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Couture won't be back in the UFC

by LR 2/7/2008 3:44:00 AM

Some more insight into the lawsuit that is revolving around UFC Heavyweight champion Randy Couture came to light in a recent MMAWeekly article by Tom Hamlin. Originally, much of the lawsuit was thought to involve the Xtreme Couture name being a part of the IFL’s upcoming season which pits camp vs. camp. It was obvious at the time that it did breach his employment contract because it was a business venture of his own that was involved in another mixed martial arts promotion that was not the UFC.

The UFC apparently has told of other violations within its contract. Couture specifically mentioned cornering Mike Pyle in his matchup at the latest Hardcore Fighting Championship card in Canada. According to the UFC, it violates a specific clause:

Amongst other charges, a lawsuit filed against Couture on Jan. 11 accuses him of breaching a series of clauses in his employment contract. By supporting Pyle, he was violating an agreement that prevented him from “promoting or producing events or programming related to unarmed combat, developing products or services related to unarmed combat, or otherwise conducting any business relating to unarmed combat.”

Couture explains that he believes that the lawsuit’s purpose is to simply cause him harm financially, enough to make him come back and fight for the organization. Unfortunately for the UFC, it sounds like Couture will never be coming back and the recent lawsuit cemented the fate that Couture won’t be back.

He also talks about the story regarding the UFC banning his clothing line, which seems to have only angered him about the entire situation. He talks about how the banning of the clothing line hurt the fighters that are sponsored only. This is most likely another ploy by the UFC to make Couture come back, but it isn’t hurting his pocketbook.

The strategies that the UFC is using seem to be unphasing to the champion. He claims that he has a good team of lawyers on the case, and he is confident that the wording in the contract will allow him to leave in July. The UFC has angered Couture, and there is certainty that he won’t be back in the UFC ever again. Everyone wanting to see Couture prove himself against Nogueira will have to dream for that fight outside the UFC, but I imagine that Fedor Emelianenko will be his last fight, if it even happens.

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Randy Couture | UFC

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Comments

February 7. 2008 09:49

It was obvious at the time that it did breach his employment contract because it was a business venture of his own that was involved in another mixed martial arts promotion that was not the UFC.

I'm not convinced. So what does that really mean? Isn't there a legal difference between Randy Couture, the man and former UFC employee, and any corporations or LLCs he may be otherwise involved in? If Shawn Tompkins who works for a separate legal entity Xtreme Couture is actually in the TV series and not Randy, how is Randy Couture, the man, persnally in breach of his employee contract? Isn't he "at arm's length" here?

he was violating an agreement that prevented him from "promoting or producing events or programming related to unarmed combat, developing products or services related to unarmed combat, or otherwise conducting any business relating to unarmed combat."

If you interpret that literally, it would be a breach to run XTreme Couture because it's a business relating to unarmed combat. It's not a summer camp or character develpoment program, surely that could not have been the intent when the non-compete was signed and maybe that's why Randy thinks he has a case.

The intent was likely to prevent him fighting and "representing" elsewhere, not to prevent him from earning a living.

budoX

February 7. 2008 10:27

According to sources who have seen the lawsuit's details including the contract, this is the terms:

"any Couture-associated "business enterprise" is prohibited from "promoting or producing events or programming related to unarmed combat, developing products or services related to unarmed combat, or otherwise conducting any business relating to unarmed combat."

That's according to Adam Swift's article regarding the lawsuit.

Xtreme Couture is definitely a business enterprise that is associated with Randy. The camp will be promoting their camp for the IFL shows as well, and are rendering their services to the IFL for a payment or purse. Conducting any business relating to unarmed combat is the key phrase. Couture violates this.

This also covers the second point. Once he signed this contract, it basically won't allow Couture to do anything with his gym as far as promoting it or using it with other organizations, only the UFC.

The intent of the lawsuit is to get the injunction and bar him from fighting elsewhere. Couture thinks that the lawsuit is to merely make him lose money trying to fight it and get him to come back to the promotion. His words, not mine.