France is one of the most high profile countries yet to legalize Mixed Martial Arts. Today it was announced that the longstanding ban will be coming to an end as of January 1, 2020. Roxana Maracineanu, France’s Minister of Sports, tweeted the following announcement noting the sport will be legalized and governed by a yet … More France to Legalize Pro and Amateur MMA as of January 1, 2020
Update: MMA refereeing pioneer and co-writer of the unified rules John McCarthy was kind enough to weigh in with his views on this topic: _________________________________________________ The now famous toe kick oilcheck. If you don’t know what I’m talking about I can do no better job describing the incident than the one and only Robin Black. … More Let’s Talk the Toe Kick Oilcheck and MMA’s Unified Rules
The below article was first published in June 2019 and is updated as new jurisdictions legalize Bare Knuckle Boxing ________________________________________________________ When this site started several years back MMA was illegal in certain jurisdictions and regulatory progress was mapped out. Now Bare Knuckle Boxing “BKB” is walking a similar path and its regulatory story, much like … More Documenting Bare Knuckle Boxing Legality
Just as regulatory standards differ across jurisdictions when it comes to combative sports, so do concussion/brain injury screening protocols before and after a bout. Hoping to change this scattered landscape Dr. Nitin K Sethi, the Chief Medical Officer, New York State Athletic Commission and Associate Professor of Neurology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital published the following suggested … More NYSAC’s Chief Medical Officer Calls For Standardized Concussion Screening in Boxing and MMA
While some doctors are debating whether routine chokes in combat sports have negative impact on brain function similar to concussion (a topic where more research is needed) it is worth pointing out that there are known risks to the dangers of chokes. After reading some posts from this site Dr. Smock, a Police Surgeon with … More Shedding Light on Known Dangers from Chokes in Combat Sports
Three of the ongoing lists I’ve kept on this site are documenting doping in MMA, documenting weight cut injuries/deaths in MMA and MMA’s modern fatality list. With Tim Hague being the second known MMA athlete (and first UFC alumnus) to be diagnosed with the disease I will now also document this. As with the other … More Documenting CTE in Mixed Martial Arts
Update June 13, 2019 – I shared this article with Dr. John Neidecker, a Sports Medicine Physician, Sports Concussion Specialist and present Vice President of the Association of Ringside Physicians who was kind enough to read the entire study, the critique, and weighed in with the following views: Please let me read the full … More Are Chokes in MMA Dangerous For Brain Function? Doctors Debate the Issue
Last month Ontario Introduced a combat sports bill which sought to overhaul how professional and amateur combative sports are regulated in the Province. The bill has now passed into law. On May 29, 2019 Bill 100 (Schedule 9 of which is the new Combative Sports Act) passed Third Reading and Received Royal Assent. This means … More Ontario’s new Combative Sports Act Passes Into Law
Several former UFC fighters have come forward in recent years admitting they are living with the consequences of CTE. The disease, however, can only be formally diagnosed at this time after death via autopsy. It appears the first formal diagnosis of CTE has now been made in a former UFC fighter. Tim Hague, known as … More Former UFC Fighter Tim Hague Diagnosed With CTE Via Autopsy
Tim Hague, a former UFC fighter, died from brain trauma after a boxing bout on June 16, 2017 in Edmonton Alberta. He was clearly outmatched being knocked down 3 times in the first round with an arguable 4th knockdown that the referee deemed a slip. In the second round Hague was dropped for a fourth … More Tim Hague Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Edmonton Combative Sports Commission
Combat Sports Law 