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Pepperdine Graziadio School Professor Goes to the Mat In Friendly Q&A with Former FTC Commissioner regarding UFC Championship


Pepperdine Graziadio School Associate Professor of Economics Paul Gift recently led a magazine-style Q&A with former FTC Commissioner Dr. Joshua Wright regarding recent FTC investigations into mixed martial arts and specifically the UFC.  In the article, which ran in the online sports business media outlet SB Nation, Dr. Wright argued there “is nothing especially unique about mixed martial arts or the UFC that would cause it to stand out more than other firms or industries.”  The Q&A also covered a number of antitrust issues, contract law and competitive exclusion.  Dr. Wright concludes that the UFC and MMA firms generally should be thinking proactively about antitrust risk both in terms of agencies and private litigation and adopt a strategy of action rather than reaction.  Read more here.