Anderson Silva claimed the most important fee from the UFC’s historic antitrust litigation settlement, securing $10.3 million from a $375 million fund distributed to former fighter jets. The previous middleweight champion obtained the most important settlement quantity after a decade of authorized battles that ended with last court docket approval in February 2025.
The background of the lawsuit
The anti-trust lawsuit occurred in December 2014 when former UFC fighters Cung Le, Nate Quarry and Jon Fitch filed a category motion lawsuit towards UFC’s guardian firm Zuffa LLC. The plaintiffs alleged that the UFC is working as an unlawful monopoly to make use of unique contracts and aggressive takeover ways to curb fighter wages and get rid of competitors from rival promotions.
The lawsuit covers roughly 1,200 fighter jets who competed within the UFC between December 2010 and June 2017. Throughout this era, the court docket discovered proof that the UFC maintained a market share of 71% to 99% within the blended martial arts promotion business, relying on the metrics used.
Cost particulars and distribution
The settlement course of confronted severe obstacles earlier than reaching the ultimate kind. Initially, the UFC agreed to a $335 million settlement in March 2024, however Choose Richard Franklin Boulewor II rejected the quantity in July 2024, saying it unintentionally mixed two separate instances. After additional negotiations, the events reached the present $375 million settlement in September 2024.
Following the tax and administrative charge deduction, $221.3 million remained for distribution amongst eligible fighters. The settlement phrases specified that the fighters would obtain $14,179.33 per battle, along with 32.7% of the full match compensation they earned throughout the class interval.
Anderson Silva’s domination throughout class
Anderson Silva’s substantial funds display his excellence in the time-frame that litigates. The Brazilian fighter jet performed in 12 UFC matches between 2010 and 2017, together with seven title protection. Throughout this era, Silva held the middleweight championship, producing important pay-per-view income for the corporate.
Silva’s championship reign, starting in 2006 and ending in 2013, was one of many UFC’s greatest attracts and established him as the perfect of all time. Anderson Silva’s tenth consecutive title protection stays UFC document, and his two, 457 days of championship reign is the longest place within the firm’s historical past. Notable battles throughout class embrace his dramatic comeback submission victory over Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 and Vitor Belfort’s entrance kick knockout at UFC 126.
The affect of settlements and distribution scope
The fee distribution reveals a big hole amongst fighter jets, with people starting from the bottom $16,138.45 to Silva’s high $10.3 million. The typical settlement was $231,022.29 with a median of $86,034.65. Preliminary forecasts present that 35 fighters have earned greater than $1 million, practically 100 fighters have earned greater than $500,000, and greater than 500 fighters have earned greater than $100,000.
The settlement settlement doesn’t require the UFC to vary enterprise practices or contractual preparations with fighter jets particularly. The limitation has attracted criticism from authorized specialists who argued that comparable antitrust points may resurface sooner or later with out structural modifications.
Steady authorized challenges
Lev. Though Zuffa’s case concludes, two extra anti-trust lawsuits stay energetic. Johnson v Zufa, masking fighter jets from 2017 to the current, continues to work by means of the court docket system, searching for each monetary damages and modifications to UFC enterprise practices.
The UFC is at present going through a 3rd wave of antitrust lawsuits led by former light-weight Phil Davis, who filed a category motion lawsuit focusing on unique practices of promotion in Might 2025. Not like earlier instances specializing in UFC fighters, Davis’ lawsuit represents a non-UFC fighter jet competing for promotion of UFC, who declare that UFC’s market benefit is harming income potential throughout the blended martial arts business.
The UFC settlement represents one of many largest antitrust funds in skilled sports activities historical past, acknowledging promotional practices throughout the 2010-2017 violate federal competitors legal guidelines. For Anderson Silva, $10.3 million represents his recognition of his contributions to constructing the UFC model throughout a crucial progress interval.
