regulation are on our facet, and we glance ahead, when it comes to timing, to creating our arguments to a jury at trial,” TKO chief monetary officer Andrew Schleimer stated through the name.
“However as is typical in a case like this, we’ve been engaged in personal mediation concurrently with our trial preparation. That’s what we’re ready to touch upon presently.”
