The plaintiffs in one of the two UFC antitrust lawsuits filed a massive brief on Monday outlining details of a new settlement agreement reached with TKO Group Holdings — the majority owners of the MMA promotion — with 56 fighters writing letters of support.

On Sept. 26, the UFC and the fighters involved in the lawsuit agreed to a new $375 million settlement to close out litigation that first started all the way back in 2014. An initial settlement agreement for $335 million to settle both antitrust lawsuits — the first covering fighters from 2010 to 2017 and the second for fighters from 2017 to the present — was denied by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Boulware from Nevada.

The new settlement agreement only covers the first lawsuit with the two sides in the second lawsuit still working towards a potential trial date. In the brief, the plaintiffs lay out a detailed breakdown why this settlement is so beneficial for the fighters, especially those in desperate need of financial relief now rather than potentially waiting several more years for a trial and possible appeals to play out in court.

Among the fighters writing letters of support was Spencer Fisher, who was declared permanently disabled and unable to work from the damage done in a career spent as a professional fighter including 17 fights over 12 years in the UFC.

“I need urgent medical attention and treatment now including physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, counseling and neurological treatment,” Fisher wrote in his statement. “I have not been receiving the necessary care to maintain my health due to the expenses of health care which I cannot afford. In addition to healthcare expenses, I face serious challenges in meeting basic everyday expenses for food, shelter, and transportation. My family has endured times without electricity and other utilities due to my struggles with mental health, and I have not been able to provide the financial support that my eight-year-old and two toddlers need. My wife and I just had our 4th child and it’s been extremely challenging to focus on my mental health, my physical health, and especially my financial health to take care of my family properly.

“My wife deserves better. My family deserves a healthier me and I desperately need help now—not years from now. This would truly be life-changing money for me and for other members of the class.”

UFC Hall of Famer Wanderlei Silva, who spent six years with the promotion after making a name for himself in PRIDE FC in Japan, revealed that he believes he’s dealing with serious brain damage as a result of his fighting career.

With his health compromised, Silva is hoping that the financial relief provided by the lawsuit settlement will help him and his family.

“While fighting for the UFC, I suffered many significant injuries, including concussions,” Silva wrote. “I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including depression, mood swings, and irritability…. I suffer from sleep apnea and have difficulty sleeping and breathing. That I can recall, I have had four surgeries on my nose, 1 on my face, 2 on my left knee, 1 on my right knee and 1 on my elbow.

“These funds would also allow me to obtain the healthcare I need and keep a roof over my head and food on my table. The sad reality is that funds years from now may be of no use to me. I can use and enjoy.”

Cung Le, who was one of the founding members of the antitrust lawsuit filed against the UFC in 2014, admitted that he’s nearing bankruptcy and he’s needed to rely on friends to help support him in recent years.

“Due to the strain of my current health limiting my everyday activity from working consistently, I’ve been relying on a friend who, through God’s provision, has generously sponsored my essential needs, including food and shelter, while I await the settlement of this case,” Le stated. “Without this support, I would likely need to file bankruptcy and apply for disability to manage my basic living and healthcare needs.”

Former interim UFC heavyweight champion Shane Carwin wrote in his letter of support that he’s been unable to maintain employment with his engineering degree due to health issues that continue to haunt him long after his fighting career was over.

“Despite having a degree in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, I have been unable to maintain adequate focus to hold down an engineering job,” Carwin wrote. “I face serious challenges in meeting basic everyday expenses for food, shelter, and transportation and in basic life skills necessary to function.

“These funds would also allow me to obtain the healthcare I need and keep a roof over my head and food on my table. The sad reality is that funds years from now may be of no use to me. I desperately need these funds now.”

Additional fighters providing letters of support for the UFC antitrust lawsuit settlement include Nate Quarry, Ross Pearson, Joe Stevenson, Cat Zingano, Gray Maynard, Matt Brown, Nate Marquardt, Jon Fitch, Chris Leben, Sage Northcutt and many more.

As far as the financial compensation many of the fighters would receive, the brief filed by the plaintiffs laid out the benefits to this settlement, particularly with the increase in funds as part of this new agreement.

“The $375 million all cash recovery provides a swift and significant payment to the Class against the delay, costs, and risks of a trial and appeals. As discussed above, Plaintiffs had initially proposed to allocate 75% of the Prior Settlement to the Le Class (75% of $335 million is $251.25 million), and thus this Settlement would increase the amount going to the Le Class by $123.75 million. Plaintiffs subsequently proposed to allocate 90% of the Prior Settlement to the Le Class (90% of $335 million is $301.5 million), and in that light, this Settlement involves $73.5 million more for the Le Class.

“Under the Settlement, Le Class members would recover (on average), after all fees and costs are deducted, $250,000. Thirty-five Class members would net over $1 million; nearly 100 fighters would net over $500,000; more than 200 fighters would recover over $250,000; over 500 fighters would net in excess of $100,000; and nearly 800 would recover over $50,000. By any reasonable measure, the Settlement, if approved, would put “life changing” cash into the hands of the families of several hundred fighters now.”

When the judge previously issued his denial, he stated that he objected to the settlement because the agreed upon payout seemed low and that the fighters represented in the second lawsuit — covering athletes from 2017 to the present — could object to arbitration and class-action waiver clauses in existing contracts.

Under the terms of this new agreement, the $375 million payment only goes to the fighters involved in the first lawsuit while litigation in the second lawsuit continues.

It remains to be seen if the judge will sign off on the new agreement or not.

