Study Links Increased Risk of Brain Trauma in MMA to Fighter Age and Time Between Bouts

October 13, 2015

In my ongoing effort to highlight safety studies addressing combative sports, a thesis paper was recently published by the University of Ottawa’s Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences reviewing factors associated with head trauma in professional MMA. The author analysed data from Fightmetric reviewing 7,134 rounds in the UFC, WEC and Strikeforce from 2004 – 2014. … More Study Links Increased Risk of Brain Trauma in MMA to Fighter Age and Time Between Bouts

A Legal Breakdown of the WSOF’s Planned Arizona One Day 8 Man MMA Tournament

October 7, 2015

Update October 29, 2015 – Today the WSOF released the below ruleset for this tournament Earlier today it was announced that the World Series of Fighting plans on hosting an 8 man, one night elimination tournament at the Comerica Theater in Phoenix, Arizona on November 20, 2015.  This announcement comes shortly after recent failed plans to … More A Legal Breakdown of the WSOF’s Planned Arizona One Day 8 Man MMA Tournament

Study Suggests Use of “Padded” Hand Wraps to Reduce Brain Trauma In Sparring

October 6, 2015

Given that CTE is being linked to duration and severity of contact and further that the KO rate by punches in MMA increased tenfold after gloves with conventional wraps became the norm in the sport, should MMA and other striking sport athletes use ‘padded’ hand wraps to reduce brain trauma while sparring?  An article published … More Study Suggests Use of “Padded” Hand Wraps to Reduce Brain Trauma In Sparring

Wanderlei Silva Fires Back in UFC “Fixed Fight” Defamation Lawsuit

October 6, 2015

Earlier this year Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company, sued Wanderlei Silva alleging Defamation and Business Disparagement after Silva stated that the UFC had engaged in “fixed fights“. This week, as first reported by John Nash, Silva fired back seeking to dismiss the lawsuit.  Perhaps the most interesting argument Silva raised was expanding on what he … More Wanderlei Silva Fires Back in UFC “Fixed Fight” Defamation Lawsuit

Study – Mileage is One of Biggest Factors for Brain Trauma in Boxing

October 5, 2015

In the latest article addressing injury issues in combative sports, a study was published last month in the Journal of Neurotrauma studying cognitive impairment from boxing. The study, titled Chronic Effects of Boxing: DTI and Cognitive Findings, used Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging to study brain trauma among 10 boxers (9 active and 2 … More Study – Mileage is One of Biggest Factors for Brain Trauma in Boxing

UFC Seeks Injunction Paving Way for 2016 New York Event

October 1, 2015

Immediately after filing a second lawsuit in New York seeking a declaration that the State’s Combative Sport Law is unconstitutionally vague as applied to professional MMA, the UFC has requested that a preliminary injunction be granted preventing the law from being used to shut down a scheduled event at Madison Square Gardens in April, 2016. The … More UFC Seeks Injunction Paving Way for 2016 New York Event

The UFC’s Books About To Be Opened in Anti Trust Laswsuit

October 1, 2015

This past week has seen two crucial developments in the anti-trust lawsuit filed by various fighters against the UFC.  First the UFC lost a motion to dismiss the claim.  Second, the UFC lost a motion to prevent one of the Plaintiff’s key lawyers, Rob Maysey, who was instrumental in getting the litigation underway and founder … More The UFC’s Books About To Be Opened in Anti Trust Laswsuit

UFC Anti-Doping Czar Novitzky “Not Everyone Has Signed” Anti-Doping Contract

September 30, 2015

Last month I questioned whether all UFC fighters have agreed to the promoter’s anti-doping policy and pondered what would happen to fighters who refuse to do so.  Yesterday, the UFC’s Vice President of Athlete Health & Performance, Jeff Novitzky, shed some light on these issues. In a broad interview provided to Josh Samman at BloodyElbow, … More UFC Anti-Doping Czar Novitzky “Not Everyone Has Signed” Anti-Doping Contract

MMA in New York in 2016? Dissecting the UFC’s Latest Lawsuit

September 29, 2015

Earlier this year when Federal Judge Kimba Wood dismissed a UFC lawsuit against New York alleging the State’s professional MMA ban was unconstitutional the Court noted that the Plaintiff’s did not have standing to sue.  The Court did suggest, however, that the law may not withstand scrutiny if the UFC could establish damages and invited … More MMA in New York in 2016? Dissecting the UFC’s Latest Lawsuit

Jon Jones Pleads Guilty To 4th Degree Felony; Granted Conditional Discharge

September 29, 2015

This morning Jon Jones plead guilty to a 4th degree felony after being involved in a hit and run causing injury to his victim, a crime which came with a potential of up to 18 months imprisonment. A plea deal was reached and he was sentenced to a conditional discharge (basically meaning Jones will not … More Jon Jones Pleads Guilty To 4th Degree Felony; Granted Conditional Discharge