(Back when Team Quest was all about fighting and orgies.)
Matt Lindland spoke to Sherdog.com today about the lawsuit filed against him in February by his onetime friend and business partner Dan Henderson regarding the use of the Team Quest trademark and name.
In court documents filed in California, Henderson claims that Lindland is unlawfully using the Team Quest brand to promote his gym and that he is the rightful owner of the name and logo made popular by himself, Lindland and Randy Couture in the 1990s. He is suing for trademark infringement, copyright infringement and unfair competition regarding the Team Quest brand. Lindland is countersuing Henderson for trademark and copyright infringement, unfair competition, deceptive advertising, breach of contract and interference with his future business relationships.
According to “The Law” he hasn’t spoken to Henderson about the case and was taken aback when he received notice that he was being sued as it was never discussed prior to court documents being filed.
“I never heard anything from [Henderson] before he filed the lawsuit,” he told Sherdog.com. “I thought we were friends. He never called me and said he had a problem with me. He just filed the lawsuit. That’s not how I do things. You don’t sue your friends.I guess we didn’t have the same opinion when it came to our friendship.Maybe that’s the way they do things [where Henderson lives]. Dan wouldn’t call me before the lawsuit, and we haven’t talked since it got filed.”
“The litigation is ongoing and I can’t talk that much about it, but I have no idea what the basis for the lawsuit is,” Lindland said. “None of the documents we’ve asked for have been delivered to us, so I have no idea what we’re being sued for. That would at least tell me why [Henderson] thinks he has a case. We’ll figure it out, though.”
Lindland, who in spite of rumors that his fighting days are behind him, says that he hasn’t retired, but explains that coaching and his other business ventures outside the cage have left him with little time to train.
“Lately, I’ve been in Vancouver doing a lot of business consulting,” said Lindland. “For the six weeks prior to that, I was running Okami’s camp to get him ready for [UFC 134]. I didn’t make the trip to Rio because I don’t speak Japanese. Josh Thomson just fell out of a fight [for Strikeforce] and we’re hoping to get a guy in his place, and [Chael] Sonnen has a fight camp coming up [for his matchup with Brian Stann at UFC 136], as well,” said Lindland. “I’ve been busy running the gym and being the head coach of Team Quest. I’m pursuing a lot of business opportunities that I didn’t have a chance to do when I was a more active fighter.I’m not retired. I still possess the skills and am learning new things every day. I just have no plans of fighting soon, and I’m prioritizing things differently. I’m focusing more on the money-making opportunities in MMA right now.”
He might need that money if he continues to be sued like he has been twice in the past year alone.