At UFC on ESPN 6 Greg Hardy fought Ben Sosoli and was handed a decision victory. Subsequently the result was overturned by the overseeing regulator to a no-contest. The reason being Hardy used an inhaler during the bout. The bout was overseen by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission (MSAC). A real question is whether the … More Inhalergate – Legal Issues Surrounding the Greg Hardy Situation
This week prominent MMA manager Ali Abdel Aziz made headlines for all the wrong reasons. It is reported that he is accused of battery in two separate cases in Las Vegas. One stemming from a run-in with fighter Colby Covington and the second from reportedly striking competing manager Abe Kawa “with a closed fist on … More Will Ali AbdelAziz’s Antics Bring Disciplinary Consequences From the Nevada Athletic Commission?
Adding to the growing medical literature connecting Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (“CTE”) and exposure to contact sports an important study was published this week in the Annals of Neurology finding that for every year an individual plays football their chances of developing the brain disease increases by 30%. In the study, titled Duration of American Football … More Study Shows Mileage Matters When It Comes to Brain Health and Contact Sports
The second issue of Association of Ringside Physicians’ (ARP) Journal of Combat Sports Medicine was published today and included was a study summarizing survey results demonstrating a lack of understanding of various legal issues at play when Ringside Physicians are sued for negligence and further that many members are likely overseeing events without proper malpractice … More Survey Reveals “Many Ringside Physicians Likely Going Without Proper Malpractice Liability Coverage”
After years of taking the position that the Criminal Code only allows Provinces to oversee two types of professional combative sports (boxing and MMA) the BC Government has had a change of tune and have announced the Province will legalize professional kickboxing. They have done so noting that pro kickboxing rules can simply be a … More BC To Legalize Pro Kickboxing
A Ringside Physician present at Tim Hague’s fatal boxing bout in 2017 admitted in court filings that Hague was assessed for “Depression and Suicidal Ideation” in the months prior to his death. As previously discussed Hague, a former UFC fighter, died from brain trauma after a boxing bout on June 16, 2017 in Edmonton Alberta. … More Ringside Doctor – Tim Hague Assessed for “Depression and Suicidal Ideation” Before Fatal Bout
Update August 13, 2019 – KO Boxing, the promoter for the bout in question and co-Defendant in the lawsuit have now filed their Statement of Defense. They conclude with the following position: “At the time of the Braidwood fight, the Deceased was an adult with the capacity to make decisions affecting his health and safety, … More City of Edmonton Looks To Hide Behind Waiver in Tim Hague Wrongful Death Suit
Update August 23, 2019 – Today the Nevada Athletic Commission responded to my public records request for all of Brock Lesnar’s UFC bout agreements in their jurisdiction. As reported below these deviated from the pay he actually received for these bouts as revealed in the antitrust litigation. These bout agreements can be found here – … More Did Regulators Deceive the Public About Brock Lesnar’s UFC Pay?
The definition of a grounded fighter in MMA is important as knees and kicks to the head of such an opponent are prohibited. In 2016 the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (the “ABC”) softened the rule with the belief that some fighters were gaming the system by changing from standing to grounded by … More ABC Overhauls “Grounded” Fighter Definition in Hopes to Re-Unify Rule
Update December 6, 2019 – Today UK Anti Doping released a statement noting that their anti doping charge against Whyte has been “withdrawn”. In short UKAD notes Whyte did test positive for a banned substance but concluded that the levels detected were “consistent with an isolated contamination event, and they are not suggestive of doping. … More Should Dillian Whyte Have Been Provisionally Suspended by the UKAD Before The Rivas Bout?
