Last week the UFC sent Marc Ratner to Washington to testify in opposition of legislation aiming to expand the Muhammad Ali Act to mixed martial arts. (For background you can click here to read what the legislation will do). In an interesting twist, the UFC’s biggest US based promoter, Bellator MMA, filed a letter with … More Bellator Files Letter Supporting Expansion of Ali Act to MMA
This week the Congressional Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection will hear from witnesses providing background information on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts in the context of debating whether to expand the Ali Act to the sport. Among the witnesses to be heard will be Dr. Kristen Dams-O’Connor, who is an Associate Professor of Rehabilitation … More What Congress Will Be Told About the Safety of Mixed Martial Arts
Last month an apparent new strategy was highlighted where the UFC’s parent company, Zuffa LLC, is using the Copyright Act to increase damages in piracy prosecutions. A second judgement was recently published utilizing this same strategy. In the recent case (Zuffa, LLC v. Fizion Cafe) the Defendant displayed UFC 205 without paying the commercial sub … More Zuffa Again Uses Copyright Act To Bolster Damages in Piracy Lawsuit
In the latest piracy prosecution involving a UFC Pay Per View broadcast reasons for judgement were published by the US District Court, D. South Carolina, Columbia Division, assessing damages of $30,000. In the recent case (Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. v. Collective Minds, LLC) the Defendants displayed UFC 201 at a commercial establishment without paying the commercial … More UFC 201 Piracy Leads to $30,000 Damage Award
Normally when UFC Pay Per View programs are commercially pirated lawsuits are brought by the UFC’s commercial distributor and damages are sought for statutory harm for satellite or cable theft. In an interesting twist to this norm, recent reasons for judgement were released involving a prosecution by Zuffa as the Plaintiff also seeking damages for … More Zuffa Uses Copyright Act To Increase Damages Against PPV Piracy
The New York State Athletic Commission has formally adopted an Instant Replay Policy for Mixed Martial Arts contests in the State. The New York Policy is consistent with the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports policy on instant replay passed at the associations 2017 annual conference. Earlier this month Commission Bulletin 2017-3 was released by the … More New York Adopts Formal Instant Replay Policy for MMA
Update June 12, 2019 – This week MMAJunkie reports that this lawsuit has been dismissed. ________________________________________________ As first reported by TMZ UFC Middleweight champion Micheal Bisping is being sued along with a host of other defendants for an alleged assault involving a 19 year old Plaintiff. The Plaintiff alleges that after he accidentally used weights … More Michael Bisping and UFC Sued For Alleged Assault
Following the recent controversial bout with Kevin Lee fighting with an obvious but undisclosed staph infection at UFC 216 I reached out to the Association of Ringside Physicians for comment on when, if at all, it is appropriate to fight with the condition. Dr. Ray Monsell, chairman with the ARP, was kind enough to respond. … More Ringside Doctor Discusses When Its OK To Fight With Staph Infection
update June 22, 2020 – Today it was reported that Good’s claim was dismissed. _____________________________________________ In 2016 UFC fighter Lyman Good tested positive for 1-androstenedione, a substance banned by the United States Anti Doping Agency. Testing traced the product back to a dietary supplement Good was taking which did not list the substance on its label. … More UFC Fighter Lyman Good Files Tainted Supplement Lawsuit
Update October 20, 2017 – Today Dr. Larry Lovelace, the current president of the Association of Ringside Physicians, responded to me with his personal views as a doctor with over three decades experience in combat sports with respect to the below story. Here is what he had to say – Hi Eric. I will respond … More Tara LaRosa – Massachusetts Required “Breast Exam” Before I Fought
Combat Sports Law 