UFC Owners Sue Former Pride Owners for Fraud

Dana White said that Pride was too tainted to save. (AP Images)

UFC Owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who purchased PRIDE last March for an estimated $70-million dollars, have filed suit against the former owners of the now-defunct Japanese fighting promotion.

The lawsuit, filed Feb. 1, alleges that millions of dollars were defrauded when the former PRIDE owners, Dream Stage Entertainment, Dream Stage Holdings and DSE president Nobuyuki Sakakibara, failed to cooperate with, submit to or pass background checks.

Pride fell apart last year when rumors surfaced that the organization had ties to the Yakuza, or Japanese mafia. In the wake of the allegations, Pride lost their TV deal and quickly sunk.

Zuffa LLC, the company that runs the UFC, was quick to pick up the pieces, but was unable to salvage the league.

"PRIDE is a very powerful brand, and we want to keep it alive," said UFC president Dana White, "but I’ll tell you what, the brand is very tainted, not only over there but over here.”

This is the second lawsuit recently filed by the UFC owners, as Zuffa LLC is also embroiled in a legal debate with their heavyweight champion Randy Couture.

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