More than $237 million from the UFC antitrust lawsuit settlement has already been distributed to fighters, but some payments are still delayed for reasons attorneys say go beyond simple processing. According to an update from Berger Montague, the law firm representing the fighters, $237,386,515.53 has already been paid to 984 claimants in 44 countries. The firm says that covers more than 90 percent of the eligible athletes expecting money from the settlement.
The case was officially approved in 2025, ending a lawsuit that began in 2014 and was led by fighters including Cung Le and Nate Quarry. The UFC agreed to pay $375 million to settle claims tied to fighters who competed in the promotion between 2010 and 2017. The legal fight had already been part of the UFC story for years, with related court battles involving executive testimony and other disputes around the broader antitrust case.
Actually the antitrust cases, which they’ve paid out $375 million in settlements but are still ongoing, are about being a monopsony (single buyer). This card is headlined by fighters UFC has frozen out of the org in order to maintain this illegal market advantage https://t.co/ecCkTuB0oD
— smoogy (@smoogymma) March 26, 2026
Why some payments are still delayed
According to the attorneys, 10 fighters have not received funds because of unresolved legal issues, including competing claims over who should receive the money. The update says those disputes can involve spouses, taxing authorities, or cases where it remains unclear who the rightful recipient is. One of the most common problems comes when a class member died without a will or when a divorce has created a dispute over the settlement amount.
Another group of delayed payments involves fighters living in countries affected by U.S. sanctions rules. Attorneys say 17 fighters live in countries subject to sanctions overseen by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which creates strict limits on sending money to those residents.
Berger Montague says there are also other unresolved issues still preventing payment in certain cases and that the firm is continuing to work through them. “We are working around the clock to distribute settlement payments to the remaining claimants,” the law firm said in its distribution update.
The update does not change the main result of the case. Most eligible fighters have been paid, and the bulk of the money has already gone out. What remains is a smaller group of delayed distributions tied to estate issues, competing legal claims, and sanctions restrictions. That keeps the settlement moving forward, even if the process is not fully finished yet.
