Bellator MMA Files Cross Complaint Against Former Employee Zach Light

Bellator MMA has filed a cross complaint against former employee Zach Light alleging that he failed to pay back a loan and stole money from the promotion.

The complaint is in response to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Light in May which accuses Bellator and parent company Viacom of “certain illegal practices jeopardizing the health and safety of professional fighters and mixed martial artists for all the defendants’ profit and financial gain.”

According to a report from MMAPayout.com, the California-based promotion was granted an extension to respond to the complaint and filed its own complaint against Light on July 12.

Bellator claims that it loaned Light $9,403 because “despite his sizable income, he had difficulty managing his family budget and was experiencing financial distress.” The two parties entered into a written agreement for Light to pay back the loan. As part of that agreement, Light was to repay the loan in monthly installments of $240.50 withdrawn from his paychecks from Bellator.

Additionally, the company claims that Light stole $4,600 from VIP ticket sales and now owes Bellator $5,050, including interest. According to the complaint, Light “would collect the money he received from sale of consignment and VIP tickets in connection with Bellator events, and remit the money to Bellator personnel shortly after he received it from purchasers. However, the organization is accusing Light of failing to return “thousands of dollars” that he collected.

Light was granted a medical leave after suffering an anxiety attack following Bellator 136 in April 2015. He was terminated on March 17, 2016.