Rebney, St-Pierre, Kennedy, Cerrone, Dillashaw and Velasquez (from left to right) (photo via MMAAA)

By FCF Staff

Earlier in the week a media call promising an “industry redefining” announcement was confirmed, and today, several star fighters announced the creation of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association.

On today’s call were UFC veterans and or former champs Georges St-Pierre, Tim Kennedy, Cain Velasquez, TJ Dillashaw and Donald Cerrone. Former Bellator President Bjorn Rebney was also on the line.

According to a follow up report from MMA Fighting.com, the fighters will form the association’s first board and Rebney is going to work in an advisory capacity. The group does not plan to attain union status, unlike the recently created Professional Fighters Association (PFA), which is also attempting to organize fighters.

During the call, Rebney reportedly referred to the UFC as an “egregious, predatory monopoly”, and St-Pierre called on fighters to to “step up, do the right thing.”

The main objectives of the MMAAA, according to the report, are to earn a settlement for current and past UFC fighters, raise the revenue share from what they claim is 8% to 50% for fighters, and to negotiate a collective-bargaining agreement with the UFC.

Rebney also reported that the association has no ties to the Creative Artists Agency, which is a competitor of the UFC’s new owners WME-IMG. GSP, Dillashaw, Velasquez and Kennedy are all represented by CAA.