Northern Ireland have called Mansfield Town goalkeeper Christy Pym into their squad for the upcoming Nations League games against Belarus and Bulgaria.

The 29-year-old has not played for his country before, but trained with his new team-mates on Tuesday after regular keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell withdrew from the squad on Monday with a shoulder problem.

With Plymouth Argyle’s Conor Hazard already absent through injury, manager Michael O’Neill was left with just two goalkeepers in his squad, Bolton Wanderers’ Luke Southwood and Pierce Charles of Sheffield Wednesday.

Pym, who has featured regularly for Mansfield in League One this season, was born in Exeter and previously played in a friendly for England Under-20s but qualifies for Northern Ireland through a Belfast-born grandmother.

Northern Ireland face Belarus in Hungary on Saturday evening before returning to Belfast to take on Bulgaria at Windsor Park.

They began their Nations League campaign with a home win over Luxembourg last month but were then beaten by Bulgaria in Plovdiv.

Khalil Rountree says he’s undergone nose surgery following his knockout loss to Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 307.

The challenger gave it his all in his first UFC title shot, but Pereira finished Rountree in Round 4 to pick up his third title defense of 2024 this past Saturday in Salt Lake City. Rountree was bloodied, battered, and bruised in the loss. On Tuesday, Rountree showed the remnants of the loss after having septoplasty surgery — which according to the Mayo Clinic, is a procedure to straighten the nasal septum through “trimming, moving and replacing cartilage, bone or both.”

Check out the painful aftermath photo of Rountree below.

“Septoplasty is the worst surgery on the planet,” Rountree said. “Pure pain.”

The 34-year-old Rountree received a standing ovation from the Salt Lake City crowd for his efforts against Pereira, despite having his four-fight win streak snapped. “The War Horse” earned his title shot with a stoppage win over Anthony Smith at UFC Vegas 83 this past December.

Raquel Pennington doesn’t agree with the judges’ ruling of her UFC women’s bantamweight fight against Julianna Pena.

Pennington believes she deserved to retain her title, but in the end she lost a  split decision in the co-main event of UFC 307 this past Saturday in Salt Lake City. Pennington (16-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC) won one 48-47 scorecard but lost 48-47 to Peña (13-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) on the two others.

Many fans agreed with Pennington and voiced their outrage on social media that the result went the other way. In an Instagram post Tuesday, Pennington addressed her defeat for the first time:

I’m home and I’m healthy. My heart hurts but my head is high! I do not feel I lost that fight but this is just another wild detour in this journey of mine. I will be back better than ever! I want the rematch stat! Regardless what an amazing fight week, surrounded by so much love, support and blessings. Memories that will last a lifetime. I’m full of gratitude and I want to send a shout out to all the people who stand behind me. My amazing group of coaches @jhostriking @jason_kutz @tylerlarsenbjj @mennyboy12 @antwon_burton3 and @evierae_jaktmuscle My training partners who put in work with me this camp Cory, @ryan.ashleigh and @jjaldrich My recovery team @sabrinabishopselman @cismrehab @peakbalancefamily My amazing management group @vaynersports @sarahzemonek @botemplin @kcoll0207 and my amazing wife @teciatorres and my entire family who has been my biggest support since day 1. To all my true fans out there I love each and every one of you. We will be back!!! ❤️🏆 #TeamRocky

The decision was highly controversial, with 25 media members scoring the bout for Pennington, one scoring it a draw, and one scoring it for Peña, according to MMADecisions.com.

With this result, Pennington, 36, saw her six-fight winning streak come to an end. She won the title that was vacated by Nunes when she defeated Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision in January. But she failed to make a successful title defense Saturday.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish believes he should have been part of England’s Euro 2024 squad and “can’t speak highly enough” of interim manager Lee Carsley.

Grealish, 29, was “devastated” after being omitted from Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for the tournament, in which England lost to Spain in the final.

However, Carsley has started the City playmaker in both games he has overseen since replacing Southgate on a temporary basis.

“I will be honest with you – I didn’t really agree with it,” Grealish told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Grealish admitted he felt he “didn’t have the best season” for his club, but added: “You need a bit of a balance in every position on the pitch and I class myself [as] quite an experienced player now.

“I have won a lot of stuff now so, you asked me should I have gone, yes, I still think I should have, but obviously it wasn’t meant to be.”

On whether he felt he had a point to prove on his return to the England squad for September’s internationals, he said: “Of course, I wanted to come here and train well and play well.

“I thank the manager Lee Carsley for giving me that chance and having that trust in me.

“It obviously really meant a lot, I think throughout my career when I have played under managers who have shown trust in me and communicated with me the way he has the last two camps, it really helps me.

“It makes me feel that the manager really does rate me and I can’t speak highly enough of him since I have been here.”

England recorded 2-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland and Finland in the first games under Carsley last month, with Grealish scoring against the former.

A British record £100m signing when he joined City from Aston Villa in August 2021, Grealish will again hope to be in the starting line-up when England host Greece on Thursday, before taking on Finland on Sunday.

And while Grealish believes missing out on Euro 2024 was “probably the most difficult period of my life”, he said the birth of his daughter last week was “the best moment of my life”.

In an “unbelievable 24 hours”, Grealish had to leave training and take a train to London on Friday morning to be present for the birth, before flying to Newcastle – arriving after midnight – and starting for City in the Premier League at midday on Saturday.

“I don’t really know how to explain it, you know you feel so many good moments in your life but that just tops everything,” Grealish said.