Month: September 2015

UFC Anti-Doping Czar Novitzky “Not Everyone Has Signed” Anti-Doping Contract

September 30, 2015

Last month I questioned whether all UFC fighters have agreed to the promoter’s anti-doping policy and pondered what would happen to fighters who refuse to do so.  Yesterday, the UFC’s Vice President of Athlete Health & Performance, Jeff Novitzky, shed some light on these issues. In a broad interview provided to Josh Samman at BloodyElbow, … More UFC Anti-Doping Czar Novitzky “Not Everyone Has Signed” Anti-Doping Contract

MMA in New York in 2016? Dissecting the UFC’s Latest Lawsuit

September 29, 2015

Earlier this year when Federal Judge Kimba Wood dismissed a UFC lawsuit against New York alleging the State’s professional MMA ban was unconstitutional the Court noted that the Plaintiff’s did not have standing to sue.  The Court did suggest, however, that the law may not withstand scrutiny if the UFC could establish damages and invited … More MMA in New York in 2016? Dissecting the UFC’s Latest Lawsuit

Jon Jones Pleads Guilty To 4th Degree Felony; Granted Conditional Discharge

September 29, 2015

This morning Jon Jones plead guilty to a 4th degree felony after being involved in a hit and run causing injury to his victim, a crime which came with a potential of up to 18 months imprisonment. A plea deal was reached and he was sentenced to a conditional discharge (basically meaning Jones will not … More Jon Jones Pleads Guilty To 4th Degree Felony; Granted Conditional Discharge

Just a Friendly Reminder that Ontario Turns a Blind Eye to Doping in Combat Sports

September 25, 2015

Lost in this week’s story by Josh Gross discussing the UFC’s role in mixed martial arts ‘TRT era’ is the important parallel story that doping is 100% legal under Ontario’s combat sports regulations. Combat sports regulation in Ontario is filled with problems such as the government turning a blind eye to amateur MMA which is illegal … More Just a Friendly Reminder that Ontario Turns a Blind Eye to Doping in Combat Sports

Let’s Talk About What MMA’s Doping and CTE Lawsuit May Look Like

September 22, 2015

Update October 3, 2015 – today at the UFC 192 post fight presser UFC Vice President of Public Relations issued the following comments on this issue – “I think one of the things to keep in mind with this particular topic is any suggestion or inference that there was a cover up regarding to that … More Let’s Talk About What MMA’s Doping and CTE Lawsuit May Look Like

Maximum and Minimum Statutory Damages Awarded in Separate Cases of UFC PPV Piracy

September 22, 2015

Adding to this site’s archived cases of UFC pay per view event piracy prosecutions, two further judgments were released recently reaching rather opposite results in assessing damages on fairly similar facts. In the first case (Joe Hand Promotions , Inc v. Musser) the Defendant was found liable for showing UFC 172 in his commercial establishment … More Maximum and Minimum Statutory Damages Awarded in Separate Cases of UFC PPV Piracy

Study – MMA Has Greatest Injury Rate Among Combat Sports

September 20, 2015

One of the latest safety studies addressing combat sports, published last month in the journal Australasian Epidemiologist, the author compiled data from a total of 47 observational studies addressing injuries in combat sports.  Specifically the author looked for the injury incidence rate, injury patterns and injury severity rates in 6 different sports, namely boxing, judo, karate, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, … More Study – MMA Has Greatest Injury Rate Among Combat Sports

Study Suggests Headguards Reduce Concussions in Combat Sports

September 18, 2015

Adding to this site’s archived safety studies in combat sports, a study was recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggesting headguards can reduce concussions in combat sports. The authors, McIntosh and Patton, recently authored another article suggesting the quality of headguards can make a significant difference in effectiveness, noted in the new … More Study Suggests Headguards Reduce Concussions in Combat Sports

A Sensible Solution to the Marijuana Issue in Combat Sports

September 16, 2015

Lost in the discussions of the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s draconian punishment of Nick Diaz and the far from ideal circumstances of his hearing is the fatal flaw in modern day athletic commission testing for marijuana. Marijuana is, by WADA and by most athletic commission standards, only banned in competition (as opposed to steroids and … More A Sensible Solution to the Marijuana Issue in Combat Sports