This weekend Josh Emmett lost his headlining bout to Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night Orlando The loss came with some controversy where it appears Emmett was struck with at least a glancing knee by Stephens while grounded. This all unfolded in the midst of what was ultimately the bout ending sequence. Emmett announced his … More Why Josh Emmett’s Appeal At Least Has a Fighting Chance
There is little debate that UFC fighters would enjoy benefits from forming a meaningful union or players association. The benefits are so obvious that the UFC’s own lawyers, in court filings, essentially mocked fighters for their low pay arguing that absent a union the UFC’s roster should not expect a revenue split similar to that … More Are UFC Fighter Managers Breaching Their Fiduciary Duty In Not Supporting Unionization Efforts?
Last year the Ontario government exercised their powers under section 83 of Canada’s Criminal Code by having amateur combat sports organized by Provincially recognized sporting organizations (PSO’s). At the time the Government set out the following list of amateur combative sports that could be legal so long as a PSO was designated to regulate them: … More Ontario Designates Provincial Sporting Organization for Amateur Jiu-Jitsu in the Province
As first reported by Kurt Emhoff at boxingesq.com, reasons for judgement were recently published by the US District Court, Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division commenting on whether a boxer under a promotional agreement is a laboror or employee. The judgement is narrow in scope focussing on provisions in a Florida Long-Arm statute but are … More Court Finds Professional Boxer Under Promotional Contract is Neither an “Employee” or “Laborer”
As recently discussed, there have been varying efforts over the years to organize UFC and other professional MMA fighters. Project Spearhead is the latest to enter the fray. The UFC has taken time over the years trying to persuade fighters that unionization is not in the fighters interest. In a candid admission, however, Zuffa’s own … More UFC’s Own Lawyers State Fighters Should Only Expect a High Revenue Share If They “Also Had a Union”.
Adding to this site’s archives of combative sports safety studies a recent article was published in the journal of Military Medicine reviewing the injury and disability rate following Army Combatives Tournaments (a competition very similar to MMA). In the recent study, titled Injuries Sustained During Modern Army Combatives Tournaments, the authors reviewed records from 195 MAC competitors … More Study – 34% of Competitors Injured During Army Combatives Tournaments
Be it a union or an athletes association, there have been varying efforts over the years to organize UFC and other professional MMA fighters. None have proven successful. The latest to enter this difficult landscape is Project Spearhead. The effort is headed by labor attorney Lucas Middlebrook and MMA fighter Leslie Smith who is named … More “Project Spearhead” Launched in Effort to Organize UFC Fighters
In 2016 Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho died due to head trauma following a bout with Charlie Ward following a third round TKO loss. At the time he became the 14th addition to MMA’s modern fatality list. The bout took place in Dublin Ireland under the promotion Total Extreme Fighting. It was a unregulated bout with the promoter reportedly … More Following Fighter Death Irish Inquest Calls for National Governing Body for MMA
Combat Sports Law 