I hear you on the money, lkfmdc
It’s going to be something to consider if McCain becomes the Republican candidate. We all know how he championed the anti-MMA movement. Given the war, the economy, the environment and all the other critical issues facing our next president, MMA seems minor. Nevertheless, it’s something to consider.
You calling McCain a rock head? 
At last, an answer
I was emailed privately with this link. It’s exactly what I was looking for initially here. I’m not sure how often it’s updated, but seems quite current at this posting.
In What USA States Are Kickboxing and or MMA Legal?
[QUOTE=GeneChing;840744]It’s going to be something to consider if McCain becomes the Republican candidate. We all know how he championed the anti-MMA movement. Given the war, the economy, the environment and all the other critical issues facing our next president, MMA seems minor. Nevertheless, it’s something to consider.
You calling McCain a rock head? :p[/QUOTE]
Some people have suggested McCain came down hard on the UFC because he receives a lot of donation money from Budweiser, who just happens to sponsor a lot of boxing events.
[QUOTE=GeneChing;841805]I was emailed privately with this link. It’s exactly what I was looking for initially here. I’m not sure how often it’s updated, but seems quite current at this posting.
In What USA States Are Kickboxing and or MMA Legal?[/QUOTE]
That link hasn’t been updated since Oklahoma banned amateur MMA in November.
[QUOTE=GeneChing;840744]
You calling McCain a rock head? :p[/QUOTE]
I haven’t heard McCain talk about MMA in a long time, and if I remember correctly, that was before both NJ and NV began to sanction it and the format was changed significantly…
When it was chased out of NY, it was an easy target (very few rules, was being sold as violent, was backed by po-rn money!)
In NY we have our own rock heads, we don’t need McCain! 
[QUOTE=MasterKiller;841806]Some people have suggested McCain came down hard on the UFC because he receives a lot of donation money from Budweiser, who just happens to sponsor a lot of boxing events.[/QUOTE]
Actually McCain’s wife (who he traded in his first wife for after she was crippled), is the chairwoman of Hensley and CO, an Anheiser-Busch distibutor.
And yes, Budweiser is an Anheiser-Busch company that does sponsor alot of boxing events.
the UFC should just sue ontario, it seems that is all they are good for now.
Sort of OT, sort of still about state legality
I was going to post this on our illegal fight clubs thread, but I forgot it got closed. 
I almost reopened it, but then thought it better to let sleeping dogs lie.
Illegal Fights Staged, Posted On Internet
Some Say Staging Fights Becoming Disturbing Trend
Reported by Cara Kumari
POSTED: 6:03 pm CST February 18, 2008
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A new trend that’s illegal and dangerous is being recorded and circulated on the Internet.
Home video of what some said is a troubling trend in Clarksville shows local teens meeting in back yards, beating each other up and calling it a sport.
“I think the kids are dumb. I look at them and think, ‘What are you doing?’" said Ron Dayley.
Dayley owns a mixed martial arts studio in Clarksville and said the amateur fights really worry him.
“I’m worried that some kids are going to put on a little show fight and get hurt,” he said.
When fighters train in Dayley’s facility, they are surrounded by padded walls, wear headgear and are often trained by professionals.
But the backyard brawls are taking place on the grass. The participants are wearing thin gloves, no headgear and the referees are other teenagers.
In Tennessee, fighters can practice mixed martial arts – a combination of wrestling, jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai – but it’s illegal to hold any formal competitions in the state.
Lawmakers are looking to change that, and Dayley said he supports the change.
“It’s a great sport. It’s legal just about everywhere else,” he said.
But he said the fake fights are tarnishing the entire sport’s image. He said he hopes that if the Legislature legalizes organized mixed martial arts fights, it will knock out many of the amateur contests.
“If it’s legalized, you’ll get the kids off the street fighting more. It’s an outlet,” he said.
The legislation dealing with mixed martial arts would allow organized matches to be held in the state.
Supporters said the fights could bring in a lot of money to Tennessee and also more regulations. They also said they worry that if someone gets hurt in one of the backyard brawls, it could hurt the bill’s chances of passing.
Dayley said if he knows someone in his gym who is participating in the fake fights, he kicks them out. He said he’s asked other gym owners in the area to do the same.
