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Juanito Ibarra sues Tito Ortiz and MMA Media outlets
By Zach Arnold | June 6, 2009
Ibarra is suing Tito and all the blogs and publications that ran Tito’s interview for defamation, invasion of privacy and emotional distress.
As a word of advice, suing blogs and web sites is usually not a very good idea. For starters, most web sites and bloggers in MMA are more than willing to post comments from multiple parties in a story. Meaning, if Ibarra wanted to get his side of the story out against Ortiz, he could easily have done so in a public manner to clear his name. 5th Round has the comments that Ortiz made that Ibarra is likely suing him over. By Ibarra suing these individuals in such a public manner, it will ensure on various search engines that some of the first stories that will pop up when you search for “Juanito Ibarra” are about the comments Ortiz made about him. In essence, if Ibarra had just let this go, you would have had to search out specifically to find Tito’s comments. Now, because TMZ and other media outlets are covering this lawsuit, Tito’s negative comments about Ibarra will gain more exposure than could have been imagined. Here’s a perfect example of this effect in a real life case that happened two years ago.
Plus, if there are any former clients of Ibarra’s that are disgruntled, they may come out of the woodwork and negatively comment about him in the press. The lawsuit is a questionable, at best, public relations strategy.
Second, once you start suing the media, then the media takes it very personally and can make things difficult in terms of follow-up posts and negative attention. Plus, by naming specific clients (allegedly) in his suit, all Ibarra is doing is giving these people more attention and recognition. Plus, creating a lot of headaches for yourself. University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds explains why it’s a bad strategy to launch libel & defamation lawsuits against bloggers. Some tangible examples of this in action can be found here.
Third, the majority of writers and media covering MMA are not rich. There isn’t a whole lot of money to obtain via a lawsuit. Going after Tito Ortiz, someone who has fame and money, is one thing — but going after someone who makes $30-40,000 USD a year (or around that salary range) is another.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that two of the media outlets Ibarra is suing are Yahoo Sports and MMA News.
It’s one thing to legally sue someone who has money (Tito Ortiz & Yahoo), but it’s another thing to have a situation where the defendants in this case can use their financial resources to get together and build a strong legal defense in court. In a case like this, how do you prove ‘intent’ as far as: a) publishing something false and b) doing so with malice?
If anyone gets a hold of this lawsuit filing, please send it my way. Thanks.
Topics: MMA, Media, UFC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
There are always precedent setters. Is it ridiculous to correlate this suit with the notion that things had to have taken a turn south for his business once his rep did? I can’t see how this wouldn’t give you pause if you’re a talented fighter looking for new coaching.
I know it’s totally different, but it’s amazing how the context changes everything: if you sue for libel over in the UK against, at least for now, physical publications that are distributed internationally to there and deemed slanderous, there is some ridiculous figure like 95% of the cases that are sided for the plaintiff. I know it seems like a ridiculous kangaroo court situation but be assured that the non-profit i work for got taken to the cleaners for making the mistake of publishing a book review from one professor that charged another one with plagiarism. In the academic world I guess that shit is the kiss of death so of course it’s gonna be a war.
Reckon so….
Really dumb move by Juanito on a number of levels.
[...] Read my initial post on the story here. [...]
Regardless, Juanito got screwed. Lies were developed by LIARS, which effected him. In the real world if someone lied about any of you….YOU WOULD KICK _ SS! Well Juanito is a good man. He protected Rampage as a trainer and manager. He tried his best to provide the best training and best management for him. He gave Rampage help when Rampage had nothing and…Rampage stuck a knife in his back. Rampage is a COWARD, and will never have the spine to talk to Juanito or tell the truth. AND Tito got screwed. Rampage told Tito what to say. He will never back Tito so now Tito will have to face the courts.