Juanito Ibarra Files Lawsuit Against Tito Ortiz and MMA Blogs
by Scott Haber on Jun 5, 2009 8:01 PM EDT
31 comments
Celebrity gossip site TMZ broke the news this evening that Quinton Jackson's former trainer, Juanito Ibarra, filed suit against Tito Ortiz in Los Angeles County Superior Court today for statements Ortiz made in various interviews:
In the lawsuit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Ibarra claims Tito's statements are all false and "highly offensive" -- and things got worse when scores of sports websites began publishing follow-up stories, repeating Tito's comments.
Ibarra is suing Tito and all the blogs and publications that ran Tito's interview for defamation, invasion of privacy and emotional distress.
The report doesn't mention which blogs specifically are named in Ibarra's lawsuit, but this is most likely stemming from an interview PunchDrunkGamer conducted with Ortiz in September after Jackson and Ibarra split:
Ortiz: Let me explain this to you because it really pisses me off that Ibarra has done what he has done, he is a thief. I have been running training camps for seven years up in Big Bear California and the most that my camp has cost a fighter to attend is $35,000. Ibarra was charging Jackson $65,000 to go to Big Bear. I don’t understand that!! He was being very disrespectful and taking advantage of ‘Rampage’. Including travel, training partners, food and lodging, the most ever was $35,000, maybe if you flew in more trainers…$40K. Where did that extra money go that Ibarra was charging? ‘Rampage’ is really pissed and he feels betrayed that he was taken advantage of and I couldn’t agree more with him. I don’t care if Juanito reads this or hears about it anywhere, he already knows that he is blackballed. I don’t care who you are; fighters work very hard for the money they earn and I feel slighted for even knowing Juanito.
Needless to say, Ibarra's reputation hasn't exactly been held highly among MMA journalists since more details and rumors about his split with Rampage materialized. It will be interesting to see the details of this lawsuit as they become known, as I'm not sure how much of a case Juanito really has here.
More details to come as they're released...
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Possibly hoping that since Tito runs a multi-billion dollar company that he’ll get a settlement out of it…
by Reaser16 on Jun 5, 2009 8:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Why sue the blog?
They just published an interview – it wasn’t making claims to being investigative journalism, just “this is one guy’s opinion.”
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Jun 5, 2009 8:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Blogs have responsibility to journalistic integrity. If things like this were allowed then you could run any slanderous agenda you want on your sites as long as you found someone to quote rather than say it yourself.
There are just certain buzz words you can’t say. “Thief”, or any synonym gets you in trouble
by Flyghtt on Jun 5, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I believe there is a big difference between posting an interview where the guest states something (whether or not it’s true) and what you’re infering, that the website failed to uphold some “journalistic code” becuase they posted something controversial.
“Objectivity is a worthwhile objective, but it needs to be recognized that it can’t be reached.”
by sadface on Jun 5, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The media and blogs can’t be held liable for libel because of statements made by an interview with a third party. If it was an editorial or a reporter that fabricated things personally, that’s one thing, but I would expect that that part of the suit would get dismissed, possibly with prejudice, and Tito will be the only defendant that might get to the trial stage. Ibarra trying to include websites in his lawsuit just for reporting someone else’s statements just makes him look really bad, and might actually be detrimental to the rest of his lawsuit.
I don’t see him winning against Tito either unless he completely invented everything, or specifically the disparity in how much he and Ibarra charged for training at Big Bear. Did Ibarra ever give his side of the story on that? I’m having a hard time finding anything.
by Chromium on Jun 8, 2009 4:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
“Tito Ortiz calls Juanito Ibarra a thief” is a fact. The truth is a pretty solid defense to a defamation claim. Also “emotional distress” isn’t a claim. There is intentional infliction of emotional distress or negligent infliction of emotional distress. He has no chance of winning on any of those. In fact, if I was the attorney for the blog I would file a SLAPP motion against Ibarra for using the legal system to chill free speech.
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Jun 7, 2009 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can’t post it if you know it’s false though.
Look at the Rick Pitino extortion drama. The woman involved is telling anyone who will listen a whole bunch of crap, but no one will publish what she is saying or air her interview because they don’t believe it.
I’m not saying Ibarra actually has a case here, but it’s not as simple as, “tito said it, I can post it.”
by Phildo on Jun 8, 2009 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tito Ortiz is a celebrity especially in the realm of MMA (which is what these blogs cover). The story is not that “Juanito Ibarra is a theif”, but it is Tito Ortiz making accusations that another name in the MMA world is using inappropriate business tactics. The newsworthiness is that the statements were made so even if the blogger doesn’t believe Tito they can still publish the story and have a defense to the defamation claim.
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Jun 8, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just to clarify if the blog added their own editorial comments Juanito can go after them for that.
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Jun 8, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good find..
How often do you watch tmz? ;p
by Anton Tabuena on Jun 5, 2009 9:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I realize a fighters job is to just fight and leave all the buiness/politics side of the sport to your manager since thats what you pay him for. How the hell do you not know when your manager/trainer is double charging you for a training camp especially when your friend owns the training camp? If i’m cutting any kind of check that size to somebody I would want to see a receipt or something.
by steveoc24 on Jun 5, 2009 9:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Religion.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Jun 5, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your move, Internet…
Keep firing Assholes!
Out out, you demons of stupidity!
by Ubernoober on Jun 5, 2009 11:06 PM EDT reply actions 6 recs
Internet is a false god.
"They called him the axe-murderer because he was murdering chumps. They should have been calling him the chump-murderer..." Rampage Jackson (commentating on the fighting abilities of Wanderlei "F#ck Chuck" Silva.)
by BlueberryMuffin on Jun 6, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If there's any justice...
..his lawyer charges him double for court costs.
If you see Mark Coleman in person, drop $5 on the floor and watch the fun as he tries in vain to bend down and pick it up.
by Ozzz on Jun 6, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Should be an interesting case. Tito made a case for Juanito overcharging, but overcharging does not equal theft/fraud/corruption.
by MMAEruption on Jun 6, 2009 2:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
According to the lawsuit filing, here are the following people Ibarra sued: David Carpinello, Justin Bolduc, Punch Drunk Gamer, Yahoo Sports, Cage Potato, Serge Marches, Darragh Creamer, Fight Sports Magazin, Kris Karkoski (MMA Frenzy), Jim Bankoff, Tyler Bleszinski, Lauren Fisher, Bloody Elbow (SB Nation), Josh Kampschmidt, Robyn Lass, Ballhype, Pramit Mohapatra (Fight Ticker), Matt Boone (MMA News), Chris Howie, Sam Caplan (Five Ounces of Pain), and The Houston Chronicle. The boilerplate statement made in the lawsuit about the defendants is that the defendant "is, and at all times herein mentioned was, an individual, residing and/or transacting business in the State of California." The filing also claims that Ibarra’s lawyers believe that some of the people they are suing used fake names (alter egos) and will be revealed whenever possible.
by who me on Jun 7, 2009 3:08 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Wait, WTF?
I’m rec’ing this just to call attention to it – what the hell is going on?
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Jun 7, 2009 5:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Apparently he decided to sue every site that ran the story, hell I’m surprised he’s not suing random messageboard posters.
by who me on Jun 7, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
PDF of lawsuit: http://www.fightlinker.com/juanitoibarralawsuit.pdf
by who me on Jun 7, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good ol’ Fightlinker.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Jun 7, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tread lightly, Juanito
You mess with the best, you’ll die like the rest.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Jun 7, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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