[QUOTE=GeneChing;844493]I was going to post this on our illegal fight clubs thread, but I forgot it got closed. I almost reopened it, but then thought it better to let sleeping dogs lie.[/QUOTE]
If anything stuff like this should wake people up, let people know the need for more amature mma. People are very interested in the sport, why not make a amature league? I love the IFL so something like that would work great.
Red rover, red rover…
…send MD on over.
MMA sanctioning proposal set to move forward in Md. Senate
By Childs Walker | Sun Reporter
February 27, 2008
Efforts to get mixed martial arts sanctioned in Maryland appear on track after a senate committee showed no signs of opposition yesterday to a bill that would give the state athletic commission regulatory power over the sport.
The committee on education, health and environmental affairs likely will decide by Friday whether to forward the bill to a vote by the entire state senate, said sponsor Joan Carter Conway, a Baltimore Democrat.
But no one spoke against the legislation at yesterday’s hearing in Annapolis. Senators posed only a few questions about safety regulations.
Conway said Maryland is losing out because the sport is sanctioned in Washington and in such nearby states as Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey.
“We’re sitting in the middle of our region, where all of our dollars are going elsewhere,” she said.
She echoed John Rallo, a former fighter who co-owns the Ground Control gym in Canton and has spurred the sanctioning effort. Rallo said he is tired of seeing his fighters travel out of state to practice what they learn from him.
He said the sanctioning would produce licensing revenues for Maryland and lead to the growth of small businesses associated with mixed martial arts.
The sport, best known through the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion, combines boxing, kickboxing, amateur wrestling and submission grappling. Fights are generally contested in a cage and can be won by knockout, referee’s stoppage, judge’s decision or opponent’s submission.
UFC ran its first fight cards in the 1990s, but the sport was then nearly run out of the country by legislators and activists who considered it barbaric. It experienced a renaissance, however, after promoters began to embrace boxing-style regulation by state athletic commissions.
Mixed martial arts is sanctioned in 32 of 50 states, and UFC pay-per-view shows draw hundreds of thousands of buys at $40 a pop.
If it receives committee approval, the Maryland senate bill, or its cousin, sponsored by Del. Kirill Reznick, will still have to be passed by the entire legislature and signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley.
If the effort makes it that far, the state athletic commission would then have to draft rules for supervision of the sport. That process, which would include the training of doctors, referees and other fight officials, could take until late this year or early next year.
Yesterday’s hearing offered the first public opportunity for supporters and opponents to comment on the legislation.
Patrick Pannella, executive director of the state athletic commission, said he welcomes the chance to oversee mixed martial arts. Michael Kelly, a ringside doctor from New Jersey, and Michael Mersch, an attorney for the UFC, testified to the effectiveness of regulations in other states.
The bill also drew support from Dr. Frank M. Reid III, the influential pastor of Baltimore’s Bethel AME Church.
“It makes great business sense,” said Reid, who watches the sport with his son and trains under Rallo. “MMA is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and Maryland should not be left behind.”
32 states as of now…
…according to this article at least.
MMA sanctioning efforts moving forward
Ground Control owner Rallo encouraged by Md. legislators’ response to bill
By Childs Walker | Sun reporter
3:25 PM EST, March 3, 2008
Click here to find out more!
Efforts to get mixed martial arts (MMA) sanctioned in Maryland took an important step forward today when a senate committee announced it had given a favorable nod to a bill that would allow the state’s athletic commission to oversee the sport.
After receiving approval from the committee for education, health and environmental affairs, the bill will move to a vote by the senate. A house version, sponsored by Del. Kirill Reznick, a Montgomery County Democrat, has a committee hearing Wednesday afternoon.
Senators posed few questions about the bill during a hearing last week.
“It’s good to see all the hard work that we’ve put in paying off,” said John Rallo, who co-owns the Ground Control martial arts gym in Canton and has spurred the sanctioning effort. “I’ve been as proactive as possible with this issue and tried to arm my guys and the athletic commission members with as much information as possible. We’ve tried to make sure we have the answers to questions before they come up.”
The state athletic commission has the power to oversee boxing, kickboxing and wrestling but not mixed martial arts, which is an amalgam of all three along with submission grappling.
The sport is best known from the reality programs and pay-per-view cards promoted by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC.)
