Unsettling Truth – Winning Fighters Found To Have More Long Term Brain Issues Than Losers

January 27, 2024

If you have a good fight record you probably will have better long term brain health than fighters with a losing record, right? This was the hypothesis in a recent study. Turns out the answer is no. In fact fighters with a better win/loss ratio had greater measurable brain harm than fighters with a losing record. The recent … More Unsettling Truth – Winning Fighters Found To Have More Long Term Brain Issues Than Losers

MMA Rules Committee To Discuss Removing 12-6 Elbow Foul and Redefining “Grounded” Fighter

January 26, 2024

Next week the Association of Boxing Commissions MMA Rules Committee will be discussing removing the 12-6 elbow as a foul and also further clarifying the definition of a grounded fighter. Recently data has been published demonstrating the 12-6 elbow is no more forceful than other legal elbows, whether from a standing or grounded position such … More MMA Rules Committee To Discuss Removing 12-6 Elbow Foul and Redefining “Grounded” Fighter

UFC Motion For Summary Judgement Denied in Antitrust Lawsuit

January 18, 2024

The now certified class action anti trust lawsuit against the UFC is getting ever closer to trial presently scheduled in April, 2024. This week one of the last remaining hurdles was removed. The UFC brought a motion for summary judgment which sought to dispose of the case in their favor prior to trial. Judge Boulware denied the … More UFC Motion For Summary Judgement Denied in Antitrust Lawsuit

Ontario Announces New “Combat Sports Advisory Council”

January 17, 2024

In 2019 Ontario passed a new Combative Sports Act into law. The legislation allows the overhaul of how combat sports are regulated in the Province. The law, however, has yet to come into force which will happen “on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor“.  Despite this very long passage of time it … More Ontario Announces New “Combat Sports Advisory Council”

Combat Sports Struck With Two Tragedies in Recent Weeks

January 15, 2024

A profound spinal cord injury and a profound brain injury. Two tragic outcomes in the combat sports community in recent weeks. This week Leah McCourt shared that MMA fighter Ryan Curtis suffered a severe spinal cord injury in training. In addition to the spinal cord injury he suffered “a broken back, broken neck and dislocated spine”. A … More Combat Sports Struck With Two Tragedies in Recent Weeks

Let’s Talk Admitted Doping for New or Returning Athletes to the UFC

January 3, 2024

This month the UFC’s new anti-doping policy has come into force. One area worth paying attention to is how new or returning athletes that admit to, or were known to be doping are treated under the policy. And whether overseeing Athletic Commissions treat them differently as the UFC’s in house anti-doping provisions are not binding on … More Let’s Talk Admitted Doping for New or Returning Athletes to the UFC

Study Calls For “Concerted Effort” To Improve Brain Health Awareness in Combat Sports 

January 1, 2024

The death and injury rate in boxing and other combat sports remain high and there is significant room for improvement of brain health knowledge for participants in these sports. That is the conclusion of a recent study diving into the injury and death rates in boxing. In the study, titled The spectrum of acute and chronic … More Study Calls For “Concerted Effort” To Improve Brain Health Awareness in Combat Sports 

Is Sport Structured Brain Trauma Child Abuse?

December 12, 2023

How old is old enough to consent to brain trauma? I’ve tackled this subject here previously. Its a worthwhile conversation. Last month a paper was published in the Journal of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy addressing this topic in detail. The authors go so far as to argue that full contact/combat sports amount to child abuse … More Is Sport Structured Brain Trauma Child Abuse?

UFC Fighters Given Until January 24, 2024 to Opt Out of Antitrust Class Action

December 12, 2023

Earlier this year a class action was certified against the UFC for alleged antitrust violations. The certification expanded the lawsuit from a handful of fighters to about 1,200. The case is set for jury trial in Las Vegas on April 8, 2024. The “class” of fighters caught by certification are as follows: “All persons who … More UFC Fighters Given Until January 24, 2024 to Opt Out of Antitrust Class Action

Study – Hook Punches Have Higher Risk of Traumatic Brain Injury

December 7, 2023

An article was published this month in the journal of Studies in Sports Medicine looking at brain injury risk from both linear (straight) punches and rotational (hook) punches. In short the authors found that straight punches likely lead to less brain damage risk and hook punches lead to more. The authors concluded as follows: “the … More Study – Hook Punches Have Higher Risk of Traumatic Brain Injury