Details of Shamrock v Zuffa Lawsuit Revealed

“The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock (26-13-2) filed a lawsuit against Zuffa, L.L.C., the parent company of the UFC, in the Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada Tuesday 15 April.

If Zuffa’s legal tangles with “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) can be described as Couture wanting leave the UFC without retiring, Zuffa’s latest court battle will be because allegedly Shamrock retired without leaving.

The suit seeks retribution for breach of contract under terms similar to those being hashed out with Couture.

Shamrock claims that after losing controversially to “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1) at UFC 61, the UFC approached him with a two-fight contract. The first fight would be a rematch with Ortiz, which took place on SpikeTV 10 October, 2006.

After losing the rematch, Shamrock retired.

Shamrock insists the UFC invoked the same clause that the UFC claims preserves their right to Couture through Couture’s refusal to fight, which the UFC calls “retirement” and Couture calls “resignation.” The clause suspends the remaining term of the contract while the fighter is in retirement.

Shamrock alleges he came out of retirement in June 2007 and informed the UFC he was training to complete his contract.

According to the lawsuit, UFC President Dana White informed Shamrock’s agent that the UFC was changing it’s election to suspend Shamrock’s contract to another election provided for in the contract which would terminate the contract.

Shamrock claims that the UFC could have changed their election during Shamrock’s retirement, but not after his return from retirement, at which time Shamrock alleges he would’ve still been under contract to the UFC due to their original election to suspend and not terminate the contract.

Shamrock seeks damages in excess of $10,000.