Local gym owners say they’re tired of sending MMA trainees to Delaware, New Jersey and Virginia for fights. The bill’s sponsor, Baltimore Democrat Joan Carter Conway, agreed, saying the state should get in on the profits from a growing sport.
MMA is sanctioned in 32 states.
“The sport is mainstream now,” Rallo said. “It’s time for everybody to catch up.”
Never mind states…
…there’s the city level - I wasn’t even thinking about that.
Andover bans mixed martial arts
Tuesday, 04 March 2008
by Eric Hagen
Andover followed the lead of a few other Anoka County communities and expanded its mixed martial arts ban to include every place in the city, public or private.
The Andover City Council on Sept. 5, 2006, passed an ordinance that forbid mixed martial arts, commonly known as ultimate fighting, as well as boxing and wrestling in any licensed establishments such as bars.
The council on Feb. 19 unanimously agreed to expand its mixed martial arts ban to any public or private building or place in the city.
The new ordinance is identical to one the Blaine City Council passed in August 2007.
Blaine looked into a mixed martial arts ordinance because some Centennial High School students had organized a fighting competition in a city park that drew around 100 students.
Blaine police were able to disperse the crowd because of noise complaints from neighbors, but were unable to cite the students who organized the event because organizing a fighting competition was not illegal at that time in Blaine.
Capt. Tom Wells of the Anoka County Sheriffs Office Patrol Division said the Andover High School police liaison officer proposed expanding the mixed martial arts ordinance to include outdoor locations because last fall, some students had organized a fight by a railroad bridge underpass, which deputies found on You Tube.
Similar to Blaine, there are laws in place to go after the fighters, but its harder to go after the organizers and the spectators.
Andover and Blaines mixed martial arts ordinances allows police officers to cite everyone involved.
Wells said mixed martial arts has not been a huge problem in Andover, but the sheriffs office did not want to wait until it became a bigger problem.
Its more preventative, he said. Its not a huge problem in the city of Andover, but it would be a proactive approach to dealing with future issues.
Wells said there have been some organized fights in back yards of homes years ago, so he felt it would be best to blanket the community in the restriction so that fighters, organizers and observers could be fined whether they are in a city park, their backyard or even a participants home basement.
I think if you want to restrict the behavior, you have to go on private property, Wells said.
Anoka County Commissioner Scott LeDoux, who was appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty to be the Executive Director of the Minnesota Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Commission, said the ban should only be against unsanctioned fights and not the entire sport.
The state legislature during the 2007 session officially recognized mixed martial arts as a sport that should be sanctioned. Participants are screened for HIV and drugs, must pass physicals and adhere to the competition rules.
LeDoux said there is a strong Midwest fan base for mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) league will be coming to the Target Center this August.
I think its foolish for cities to banish sports regulated by the state, said LeDoux, who represents a portion of southern Andover. It stops revenue from coming into their city.
LeDoux said bars used to put on tough man fights that were unregulated. The competitors were usually drunk, LeDoux said.
Establishments can be fined for putting on unsanctioned fights, he said.
LeDouxs feedback led Ramsey Police Chief Jim Way to recommend the Ramsey City Council only forbid unsanctioned fights and not sanctioned fights. The council agreed to this in October 2007.
Capt. Kerry Fenner, interim police chief of the Blaine Police Department, said his department has not responded to any organized fights since the ordinance went into effect, but he said they may not have been tipped off or it could become an issue when the weather warms up.
Spring Lake Park passed a complete ban of mixed martial arts in early 2005 and have not had to enforce it yet, said Police Chief David Toth.
The cities of Columbia Heights and Fridley passed ordinances in early 2005 only forbidding mixed martial arts in establishments with liquor licenses.
Columbia Heights, Fridley and Spring Lake Park passed mixed martial arts ordinances in early 2005 in response to a November 2004 incident outside of the Minnesota Sports Cafe in Fridley where two assailants beat a man into a coma.
Authorities believe that all three had attended a mixed martial arts match in the Minnesota Sports Cafe, according to Fridley Capt. Brian Weierke
MMA in MD
Is that the proper usage of the word ‘oversight’?
Senate delays mixed martial arts decision
The Associated Press
1:42 PM EDT, March 18, 2008
ANNAPOLIS - The Senate has delayed making a decision on whether to allow brutal mixed martial arts contests in Maryland.
