Combat Sports Law

Today MMAJunkie reports that Luis “Violent Bob Ross” Pena has been temporarily suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) due to a positive cannabis test. The article notes that “Pena’s positive marijuana test came from a urine sample submitted on July 24, prior to his July 27 bout with Khama Worthy at UFC on ESPN … More Is Nevada Doing “Violent Bob Ross” Wrong When it Comes to Cannabis?

Imagine competing in a professional MMA bout and winning by submission.  Then, months later, you are told the bout was overturned to a no contest by the athletic commission in a process that you had no notice of nor were invited to participate in. That’s exactly what MMA fighter Sean Cerveny experienced. At LFA 80 … More New Mexico Athletic Commission Blunders Fighter Appeal Rights With Admitted Impropriety

Two arbitration judgements were released today documenting an anti-doping issue involving released UFC fighter Gilbert Melendez.  Of interest the decisions address when USADA has jurisdiction over a fighter who has been released by the UFC. In short Melendez tested positive for GHRP-6 and its metabolites GHRP-6(2-5)-OH and GHRP-6(2-6)-OH as the result of a urine sample … More Gilbert Melendez Handed 2 year Doping Ban For Violation After Being Released From UFC

Adding to this database of combat sports safety studies, a paper was recently published in the journal of Human Kinetics noting that there is no statistical advantage to athletes who outweigh their opponents via rapid extreme weight loss/gain practices in MMA. In the recent study, titled Worth the Weight? Post Weigh-In Rapid Weight Gain is Not … More Study – Weight Advantages From Weight Cutting/Gaining Non Factor in Bout Outcomes

Cornerwork in MMA has come under scrutiny in recent weeks.  When should seconds stop a fight?  Who should be qualified to work as a second?  Can seconds be legally accountable if they fail to protect their fighters? As with many things in combat sports the legal requirements are not consistent and vary widely from jurisdiction … More Are Seconds Legally Liable For Fighter Injuries?

In one of the rare examples of an appeal succeeding after a controversial bout result in MMA, Chas Skelly successfully had a TKO loss overturned to a no contest. Kelly fought Bobby Moffett at UFC Fight Night 139 on November 10, 2018.  The bout ended in round 2 when referee Tim Mills stopped the contest … More Chas Skelly Successfully Appeals TKO Loss With Colorado Athletic Commission

Today the UFC’s private anti doping partner USADA announced that Bruno Arruda da Silva was handed a 2 year suspension for ingesting boldenone. Arruda da Silva tested positive for boldenone and its metabolite as the result of a urine sample collected out-of-competition on May 27, 2019. Arruda da Silva denied wrongdoing and blamed the ingestion … More Bruno Arruda da Silva hit With 2 Year UFC Anti Doping Suspension for Boldenone

British Columbians have much to be proud about with their handling of the Covid-19 Pandemic.  As of today there are 183 known active cases of COVID-19 in the province with only 13 individuals hospitalized with the illness.  Better yet there are regions of the Province, like Vancouver Island, without a single known active case. Against … More BC Athletic Commission Releases Combat Sports “Restart Plan”

Update June 12, 2020 – I reached out to both USADA and to the UFC’s Jeff Novitzky and asked them to share any studies or other data they have that can speak to PED’s being transmitted through sexual contact.  They shared the following articles: Potential Seminal Transport of Pharmaceuticals to the Conceptus The Transport of … More Boxer “not at fault” for Doping Violation With Substance Linked To “Sexual Transmission”