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Randy Couture lost the first court battle with the UFC. (MMAweekly.com Photo)

Zuffa LLC., the parent company of the UFC, has won the first court battle with their heavyweight champion Randy "The Natural" Couture (16-8-0).

A Clark County District Court in Las Vegas has granted their temporary injuction request that Couture be barred from “engaging in any promotion or production of events or programming related to unarmed combat during the February 29, 2008 [IFL] event.”

The ruling, by Nevada District Court Judge Jennifer Togliatti, prevents Couture from appearing at the International Fight Leage's show, IFL: New Blood, New Battles on Friday, Feb. 29 in Las Vegas. It also prevents use of the “name ‘Randy Couture’ and likeness on the IFL website, print materials, banners, and like materials to promote” the show.

Before the ruling, the IFL changed the name of Couture's team from Xtreme Couture to Team Tompkins. Shawn Tompkins will coach the fighters on Friday night.

"Given the ongoing litigation between Xtreme Couture and the UFC, we were asked by Xtreme Couture Wednesday to not use the Xtreme Couture camp name in our event this Friday," IFL representative Jerry Milani told MMAweekly.com. "The IFL is not in any way involved in this litigation. We are doing this out of professional courtesy for Randy and his group."

A specific ruling about the status of Couture's employment contract, and when "The Natural" will be able to fight again, remains undecided.

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