Combat Sports Law

Be it a union or an athletes association, there have been varying efforts over the years to organize UFC and other professional MMA fighters.  None have proven successful. The latest to enter this difficult landscape is Project Spearhead.  The effort is headed by labor attorney Lucas Middlebrook and MMA fighter Leslie Smith who is named … More “Project Spearhead” Launched in Effort to Organize UFC Fighters

In 2016 Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho died due to head trauma following a bout with Charlie Ward following a third round TKO loss.  At the time he became the 14th addition to MMA’s modern fatality list. The bout took place in Dublin Ireland under the promotion Total Extreme Fighting.  It was a unregulated bout with the promoter reportedly … More Following Fighter Death Irish Inquest Calls for National Governing Body for MMA

CTE rocked the professional sports world at the highest level with the NFL agreeing to a nearly $1 billion dollar settlement for the ravages of concussions on its players. The litigation focused on allegations of fraud and cover ups when it came to the reality of head trauma in the league.  As the science behind … More Is CTE a Ticking Time Bomb For Martial Arts Gyms?

In a Facebook post published earlier this week former UFC fighter Matt Hamill suggests that the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission has denied him licencing due to age. Hamill posted the following:                           Hamill, born in 1976, is 41 years old. Pennsylvania’s Boxing Act … More Matt Hamill Says He Was Denied MMA Licence “Due to My Age”

In what I believe to be the first UFC athlete to be hit with an increased suspension for aggravating circumstances under the UFC’s custom tailored Anti-Doping Policy with USADA, Francisco Rivera was handed a 4 year ban by an independent arbitrator. Rivera tested positive for clenbuterol as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample he … More UFC Fighter Francisco Rivera Handed 4 Year Suspension For Doping Aggravated By Fraud

I wish this headline was made up but its not. Yesterday it was announced that the  Régie des alcools des courses et des jeux (the Quebec Athletic Commission) revoked the licence of MMA fighter Khetag Pliev. As previously discussed, on March 18, 2015 the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport conducted an out-of-competition doping test in Toronto, … More Quebec Suspends Fighter That They Allowed to Fight While Suspended

After failing an out-of -competition test administered by USADA, Yoel Romero and the anti doping agency reached a deal giving the UFC middleweight a 6 month suspension.  The relatively lenient suspension was granted because Romero and USADA were able to trace the positive test back to a tainted supplement. Shortly thereafter Romero’s manager stated the … More Yoel Romero Launches Tainted Supplement Lawsuit

Litigation is one of the great tools in shedding light on topics otherwise kept private. To this end fighter pay and other contractual details often come to light when parties have a disagreement resolved in the public forum of the judiciary. Last month former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping found himself largely on the losing … More Michael Bisping / Anthony McGann Lawsuit Gives Insight Into “The Count’s” UFC Earnings and Other Financial Details