Lawmakers decided Tuesday to put off for one day a decision on whether to regulate sometimes-brutal fights known as mixed martial arts. Currently such contests, sometimes called “ultimate fighting,” are illegal in Maryland.
Supporters say the mixed-martial arts contests should be allowed but need oversight by the state agency that also oversees boxing matches. But some senators questioned whether Maryland should allow violent fights, sometimes fought in cages.
The measure was rescheduled for further debate Wednesday. A similar bill is pending in the House.
No, ‘oversight’ is not the proper word in that sentence.
As of this week Texas allows elbows and knees from the clinch in amateur fights. They were always legal in pro fights though.
Speaking of writing, here’s something on Minnesota
Despite a horribly misleading title (we can and have discussed kung fu in the cage elsewhere) I do agree about the writing issue. We’ve yet to see a Hemingway of MMA. That’s a very interesting argument to me. There are some underlying implications that could be fleshed out there.
Kung-Fu Lawmaking
Posted at 1:34 PM on March 19, 2008 by Michael Marchio (0 Comments)
So by now, everyone’s probably come across mixed-martial arts. That’s the technical term for Ultimate Fighting Championships, the sport that basically revolves around two dudes in a cage beating the living daylights out of each other using various martial arts styles, like kickboxing and kung-fu. Last year, the state voted to have any match conducted in the state be subject to regulation by the Minnesota Boxing Commission.
Some participants were unhappy about the extra supervision, but they may be having the last laugh, because it looks like the name of the Minnesota Boxing Commission is changing to Minnesota Combative Sports Commission, out of deference to them.
HF3913, sponsored by Rep. Bob Gunther (R-Fairmount) would, besides changing the name, requires “combatants” to pass tests for Hepatitis B, C, and HIV, in addition to last year’s requirement that they become licensed, and allow for MCSC board doctors to require a medical examination after a combatant’s injury before returning to fight again.
Call me sentimental, but this seems like a symbolic changing of the guard, from the generation that followed boxing - grandparents, mostly - to the one that follows Ultimate Fighting - their grandkids.
Its too bad that Ultimate Fighting, at least so far, hasn’t inspired the same great writing that boxing has. There may be a Mailer, Remnick, Hemingway out there somewhere, though, that just hasn’t made it big yet.
Today was the last day before lawmakers go on Easter break, so I’ll be handing out some kudos at this session midpoint tomorrow for some of the big point-earning bills, teams, and lawmakers.
[QUOTE=GeneChing;848941]Despite a horribly misleading title (we can and have discussed kung fu in the cage elsewhere) I do agree about the writing issue. We’ve yet to see a Hemingway of MMA. That’s a very interesting argument to me. There are some underlying implications that could be fleshed out there.[/QUOTE]
Think you just gave me an idea…
A buddy of mine’s a born writer, but doesn’t seem to realize it.
Only writing I can get him to do is album/concert reviews for some of the bands he listens to.
The reviews have been going over pretty well, lots of subscriptions to his blog where he writes them.
Wish I wrote more myself, but up until now I haven’t had anything to really sink my teeth into or maintain my interest like my buddy’s reviews do for him.
Even if it’s just playing around for my own enjoyment, I think that might be a good side-project to get me started.
btw- kinda shocked mma in maryland’s still in the dark ages; it sure explains this event that fell apart around 2004.
Md
click for pic.
Michael David SmithPosted Mar 22nd 2008 1:52PM by Michael David Smith
Filed under: Baltimore, Fighting, MMA, MMA/Boxing
Maryland is poised to become the latest state to realize that mixed martial arts is, in fact, a legitimate sport.
In a development that will no doubt be condemned by a newspaper columnist with a lot of Maryland readers, the state senate approved a bill on Friday that would allow the Maryland State Athletic Commission to oversee mixed martial arts. Supporters hope and expect that the legislation will pass in the House of Delegates and be signed by the governor. Gym owner John Rallo explains how the bill got passed:
"If we would have tried to get it legalized without supplying the stats and making the experts available to testify, I don't think it would have ever gotten passed," he said. "Education was the best way to get what we wanted, and I believed that all along."
