Zuffa files lawsuit against Rampage

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/2/19/1317984/inside-the-ufcs-lawsuit-against

Seemingly slipping past everyone’s notice, on November 3, 2009, the UFC filed a lawsuit against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson seeking declaratory relief on Jackson’s contract in a Las Vegas courtroom. The complaint details the dispute with Jackson over his decision to pull out of UFC 107, as well as the communications between Jackson’s management and the UFC.

According to the complaint, on September 22, 2009, Jackson posted a blog on his website stating he was done fighting. The UFC took this to be an official statement of retirement, and exercised their right under the promotional agreement to suspend the contract pending Jackson’s return to the UFC. After sending Jackson a letter notifying him of the suspension, Jackson’s manager, Anthony McGann, responded with a letter stating that Jackson was ready to renegotiate his contract. The letter also threatens to proceed "in the courts" if Zuffa is unwilling to renegotiate.

The complaint asserts that Jackson is intentionally trying to extort the UFC into renegotiating his deal under threat of running out his promotional agreement. The UFC brought this action to get a declaratory judgment stating that Jackson’s refusal to fight and statements that he was "done fighting" constitute a retirement that allows them to exercise their rights under the promotional agreement, including the right to suspend the agreement and thus toll the term of the contract.

A letter from Jackson’s attorneys argues that retirement requires certain notice provisions under the promotional agreement, and because Jackson did not meet those requirements, his "blog" does not constitute a real retirement.

There has been no further action on this issue since the initial complaint.

To boil the dispute down to simpler terms, the issue is Jackson's current contract and when it ends. Jackson wants his period away from the UFC to count towards his contractual term; the UFC is arguing that since he retired they were able to properly suspend the term for that period.

They'll work it out peacefully if Jackson wins, but if Rashad wins, especially by KO, things may get ugly.

What up wolf?

Sounds like Zuffa has him by the balls if he wants to keep fighting. amirite as you would say?

ya it does. If he flattens Rashad, they might want him to fight for the title and they'll figure things out, but if he loses badly, they'll attack him every way they can. I imagine they want to send him a message for fucking them over as he did last year.

Here's more...from Kevin Iole

UFC chairman Lorenzo Fertitta said former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson signed a contract at about 10 p.m. Australian time on Friday to fight Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 114 in Las Vegas.

Fertitta said both fighters have now signed their contracts. The UFC was in a dispute with Jackson and filed a lawsuit in Nevada District Court against him shortly after Jackson announced his retirement last fall. Fertitta said the suit was filed to clarify Zuffa’s position regarding Jackson’s contract and so-called retirement.

Fertitta said it’s likely the lawsuit will be withdrawn.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

ya it does. If he flattens Rashad, they might want him to fight for the title and they'll figure things out, but if he loses badly, they'll attack him every way they can. I imagine they want to send him a message for fucking them over as he did last year.

no speka english roght now. here is a pos point

The law suit will most likely be dropped cause Rampage is back fighting but it is interesting.

how many more fights on his current deal?

Im sure SF is watching this all very closely.

He said he just wanted to finish out his contract and leave the UFC. I wonder if that has changed.

The UFC seems to have dropped this suit, but notice how they haven't officially withdrawn it yet? They want to wait until after his next fight to see the result and how Page is acting about his UFC future. Leverage.

Well he did show at the Australian weigh-ins, so it can't be to bad.

He is there to corner his teammate Michael Bisping.