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11/08/09 - Ken Shamrock 'continuing court action against UFC'
Ken Shamrock is apparently proceeding with a legal action against UFC parent company Zuffa, claiming breach of contract.
This is despite him stating after his third match with Ortiz that it would be the last time fans saw him fighting in the Octagon. MMA.tv today reports that Shamrock is proceeding with an action against Zuffa.
Shamrock first filed suit in April 2008, claiming the UFC was in breach of contract for denying him the second fight of a two-fight deal he had signed (the first fight of that agreement was Ortiz-Shamrock III).
Fighters Only has obtained a copy of the original document Shamrock filed with the Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada.
In the following extract. Shamrock’s attorney states his case:
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“In early 2006, Shamrock fought Jacob "Tito" Ortiz("Ortiz") for a second time in a UFC pay- per-view event. The fight ended in a controversial victory for Ortiz which left many UFC fans demanding a rematch.
“As such, UFC President Dana White ("White") approached Shamrock regarding Shamrock entering a contract with ZUFFA whereby Shamrock would fight Ortiz for a third time. As an express condition of the agreement, ZUFFA insisted Shamrock enter a two-fight deal so that it would have the contractual right to broadcast Shamrock's next fight after the Ortiz rematch
“In August of 2006,within the jurisdictional boundaries of this Court, the parties entered into a written agreement ("Agreernent") whereby Shamrock, as an employee of SHAMROCK, INC., agreed to fight in two UFC fights in a l2-month period unless he should choose to retire after the first of those, the Shamrock/Ortiz rematch.
“The first fight under the term of the Agreement was the rematch against Ortiz which took place on October 10, 2006. Shamrock lost that fight. Immediately thereafter, Shamrock stated in interviews and to the media that he would retire from mixed martial arts competition.”
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When Shamrock retired, the UFC believed itself clear of any obligation to offer him a second fight. But when Shamrock returned to competing, he believed he was in fact entitled to that fight.
The UFC has told him that they do not believe this to be the case and so Shamrock proceeded with legal action on the grounds laid out above.
UFC president Dana White and UFC chief operating officer Kirk Hendrick were put under deposition last month, and the issue is expected to be heard by a court in October this year.
John Joe O’Regan
John.fightersonly@gmail.com
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