Mark Cuban Takes Zuffa to Court

by robnashville on Feb 15, 2008 9:55 AM EST

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According to Adam Swift over on Sherdog Mark Cuban has filed suit in federal district court against Zuffa LLC and Randy Couture. Cuban's HDNet Fights "asks the Texas court to provide the company with declaratory relief -- a ruling on when Couture's promotional contract will expire."

Cuban has spoken recently about Zuffa's contracts and their possible non-compliance with the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. Could this also be a tactic that HDNet Fights uses in it's seeking of declaratory relief? Inclusion of MMA under the act and it's provisions against multi-fight, long term contracts between Fighter and Promoter would greatly affect the value of Zuffa's UFC. Zuffa's number one asset is it's exclusive contracts with it's some 250 fighters. I'm not sure if HDNet Fights/Cuban would be able to launch a legal motion to have UFC covered by the Ali Act or if that is something Couture would have to sue Zuffa over. As Zuffa steps up it's legal wranglings against Couture, one has to believe that either Cuban or Couture will seek to use the Ali act in the legal warfare that is ensuing.

Trying to hold on to Couture and basically retire him may open a up a Pandora's box for Zuffa in regards to their contracts.

Let me pimp my blog here.

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Re: Mark Cuban Takes Zuffa to Court

I've been expecting this for a while. Ever since Cuban started dropping references to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, I figured he had done his research and was preparing a legal line of attack on the UFC. With Cuban's money and brains behind it, a Randy/Fedor match could be big biz. Cuban can get the hype going to take the match mainstream. Largely piggybacking off the UFC's success in building up Randy over the past 10 years.

by Kid Nate on Feb 15, 2008 11:07 AM EST reply actions