UFC President Dana White

By FCF Staff

According to a new report, the Federal Trade Commission has elected to close its second investigation into the business practices of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The FTC was reportedly looking into whether the promotion had violated Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, via the use of long-term exclusive contracts or other exclusionary practices. The Las Vegas Review Journal is reporting, however, that the commission has informed ZUFFA (the parent company of the UFC) that the investigation is closed.

The report includes the following quote from the FTC letter:

“This action is not to be construed as a determination that a violation may not have occurred, just as the pendency of an investigation should not be construed as a determination that a violation has occurred. The Commission reserves the right to take such further action as the public interest may require.”

The FTC also opened an investigation regarding ZUFFA after the company purchased Strikeforce in 2012, which at the time, was widely regarded to be the UFC’s biggest competitor. The FTC closed that investigation as well.

The UFC is still battling a class action lawsuit that has been brought by several fighters, which alleges that the promotion has unfairly restricted the free agent market through its business practices.