Cuban, HDNet Fights File Suit Against UFC

Feb 15, 2008 11:41 AM John Chandler

From jdlasica on Flickr.

I kid you not, Mark Cuban has filed a lawsuit against Dana White and company.

Cuban and his HDNet Fights promotion filed suit in a Dallas, Texas district court in hopes of earning a declaratory judgment concerning the contractual status of current UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture when it comes to his employment contract (the deal that dictates where Couture can fight).

The news comes from Adam Swift of Sherdog and MMA Payout, who reports in an “ironic” twist that Couture will actually technically serve as Zuffa’s co-defendant in the case.

The declaratory judgement will hopefully provide Cuban with an exact date as to when Couture’s contract expires with the UFC, if it expires at all.

If you haven’t already caught the feeling of what’s going on, the judge’s ruling may possibly give Couture and mixed martial fans around the world good news, that a potential date with Fedor Emelianenko could become a strong possibility.

Clearing up some confusion that occurred on this site earlier, it is actually Couture’s employment contract and its one-year non-compete clause that is at the center of Zuffa’s suit, and not his promotional contract that came when he agreed to be part of the announce team along with Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan according to Swift.

A positive outcome for Cuban would be a huge for his HDNet Fights promotion to say the least as the Couture-Emelianenko showdown would likely take place under the banner of that promotion.

Zuffa filed a lawsuit in Nevada’s Clark County District Court against Couture in January, citing that Couture has made negative comments about the promotion and those involved with it’s management. They also stated that the comments have caused “irreparable damage” and that he has breached the emplyment contract he signed with the company.

Basically the lawsuit was filed because Randy’s Xtreme Couture gym will be fielding a team that will compete at the IFL’s next event in Las Vegas on Friday, February 29th. The UFC is claiming that Randy’s gym being involved with the IFL is a violation of his contract with the UFC.

The lawsuit will also attempt to collect up to $10,000 in damages from Couture and seek a restraining order that will prevent Couture from being involved with any other organizations that compete against the UFC.

General • Personalities • Dana White • Mark Cuban • Fedor Emelianenko • Randy Couture • HDNet Fights • UFC • Heavyweight

The trackback URL for this entry is:

Trackbacks:

Comments:

1. Craig O
from sacto, califa
Feb 15, 2008 6:16 PM

god damn, it’ bad enough that wwf people are comming into the sport i love, now this geek/billionaire buys his way into another sport that laughed at him as a kid. Cuban is an idiot, straight up!! his knowlege of sports is soo minimal it’s f’n scary. hdnet will equal Xfl in lasting power and real sports show…. it’s sad.

if he thinks Randy wants to fight for him vs his stable of washed up’s and no namers; he his higher that Roger clemens.

2. John Chandler
from Philadelphia, PA
Feb 15, 2008 7:41 PM

I actually like this move by Cuban as it will finally give us, Couture himself, and the rest of the organizations out there a timetable as to when he’ll be able to fight again.

I wouldn’t rule out a future working partnership with Couture and HDNet Fights. After all, they are televising his wife’s fight at Xtreme Couture’s smoker event later this month and they do have some of the rights to Fedor Emelianenko, which is huge.

3. Craig O
from sacto, ca
Feb 16, 2008 9:05 PM

but really, do think it will be a good fight?? i see the idea and the connections, but it’s for a one time fight that will be dominated by Fedor. I guess i don’t want to see Randy get own’d