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**John8204** · 08-10-2010, 08:52 PM

Bellator Sues UFC Over Jonathan Brookins
Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 08.10.2010

The legal battle intensifies...

Bellator Sport Worldwide, LLC today filed suit against Zuffa, LLC – the parent company of the UFC. The lawsuit alleges that UFC signed Jonathan Brookins to "The Ultimate Fighter 12" while Brookins was still under an exclusive contract to Bellator. Brookins and his manager Mickey Dubberley were also named as defendants. This is after Zuffa filed suit against Bellator recently due to an alleged theft of "trade secrets and confidential Zuffa documents."

Bellator contends that while they signed off on a pair of fights for Brookins under the G-Force Fights banner, they never approved--nor were they sought approval for--appearing on "The Ultimate Fighter." The suit states that Dubberley lied to Bellator about his Brookins' status. The suit requests damages on the counts of tortious interference with contract, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, breach of contract (against Brookins), fraud, business information misrepresentation and fraudulent concealment.

http://www.411mania.com/MMA/news/148...n-Brookins.htm

Here are some Brookins fights, I think the kid is a favorite for this season. Here's a link to some of his fights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5vukO-bDc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyTXH...eature=related

**dudeabides** · 08-10-2010, 09:09 PM

Here's what Brookins' manager had to say about the suit:

Quote:

Mickey Dubberly, the CEO of K.O. Dynasty Sports Management has a simple message for Bellator head Bjorn Rebney: Stop lying.

Dubberly and his client, Jonathan Brookins, are among the defendants targeted alongside Zuffa, LLC in a lawsuit filed today by Bellator that claim tortious interference was at play in Brookins' recent run on "The Ultimate Fighter 12."

But Dubberly told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he and Brookins took part in no such wrongdoing and that statements Rebney today made were filled with inaccurate claims.

Rebney told MMAjunkie.com that he and matchmaker Sam Caplan had been hard at work trying to arrange bouts for Brookins, but Dubberly disagrees.

"That is a lie," Dubberly said flatly. "Jonathan hasn't fought for Bellator since April 3, 2009, so obviously Sam hasn't been trying too hard to get Jonathan fights.

"One fight in 13 months doesn't seem trying much for a fighter that you seem so fortunate to have. I got one call for Jonathan to fight from Bellator, and that was in May 2010 and on two-weeks' notice."

Bellator's lawsuit contends that Dubberly lied about his client's health in an effort to hide the fact that Brookins was competing as a contestant on the recently taped Spike TV reality series "The Ultimate Fighter 12," which is set to debut in September.

Dubberly insists that's simply not the case.

"Jonathan was injured training in Iowa in May when I received the call from Bellator," Dubberly said. "He just had stitches taken out and also had a hurt foot, so Bjorn should get his facts straight, and this can be backed up with hospital records. Bjorn should do a little more due diligence on his part before making false statements."

And it's due diligence that lies at the center of the case. Bellator claims that the UFC acted maliciously when it signed Brookins for the reality show while he was still under the terms of an exclusive promotional contract for Bellator that was implemented in March 2009.

Dubberly insists Caplan verbally informed him of Brookins' release – as well as the release of another client, Joey Gorczynski, who fought just once under the Bellator banner.

"When I asked Sam about a fight for Jonathan Brookins and Joey Gorczynski back at the end of January – and both had open contracts under Bellator – Sam stated, 'Oh, we released both those guys, but maybe in the future they could fight for us again."

While Rebney today told MMAjunkie.com that any fighter released from Bellator receives written notice, Dubberly contends that's not true, either. After all, Gorczynski has since fought eight times for a variety of organizations with nary a peep from Bellator officials.

"Joey Gorczynski, who signed a five-fight deal, never got release forms," Dubberly said. "But Sam told me that Bellator released him, and he has fought for several different organizations since he fought for Bellator.

"Joey didn't even know he was released until I told him that Bellator released him. He never received any documents, and neither has my company."

Since competing for Bellator in April 2009, Brookins has earned a pair of victories fighting for the Florida-based G-Force Fights brand without issue. Dubberly believes Bellator is simply scrambling now that Brookins was revealed as a castmember for "The Ultimate Fighter 12" and hopes to profit off of his newfound fame.

"Bellator never signed off on Jonathan's two fights outside of Bellator," Dubberly said. "That's a lie because they already released him. Jonathan was released from Bellator, so that is why they did not care that he fought two other fights outside of the organization. If Bellator 'counts themselves fortunate' to have Jonathan signed to an 'exclsuive' deal, why would they let him fight twice in another organization and keep him inactive for over a year and have their matchmaker tell me he is released?

"We believe the only reason why Bellator is pursuing anything is because Jonathan is on the 'TUF 12' show, and they want to capitalize for their own profit."

Link

I didn't even remember him from watching Bellator FC, but I of course remember when he fought Aldo in the WEC.

**osmium** · 08-10-2010, 09:14 PM

Bellator continues to be super shady.

