Combat Sports Law

Bare Knuckle Boxing has enjoyed increased popularity in recent years with more North American jurisdictions legalizing the sport since Wyoming led the way as the first State to legalize BKB in 2018. Data was presented at this year’s Association of Ringside Physicians annual conference by Dr. Don Muzzi giving the first glimpse into the injury … More Data Reveals Bare Knuckle Boxing Has Lower Concussion Rate than Gloved Fights

Adding to this site’s database of combat sports health and safety studies, research was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzing the injury rate among the Olympic combat sports. In the study, titled Injury incidence, severity and profile in Olympic combat sports: a comparative analysis of 7712 athlete exposures from three consecutive Olympic Games, the … More Study – Judo Has Highest Competition Injury Rate Among Olympic Combat Sports

Among the various changes coming to the World Anti Doping Agency’s 2021 Prohibited List is the creation of a new category of “substances of abuse” with several banned substances being shifted to this category which can bring lighter punishments than other anti doping violations. These changes are relevant for combat sports as many North American … More WADA Creates “Substances of Abuse” Category For Anti Doping

Last month I had the pleasure of being interviewed along with 2020 US Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang by Loretta Hunt who was researching why the Ali Act may be expanded to include Mixed Martial Arts and what this could mean for the sport. Hunt’s article, “Andrew Yang wants to take the fight to Dana … More Welcome The Guardian Readers – Ali Act to MMA?

In 2014 UFC president Dana White stated that “nobody’s ever been hurt” from Rapid Extreme Weight Cut practices in MMA. This of course is not true with both deaths and numerous and growing documented injuries being associated with the practice. In addition to the documented cases of athlete harm, the UFC themselves have compiled substantial … More UFC Performance Institute Notes “Considerable Risk” Weight Cuts Happen “All Too Often”

When it comes to brain trauma and certain facial lacerations there is much consensus as to when a combat sport should be stopped. When it comes to other physical injuries there is no universal consensus for when ringside physicians should bring a contest to an end. In the latest issue of the Journal of Combat … More Do Combat Sports Need “NO-GO” Criteria For Orthopaedic Injuries?

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic the Association of Ringside Physicians noted that all combat sports events should be suspended. Shortly thereafter they softened this stance noting if events resume that “COVID-19 precautions should be actively developed, regularly reviewed and modified based on the evolving knowledge and scientific evidence put forth by public … More Ringside Physicians Release “Universal Precautions” for Fights During Covid-19

Last night, in an ongoing online spat with Israel Adesanya, Jon Jones admitted to the long held rumor that he previously avoided drug testing efforts by hiding under an MMA cage. Now I’m not suggesting Nevada is going to do anything about this. Perhaps they will try. Perhaps they will let ancient history slide. However, … More Why Hiding Under the Octagon to Avoid Nevada Drug Tests is a Poor Choice

One trend emerging during the Covid-19 pandemic is fighters taking short notice bouts and subsequently failing in competition doping tests for cannabis. Are these fighters competing while high? Probably not. Are they simply failing in competition tests based on legal out of competition use? This is a likely explanation. Its important to remember in many … More A Simple Fix For Combat Sports and Cannabis