The Kansas Athletic Commission, under the umbrella of the Kansas Department of Commerce, has been one of the more progressive and involved regulators when it comes to making novel changes in combat sports. One of the novel steps the Commission has taken was introducing open scoring to Mixed Martial Arts. Open scoring simply reveals the … More Kansas Athletic Commission Reveals MMA Open Scoring Data
In the latest episode of Combat Sports Lawyer Explains I breakdown how a fight is judged using the Unified Rules. This video explains the following topics – What the Unified Rules are The 10 point must system Deciding who wins a round under the Unified Rules Deciding the margin of victory for a round under … More Scoring an MMA Bout Under The Unified Rules – A Video Breakdown
In the drawn out pandemic that is Covid-19 there is a patchwork of professional sport resumption in Canada. The most notable pro sport back is NHL hockey. The BC Athletic Commission has resumed professional sport as well with an upcoming mixed martial arts event planned next month and professional boxing shortly thereafter. Hard work and … More Competition Act Looms in Background of Pro Sport Pause in Canada
In short, very. Many fans understand that MMA is a patchwork of regulation. Some rules here, different rules there. These can vary from State to State, Tribal jurisdiction to Tribal jurisdiction, Province to Province and in one jurisdiction City to City. The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (the “ABC”) is a loose, influential … More How Dis-Unified Are the “Unified” Rules of MMA?
I have not uploaded a YouTube video in over 10 years but decided to revive the channel. I will be posting videos addressing topics covered on this site starting with the bizarre story of how bare knuckle boxing came to be legal in Florida. You can find my previous articles on the topic here: Let’s … More The Bizarre Story Of Bare Knuckle Boxing Legality in Florida
Adding to this site’s database of combat sports health and safety studies, research was recently published in the Journal of The Physician and Sports Medicine addressing brain injury rates and risks of impairment from MMA. In the study, titled Head Injury in Mixed Martial Arts: a Review of Epidemiology, Affected Brain Structures and Risks of Cognitive … More Study – Risk of CTE From MMA “Should Not Be Underestimated”
In recent years concussion recovery advice has shifted from a model of strict physical and mental rest while symptoms persist to a more active model with activity being recommended so long as symptoms are not aggravated. A recent study was published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine reviewing the recovery of athletes who suffered and … More Study Shows Modern Concussion Treatment Strategies Lead to Faster Symptom Recovery
In 2016 the California State Athletic Commission spearheaded reforms to the culture of rapid extreme weight cuts in combat sports. One of the reforms created was an earlier weigh-in to “ensure healthy rehydration and penalize athletes who engage in extreme weight cutting” which was widely adopted by other regulators. Recently a study was published examining … More Study – Early MMA Weigh Ins “Exacerbated” Effects of Rapid Weight Cutting
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (“CTE”) is the brutal, degenerative and incurable brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. Cases of the disease are linked to basically all contact sports and mixed martial arts is no exception with the list of known cases steadily growing. If you are a combat sports trainer and your athlete develops CTE … More Can a Trainer Can Be Liable For a Fighter Getting CTE?
Update – USADA has now released a press release with their take on these changes along with their actual policy wording below. It is worth noting that ‘substances of abuse’ mean not just cannabis but also various narcotics and stimulants. Also worth noting that the lack of punishment is not automatic but discretionary and premised … More “Substances of Abuse” Modified Under UFC/USADA In Competition Ban
Combat Sports Law 