The World Series of Fighting announced the unveiling of a new logo and the opening of a New York office in light of the potential legalization of MMA in the state. The news comes at a time when a lawsuit allegedly unloads damaging information about the company and its members.
A lawsuit was filed in October by an alleged assignee of rights to the World Series of Fighting:
The machinations of the lawsuit introduces the reader to a web of assignment of rights which related to keeping the World Series of Fighting afloat and expanding it internationally. It involves a power struggle within the organization and a purported cover-up relating to WSOF’s matchmaker pulling dual time as promoter/manager and a violation of commission rules. The lawsuit is being brought by WSOF Asia, an entity which claims to have the rights to the WSOF trademark outside the United States as well as the distribution rights for the organization outside of America. WSOF Asia, Limited, a Hong Kong Limited Liability Corporation (“LLC”).
Not only did the lawsuit reveal potential internal and financial issues within the company, it also identified WSOF executive Ali Abdelaziz as having a dual role as manager of WSOF fighters as well as matchmaker. Due to the scrutiny of Abdelaziz’s role, he stepped down from his post at WSOF in December.
The lawsuit is just at the beginning at could be damaging to the organization from a PR perspective.
As for the organization’s prospects in New York, like every other MMA organization, we will have to wait and see.
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