Explained: why the UFC is set to pay $260m to fighters after a decade-long lawsuit

A judge has granted preliminary approval for a settlement between the MMA promotion and fighters who claim they were underpaid. Here's what happened

Nearly a decade after filing a federal antitrust lawsuit against the Ultimate Fighting Championship, more than 1,000 former and current professional mixed martial artists should begin receiving payments from a pool of $260m starting next June.

Federal judge Richard F Boulware granted preliminary approval of a negotiated settlement between the two parties on Tuesday. Once final, the $375m agreement would end the proceedings in Le, et al v Zuffa LLC, one of two classes Boulware certified last year that cover UFC fighters from the end of 2010 through the present day. The other, Johnson, et al v Zuffa LLC, represents the interests of fighters beginning in July 2017, and is ongoing.