Rallo has it exactly right: Opposition to MMA is based on ignorance, and the way to combat that opposition is through education. When a big MMA show turns up in Baltimore, fans will have Rallo to thank.
More on Canada
When are we just going to make them a state? :rolleyes:
Cops charge fight promoters; Another mixed martial arts contest planned Saturday for Six Nations
Posted By Susan Gamble
Posted 5 hours ago
The promoters of an “ultimate fighting” event on Six Nations have been charged with holding an illegal prize fight.
But organizers say the charges won’t slow plans for the third and, they expect, the largest of the mixed martial arts fights, planned for this weekend.
Six Nations police have charged at least four men under Section 83 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits fighting with fists in contests that haven’t been authorized by a legislated board or commission.
Those charged include Bill Montour, the president, director and secretary of the Grand River Athletic Corp.; James Procyk, the promoter of the Iroquois Mixed Martial Arts Championships; Dave Mair, the head coach of the local Team Iroquois; and Jason King, the commissioner of the Grand River Athletic Commission.
The charges relate to the first fight held by the group, last November.
more charges coming?
Six Nations police are still investigating the February mixed martial arts fight.
A police spokesperson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
However, in a February news release, police said the prize fight was a criminal offence.
“The event was a ‘for profit’ enterprise for Mr. Montour and his partners,” police Chief Glenn Lickers said in the news release.
“There is also a concern that if this type of event is illegal off the territory, what element of other schemes will be attracted to our community.”
Lickers noted that “a number of Hell’s Angels and Red Devils” showed up for the fight wearing their colours.
Procyk, of Hamilton, said he and others charged haven’t appeared before a judge yet but they do have a lawyer who will help address the charges.
“The (Saturday) show will go on,” he said Wednesday. “There’s nothing we can do about the charges just now and we have a great program on Saturday. We’re hoping it’s our biggest turnout yet.”
Fighter Shonie Carter was to be the headliner but, due to an injury, he had to back out, Procyk said. Carter will still be on hand to meet and greet the fans and cheer on the fighters in the eight to 11 bouts scheduled.
Fighters are coming from area fight clubs and from as far away as California, Georgia and Amsterdam, the organizer said.
Regarding concerns about motorcycle gangs attending the fights, Procyk said all posters note the event is drug-free, alcohol-free and that gangs are requested not to wear their colours.
“If they pay for a ticket, they can come in like anyone else.”
The fights will take place at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on Second Line Road, near Hagersville.
Still more from the Great White North
…from a proud Canadian, no less.
Ultimate fighting is barbaric
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, April 24, 2008
Re: St-Pierre punches ticket to fame, April 21.
Although I am a proud Canadian, I am ashamed to be a Montrealer after my city and province allowed the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title match last Saturday. It was the first time UFC came to Canada.
Ontario officials, please, do better and do not sanction this barbaric so-called “sport” to take place in your province. Stand strong for Canadian “civilization.”
I am not against roughness in sports; I am against savage violence.
If the goal of a sport is to physically harm another human being, then it is wrong and should be banned. Hockey and football have violence but it is peripheral and can be controlled – the goals are to get a puck in a net and a ball across a goal line.
The goal of UFC or “Mixed Martial Arts” fighting and boxing is to strike and overpower another human being. Olympic wrestling does not harm the human body while one single punch to it causes immediate harm.
The only logical explanation must be that the vast majority of fighters and organizers must have been mentally and/or physically abused growing up because the main way they express their self-worth is to hurt others so as to feel better about themselves.
Wrapping “fighting and boxing” in themes of sportsmanlike honour and regulation is misleading. Fighting and bullying should be repulsive to any civilized person.
If society condones these activities, it directly leads young people accepting fighting and aggressiveness as OK and the “cool, tough” way to deal with conflict. It takes a stronger man to control his violent urges than to give in to them. We should be raising boys and girls to be repulsed by violence. The only place for fighting is in personal and societal self-defense. We are reverting to ancient gladiatorial spectacles and martial values. I am saddened about this and will do everything in my power to stand up for non-violence and human civilization.
Mike Trepanier,
Montreal
[QUOTE=GeneChing;856492]…from a proud Canadian, no less.[/QUOTE]
He’s an idiot, there is more violence and savagery in a hockey fight and that is NOT even part of the actual sport.
This guy must have been toilet trained at gun point.