UFC Could File Lawsuit Against UCFC
Posted by Ashish on 07.03.2009
Says their initials are too close to UFC...
UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner recently told MMAJunkie Radio that UFC is considering legal action against the Ultimate Cage Fighting Challenge over copyright infringement.
"We're always happy to see fans, and we love competition," Ratner said. "There's nothing wrong with it. But there's some copyright infringement problems when they call themselves the UCFC. "We're looking at that right now, and I'll say that to the world. It's too close to our initials, too close to our whole way of doing business."
The June 27th UCFC show in Pittsburgh drew 5000 fans, a sign that Ratner thinks is positive for MMA's future in the state.
"They had over 5,000 people there, and it just bodes well," Ratner said. "I think the Mellon Arena would be a great arena if we were to go there."
Posted By: Judge (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 01:08 PM
They will probably be counter-sued if they try that.
Posted By: Guest#8678 (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 01:17 PM
Haha they LOVE competition so much they counterprogram against their opposition and threaten contracted athletes to prevent them from signing certain deals.
Posted By: punchdrunk (Registered) on July 03, 2009 at 02:00 PM
Same thing with the WWE except the WWF filed a lawsuit against the WWE. LOL
Posted By: WWF (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 02:25 PM
Meh, I can see why this is going the way it is. The promoters of UCFC could have went a different direction with the name. Why not World Cage Fighting Challenge? Or Extreme Cage Fighting Challenge?
Posted By: Mr. Mack (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 02:47 PM
That is just dumb. So back in the day WCW and WCCW should have tried to sue eachother. Maybe UFC should try to sue the University of Central Florida...UCF.
Posted By: MydniteSon (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 03:27 PM
MydniteSon,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe the WCCW and WCW ever ran at the same time. By the time Ted Turner bought Cowboy Bill Watts UWF and turned it into WCW, WCCW was already out of business (and most of the Von Erichs were dead).
Posted By: Wyatt Beougher (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 06:22 PM
Go to mmajunkies web site. The event poster looks just like an ufc poster, the letering of ucfc is almost identical. The ucfc's website even labeled themselves the ULTIMATE cage FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP (instead of challenge). The ufc has every right to keep some small promoter from making a buck by trying to convince rubes that they are zuffa affiliated, and let's face it there are people dumb enough to think that. If something bad would have happened or the show quality was poor, people might have associated it with the ufc and not prefer a future ppv. Good for zuffa. It would be no different if someone opened a wal-market up. First assumption would be that it is walmart affiliated. Or how about macdonalds, wasn't that in welcome to America?
Posted By: condrab (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 06:24 PM
@ MydniteSon
WCCW and WCW were the same entity !
UFC and UCFC is not similar ! I didn't see them complain about WFC
when U and W are separated T in the alphabet! Please they are just pulling at strings ! So no company can have U and f or a c what about if they went with UCCF ? Ultimate Cage Challenge Fighting ? Would UFC sue than ? Probably i bet it's over the Ultimate and fighting part in the names !
Posted By: Guest#8416 (Guest) on July 03, 2009 at 07:43 PM
It's a pretty obvious one. Ultimate Fighting Championship now get a rival called Ultimate CAGE Fighting Championship? They should be sued simply for having a total lack of imagination or desire to create a fresh brand.
I back the UFC here.
Posted By: Jon (Guest) on July 04, 2009 at 09:10 AM
@ guest 8416
wccw (world class championship wrestling) was never a part of wcw. They were both a part of the old nwa, and both broke apart. Wcw went national on it's own, and wccw merged with jerry Jarrets Memphis territory to form uswa, and then merged with the awa. God I hate myself for knowing that.
Posted By: condrab (Guest) on July 04, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Comparing the WCCW/WCW to the UFC/UCFC is ridiculous. WCW was just starting when WCCW was on it's way out; regardless, it was a completely different time and people didn't get sued for stuff like this when it came to something like pro-wrestling.
Regardless, WCCW would've had the gripe and they didn't have the money to spend on the lawyers and they knew that Ted Turner's company could easily keep them in court for years while their own organization crashed.
The existance of UCFC is stupid. They should have named it something else. It's obvious they are trying to ripoff UFC. The fact that the UFC DIDN'T sue the WFC and similar organizations shows that they don't mind the competition.
Also, banning fighters for signing certain contracts *is* business. Sure, it's shrewd, but it's a BUSINESS, and the way you make business is to control the market, which the UFC can do.
Before Zuffa took over, UFC and MMA in general in the US was shit. They were going bankrupt and had no respect as a real sport.
The Fertittas and Dana White made UFC AND MMA what it is today, period. It sucks that you might not like it, but it is the truth. They were able to market boring ass personalities like Matt Hughes to get major money.
Sure, the fighters did the fights and without them the UFC wouldn't be as good as it is, but make no mistake about it - before Zuffa, they were just monkeys in a cage. Now they're fighters in the Octagon (which is also trademarked; same thing with "Ultimate Fighting.")
Posted By: Random Boy J (Guest) on July 04, 2009 at 02:48 PM
ucfc-mma.com I am assuming is the official website... it has ufc headlines scrolling at the top of the page. they are definitely trying to make a buck by linking themselves to the ufc.
Posted By: hobojo (Guest) on July 04, 2009 at 04:55 PM
the ufc really has nothing to woory about..lol the UCFC event was one of the WORST shows ive been to, it looks like they spent a bunch of $ for a mediocre show. With crap fighters that didnt even give a good showing, i could have went to the bathroom and missed every fight but the womens fight and would have been fine with it. The one guy says he went to a "promoters class" or something..Well i hate to break it to you buddy but you got beat..It seems you have no idea what your doing, considering theres no way the UCFC turned a profit..from paying all the fighters,TITO (which noone cares about anymore,hes just the cheapest and has no job)the HEFTY arena rent,commercials, billboards and the fake write ups in the paper by friends of the ppl. Ummm Yeah the UCFC is a Crap show attempting to pass as a good one.. SUE THEM UFC I WOULD FOR RUINING THE FACE OF MMA IN PITTSBURGH
Posted By: captn spaulding (Guest) on July 16, 2009 at 04:06 PM