Kado · 08-11-2010, 12:37 AM

Bellator should really try not to play hardball with the UFC. I know its more of a publicity stunt, but I wish they would keep doing what they are doing put on good small scale shows and slowly grow with out seeming sketchy.

**UrbanBounca** · 08-11-2010, 12:51 AM

Why are the suing the UFC? Shouldn't they be suing their fighter, Brookins, whome they had the contract with?

This is just a cheap shot at the UFC.

**Thelegend** · 08-11-2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Mickey Dubberly, the CEO of K.O. Dynasty Sports Management has a simple message for Bellator head Bjorn Rebney: Stop lying.

Dubberly and his client, Jonathan Brookins, are among the defendants targeted alongside Zuffa, LLC in a lawsuit filed today by Bellator that claim tortious interference was at play in Brookins' recent run on "The Ultimate Fighter 12."

But Dubberly told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he and Brookins took part in no such wrongdoing and that statements Rebney today made were filled with inaccurate claims.

Rebney told MMAjunkie.com that he and matchmaker Sam Caplan had been hard at work trying to arrange bouts for Brookins, but Dubberly disagrees.

"That is a lie," Dubberly said flatly. "Jonathan hasn't fought for Bellator since April 3, 2009, so obviously Sam hasn't been trying too hard to get Jonathan fights.

"One fight in 13 months doesn't seem trying much for a fighter that you seem so fortunate to have. I got one call for Jonathan to fight from Bellator, and that was in May 2010 and on two-weeks' notice."

Bellator's lawsuit contends that Dubberly lied about his client's health in an effort to hide the fact that Brookins was competing as a contestant on the recently taped Spike TV reality series "The Ultimate Fighter 12," which is set to debut in September.

Dubberly insists that's simply not the case.

"Jonathan was injured training in Iowa in May when I received the call from Bellator," Dubberly said. "He just had stitches taken out and also had a hurt foot, so Bjorn should get his facts straight, and this can be backed up with hospital records. Bjorn should do a little more due diligence on his part before making false statements."

And it's due diligence that lies at the center of the case. Bellator claims that the UFC acted maliciously when it signed Brookins for the reality show while he was still under the terms of an exclusive promotional contract for Bellator that was implemented in March 2009.

Dubberly insists Caplan verbally informed him of Brookins' release – as well as the release of another client, Joey Gorczynski, who fought just once under the Bellator banner.

"When I asked Sam about a fight for Jonathan Brookins and Joey Gorczynski back at the end of January – and both had open contracts under Bellator – Sam stated, 'Oh, we released both those guys, but maybe in the future they could fight for us again."

While Rebney today told MMAjunkie.com that any fighter released from Bellator receives written notice, Dubberly contends that's not true, either. After all, Gorczynski has since fought eight times for a variety of organizations with nary a peep from Bellator officials.

"Joey Gorczynski, who signed a five-fight deal, never got release forms," Dubberly said. "But Sam told me that Bellator released him, and he has fought for several different organizations since he fought for Bellator.

"Joey didn't even know he was released until I told him that Bellator released him. He never received any documents, and neither has my company."

Since competing for Bellator in April 2009, Brookins has earned a pair of victories fighting for the Florida-based G-Force Fights brand without issue. Dubberly believes Bellator is simply scrambling now that Brookins was revealed as a castmember for "The Ultimate Fighter 12" and hopes to profit off of his newfound fame.

"Bellator never signed off on Jonathan's two fights outside of Bellator," Dubberly said. "That's a lie because they already released him. Jonathan was released from Bellator, so that is why they did not care that he fought two other fights outside of the organization. If Bellator 'counts themselves fortunate' to have Jonathan signed to an 'exclsuive' deal, why would they let him fight twice in another organization and keep him inactive for over a year and have their matchmaker tell me he is released?

"We believe the only reason why Bellator is pursuing anything is because Jonathan is on the 'TUF 12' show, and they want to capitalize for their own profit."

reaching much? bellator needs to try harder, this case seems pretty ridiculous. why use an injury to hide a fighter going on a reality tv show. i mean its not like doing that will make it impossible to find out

.

lol fail

**John8204** · 08-11-2010, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UrbanBounca

Why are the suing the UFC? Shouldn't they be suing their fighter, Brookins, whome they had the contract with?

This is just a cheap shot at the UFC.

They should totally sue Brookins they could make dozens and dozens of dollars.

**Toxic** · 08-11-2010, 11:30 PM

This is stupid as obviously since basically nobody has heard of the guy it makes it damn near impossible for Bellator to claim damages and filing before any film airs guarantees the UFC can keep him out of the spotlight so that as long as he doesn't make it to the finally it would be damn near impossible for them to claim the UFC profited since the show has a huge following regardless of individual fighters.

I also find it incredibly hard to believe that the UFC does not have a legal team that checks this stuff out and covers the Zuffa brass in case of any instances like this. I am positive the UFC most likely have signed statements from the agents and fighters that they have no valid contract with any other organizations and that the UFC is fully capable of due diligence. I think this is Bellator trying to grab hold of a piece of TUF popularity.