UFC 210 saw Daniel Cormier, the promotion’s light heavyweight champion, pull a fast one during weigh ins. With minutes left Cormier hit the scales, stripped bare, and weighed 1.2 pounds over the limit.   Moments later Cormier weighed in again and succeeded in making weight.  What miraculous means were used to drop 1.2 pounds in two … More Cormier Weigh in Shenanigans Prompt Overhauled Procedures in New York

After overseeing their first professional MMA contest after the sport was legalized in New York, the State’s athletic commission is coming under scrutiny for the suspensions they are handing out to fighters. Two such suspensions were for missing weight with Thiago Alves suspended 3 months for missing weight and Kelvin Gastelum suspended for  6 months … More New York Legally in-bounds for Suspending Fighters That Miss Weight

The New York State Athletic Commission, a regulator whose powers have been greatly expanded through recent legislative overhaul of New York’s combat sports landscape, has come under harsh criticism by Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott. Scott, who was tasked with scrutinizing the NYSAC after a heavyweight boxer sustained a brain injury in a 2013 bout at … More Inspector General Slams New York State Athletic Commission

The New York State Athletic Commission has published their “Proposed Regulations to Govern Combat Sports in New York”.  These can be found here. NYSAC Proposed Combat Sports Regs These Regulations are the ‘nuts and bolts’ of how combative sports will be overseen in the Empire State.  The Commission is “providing a 45-day public comment period … More New York Unveils Draft Combat Sports Regulations

Now that the hangover from the celebration of soon to be legal MMA in New York is over its time to face one sober reality. New York’s legislation will, in practice, only allow the biggest players to legally host professional MMA bouts in the State.  Why?  The legislation brings with it a steep insurance requirement, … More Insurance and Why “There’s Not Going to Small Promoters Doing MMA in New York”

Update April 14, 2016 – Today New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law making professional MMA finally legal in the Empire State.  The first legal event will be able to be hosted as early as September 1, 2016 _____________________________________ Bill A02604 is set to be voted on by the New York State … More The Nuts and Bolts of New York’s Soon to be Passed MMA Law

Late last month Federal Judge Kimba Wood has released brief reasons for judgement denying Zuffa’s request for a preliminary injunction preventing New York from using their Combative Sport Law to shut down a planned UFC event at Madison Square Gardens. Judge Wood promised ‘a longer opinion will follow’ and these full reasons have now been released. … More Court Releases Full Reasons in UFC New York Litigation

As first reported by Fightland, Federal Judge Kimba Wood has released reasons for judgement denying Zuffa’s request for a preliminary injunction preventing New York from using their Combative Sport Law to shut down a planned UFC event at Madison Square Gardens. Zuffa argued that a preliminary injunction was needed because the case will likely succeed at … More Court Rejects UFC Preliminary Injunction Request in New York