Combat Sports Law

A few years back Nevada overhauled their combat sports rules to allow instant replay when fights concluded following injury to determine if the injury was caused by a fair blow or a foul.  More recently Nevada expanded their ability to use instant replay “at any time” to increase the ability of referees to get things … More Let’s Talk Daniel Cormier Eye Poke, Missed Calls and Nevada’s Instant Replay Rule

Further update September 3, 2020 – Today is is reported that the NAC handed Pena a 4.5 months suspension for this infraction.   Pena tested positive for marijuana in connection with UFC on ESPN 12 fight against Khama Worthy. Four-and-a-half month suspension, which expires Nov. 10, 15 percent fine of “show” purse, or $4050, and $218.04 … More Is Nevada Doing “Violent Bob Ross” Wrong When it Comes to Cannabis?

Imagine competing in a professional MMA bout and winning by submission.  Then, months later, you are told the bout was overturned to a no contest by the athletic commission in a process that you had no notice of nor were invited to participate in. That’s exactly what MMA fighter Sean Cerveny experienced. At LFA 80 … More New Mexico Athletic Commission Blunders Fighter Appeal Rights With Admitted Impropriety

Two arbitration judgements were released today documenting an anti-doping issue involving released UFC fighter Gilbert Melendez.  Of interest the decisions address when USADA has jurisdiction over a fighter who has been released by the UFC. In short Melendez tested positive for GHRP-6 and its metabolites GHRP-6(2-5)-OH and GHRP-6(2-6)-OH as the result of a urine sample … More Gilbert Melendez Handed 2 year Doping Ban For Violation After Being Released From UFC

Adding to this database of combat sports safety studies, a paper was recently published in the journal of Human Kinetics noting that there is no statistical advantage to athletes who outweigh their opponents via rapid extreme weight loss/gain practices in MMA. In the recent study, titled Worth the Weight? Post Weigh-In Rapid Weight Gain is Not … More Study – Weight Advantages From Weight Cutting/Gaining Non Factor in Bout Outcomes

Cornerwork in MMA has come under scrutiny in recent weeks.  When should seconds stop a fight?  Who should be qualified to work as a second?  Can seconds be legally accountable if they fail to protect their fighters? As with many things in combat sports the legal requirements are not consistent and vary widely from jurisdiction … More Are Seconds Legally Liable For Fighter Injuries?

In one of the rare examples of an appeal succeeding after a controversial bout result in MMA, Chas Skelly successfully had a TKO loss overturned to a no contest. Kelly fought Bobby Moffett at UFC Fight Night 139 on November 10, 2018.  The bout ended in round 2 when referee Tim Mills stopped the contest … More Chas Skelly Successfully Appeals TKO Loss With Colorado Athletic Commission

Today the UFC’s private anti doping partner USADA announced that Bruno Arruda da Silva was handed a 2 year suspension for ingesting boldenone. Arruda da Silva tested positive for boldenone and its metabolite as the result of a urine sample collected out-of-competition on May 27, 2019. Arruda da Silva denied wrongdoing and blamed the ingestion … More Bruno Arruda da Silva hit With 2 Year UFC Anti Doping Suspension for Boldenone