Update July 27, 2022 – Today both the below rules were adopted and now form part of the ABC’s unified rules. There were some minor adjustments to the neoprene sleeve rule confirming a competitor cannot grab their own sleeve advantageously. I will further update this article once I receive a copy of the final text … More ABC Voting on MMA “Eye Poke Foul” Change And More
Open scoring has now been successfully used in at least two US jurisdictions for MMA. Kansas and Colorado. Last night Colorado had their first ever run with the scoring system for an Invicta FC card. Many critics of open scoring say fighters knowing the score will lead the winning fighter to avoid action and coast … More Colorado Successfully Uses Open Scoring in MMA
Max Holloway sat down with Luke Thomas and had an in depth conversation about many interesting topics. One worth highlighting here are Max’s comments on brain health. I spend a lot of time talking about brain health, smart training, mileage and damage on this site. No fighter wants to listen to a lawyer about training. … More Max Holloway on Brain Health “Protect Your Chickens!”
As reported by MMAFighting Bellator’s Danny Sabatello has received a $5K fine by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation following use of the F word in a post fight interview. Sabatello defeated opponent Leandro Higo and during the post fight interview was quoted as follows: “I was told if I swore in my post-fight … More Bellator Fighter Fined $5K For Post Fight F Bomb
This week Texas’ athletic commission is in the spotlight again after some bizarre stuff following UFC Austin. At the event Joaquin Buckley was declared winner after his opponent, Albert Duraev, was examined by a doctor right before the beginning of round three. Following examination the bout was called off. Texas declared the official result as … More Yeehaw! Let’s Talk Weird Texas MMA Rules!
No bite in combat sports will ever be more infamous than Mike Tyson’s serial biting of Evander Holyfield in 1997. Adding to this site’s database of regulatory precedent, this week the New York State Athletic Commission handed out a 6 month suspension and $10,000 fine to a boxer who attempted a similar infraction. On June … More Attempted “Mike Tyson Bite” Leads to 6 Month Suspension and $10,000 Fine
Combat Sports have no consistent standards of what brain imaging is needed from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. From national federations, to State and Tribal Commission to Provincial and even Municipal Commissions and in some cases to no commissions at all there is profound inconsistency in health and safety standards in combat sports. Hoping to improve this … More Ringside Doctors Publish Consensus Statement on Fighter Brain Imaging
One in 5,000 pro boxing bouts end with a fighter dying from brain trauma. A shocking statistic. But one recently published by the the Association of Ringside Physicians in their Journal of Combat Sports Medicine. In the study, titled “Mortality Resulting From Head Injury In Professional Boxing Revisited” the physicians reviewed reported worldwide mortalities from … More One in 5,000 Pro Boxing Bouts End in Death by Brain Injury
Two questions. How old should kids be before being allowed to participate in full contact martial arts (be it boxing, MMA, kickboxing etc)? How much should kids (or their parents) know about brain trauma within these sports before they are truly making an informed decision to participate? Society regulates the ability of kids to consent … More How Old Should Kids Be To Consent To Brain Trauma?
CTE is more common than many doctors recognize. As a disease without a cure some people wrongly believe nothing can be done to assist when suffering from this progressive disorder linked to repeated brain trauma. If you are combat sports athlete and suspect you are suffering from the disease making sure your doctor is familiar … More Helping Your Doctor Help You With CTE
Combat Sports Law 