According to Western journalists, in early January 2026, Abdelaziz and his company effectively declared a "rebellion" against the process. Not a single document from the requested materials concerning fighters' contracts and interactions with the UFC was provided.
The plaintiffs have already filed a motion in court to hold Dominance MMA in contempt of court, compel the company to produce all requested documents, and recover legal fees associated with this resistance.
Ali Abdelaziz is one of the most influential managers in MMA. Through Dominance MMA, he represents the interests of stars like Islam Makhachev, Kayla Harrison, Kamaru Usman, and many others (in the past, Khabib Nurmagomedov).
Recall that Johnson v. Zuffa is a continuation of a series of antitrust lawsuits against the UFC following the settlement of Le v. Zuffa with a $375 million payout last year. In the new case, fighters claim that after 2017, the UFC continued to artificially suppress athletes' salaries through a monopsony in the MMA labor market, exclusive long-term contracts, and eliminating competition among promotions.