Judge Richard F. Boulware has ruled that 13 witnesses, including several UFC fighters and managers, will not be allowed to testify in the UFC’s upcoming antitrust trial due to their names not being disclosed in time.
The UFC’s antitrust trial is fast approaching. It’s set for April 15. Judge Richard F. Boulware has been busy in a Nevada courtroom, ruling on several motions related to the case. This happened on Monday.
One of the key decisions? He ruled on 13 potential witnesses. These folks were possibly going to testify for the promotion.
Who were these potential witnesses? Some big names in the fight game. UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, for one. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Chael Sonnen, Miesha Tate, and Michael Chandler were also on the list.
But it wasn’t just fighters. Prominent managers like Ali Abdelaziz and Dan Lambert from American Top Team were included. Iridium Sports Agency CEO Jason House was another.
Plot twist though. None of them will be testifying at the trial. Judge Boulware granted a motion to exclude these 13 witnesses. This list included the fighters, managers, and even current UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard. Paul Gift was the first to break the news on Twitter.
Why were they excluded? The plaintiff’s attorneys argued that the witness list wasn’t disclosed ahead of time. This would have allowed for depositions to be taken long before the trial began.
The UFC’s legal team wasn’t happy. They objected. But Judge Boulware stood his ground. He ruled that the 13 witnesses couldn’t testify at trial. They weren’t properly disclosed in time.
There’s more. During the hearing, Judge Boulware mentioned that the UFC and the plaintiffs are still talking. They’re discussing a possible resolution before going to trial. No agreements yet, but they’re still in mediation.
The trial date has been delayed several times. Judge Boulware has had enough. He ordered no more extensions unless the two sides reach a resolution before April 15. If not, the trial starts as planned on that date.
What’s at the heart of this lawsuit? The fighters involved claim that the UFC engaged “in a scheme to acquire and maintain monopsony power in the market for elite professional MMA fighter services.” They say UFC used acquisitions, exclusive contracts, and coercion to achieve this.
The plaintiffs are seeking big bucks. Damages between $894 million and $1.6 billion, to be exact.
Meanwhile, the current UFC owners at TKO Group Holdings have been talking about the trial. They addressed it during a quarterly financial meeting with investors.
TKO’s chief financial officer, Andrew Schleimer, had this to say: “As we’ve always said, and this is our consistent message since we started talking about this case publicly, we believe strongly that the facts and the law are on our side. We look forward to making our arguments to a jury at trial.”
But they’re not just preparing for trial. They’re also engaged in private mediation. That’s typical in a case like this. That’s all they’re prepared to comment on at this time.