LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada district judge denied a $335 million settlement Tuesday in two UFC antitrust lawsuits brought by former fighters, potentially sending both sides back to the negotiating table.
Judge Richard Boulware set Aug. 19 for a status update for both cases with a tentative trial date for the one involving former MMA athlete Cung Le on Oct. 28. A firm trial date will be scheduled at the conference.
The UFC issued a statement saying it disagreed with the ruling and already was in contact with the opposing counsel, “who have expressed a willingness to engage in separate settlement discussions.”
Boulware did not explain his decision, but an opinion will be forthcoming, according to the court document.
The settlement was agreed to in March.
The two class-action lawsuits by former UFC fighters were led by Le, filed in 2014, and Kajan Johnson, filed in 2021. Several other fighters also were mentioned in the suits.
They alleged the UFC attempted to act as a monopoly and thus limited the fighters’ ability to maximize their earnings.
The UFC's statement said the judge's decision also was harmful to the athletes who agreed to the settlement.
“(By) taking the unusual step of denying the settlement at this preliminary approval stage, the Judge is also denying the athletes their right to be heard during this pivotal moment in the case,” the organization's statement read.
Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association, led by one of the athletes' attorneys, posted on X, “We have a story to tell about the monopolization of MMA.”
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Tom Aspinall grapples with Curtis Blaydes during the Heavyweight bout at the Co-op Live Arena, Manchester, England, Sunday July 28, 2024. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jose Tena had two hits including a home run, Patrick Corbin pitched six innings and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Saturday.
Joey Gallo and Juan Yepez also homered for Washington, which has won three of four, and Keibert Ruiz had two hits.
Corbin (6-13) allowed a run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. He didn't allow a hit after the second inning and retired 13 of his last 15 batters. Corbin has won four of his past five starts, two of them against the Marlins, and has lowered his ERA by nearly half a run to 5.45.
“I think I've just kind of located a lot better, have gotten some more strikeouts which helps, keeps the ball out of the infield or out of the outfield where they can get hits,” Corbin said. “Not walking as many guys. Just a combination of all that and locating fastball and not really getting beat on that pitch as much."
Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his 38th save, third most in the majors.
Otto Lopez had two hits and the lone RBI for the Marlins, who have lost five of six.
Miami starter Valente Bellozo (2-4) gave up three runs on six hits — two of them homers — over 5 1/3 innings.
“I thought he was good,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said of Bellozo. “Lot of strikes. Kept us in the game. The solo home run we can always live with. It's the walks and that type of thing that gets us trouble but I thought he didn't do any of that. He did really well."
Gallo tied the score 1-1 in the bottom of the second when he sent a 2-0 Bellozo pitch into the second deck in right.
Washington took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Tena singled, stole second and scored on Ruiz's single over the first-base bag.
Tena made it 3-1 with one-out home run in the sixth, ending Bellozo's day.
“He’s a very, very good player overall, but a very good hitter,” Gallo said of Tena. “To hit that ball out ... it was like a curveball down and away and he’s able to hit it out to right center.”
Tena, 23, is 13-for-36 (.361) in his past nine games, hitting safely in eight of them. Since joining the Nationals on Aug. 10 from Triple-A Rochester he leads the team with 12 multi-hit games.
Yepez homered in the eighth.
The youthful Nationals are last in the National League with 125 homers in 148 games.
“We're hoping that some of these guys as they get more mature will be able to drive the ball a little bit more consistently,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “Right now it's just about working good at-bats, trying not to chase, teaching them how to get the ball in the zone more than anything.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John surgery) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is slated to throw live batting practice Tuesday in Miami.
Nationals: SS CJ Abrams missed his second straight game with a sore left shoulder.
UP NEXT
Miami RHP Adam Oller (1-3, 5.40 ERA) opposes Washington LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-12, 4.34), who allowed one run on one hit in six innings against the Marlins on Sept. 4, to close the series.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Valente Bellozo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Miami Marlins' Jonah Bride runs towards home to score a run on a single by Otto Lopez during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals' Joey Gallo celebrates his home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals' Juan Yepez takes a lead from first base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez leaps for a ball that went for a single by Miami Marlins' Javier Sanoja during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez blows a bubble as he stands on the field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
