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I should start a thread of greatest moments in combat sports regulation. It would be fun (though only interesting to about 2 dozen people).
Can start with the time NYSAC pulled a female fighter from her bout because she had fake breasts. Told the world this (though she never publicly revealed this). Then they learned their rules actually don’t prohibit it and let her fight. Oops. https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/04/07/legal-thoughts-on-new-york-athletic-commission-breast-implant-contraversy/
Or that time Massachusetts would not let two female combatants be cleared to fight unless they underwent a ‘breast exam’ first by their ringside physician https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/10/18/tara-larosa-massachusetts-required-breast-exam-before-i-fought/
Or that time various commissions gave fighters therapeutic exemptions for steroids because fighters said they had too much brain trauma to fight without steroids https://combatsportslaw.com/2016/08/09/the-trt-papers-mixed-martial-arts-skeletons-in-the-closet/
Or that time Nova Scotia did not know that their laws required headliners to be entitled to at least 10% of the take (and the fighters were presumably to nice to sue) https://combatsportslaw.com/2014/10/09/did-nova-scotia-enforce-their-fighter-pay-rules-at-ufc-fight-night-halifax/
Or that time where Ontario (think every time until this very day) would only test for the drugs a promoter wants them to test for https://combatsportslaw.com/2015/09/25/just-a-friendly-reminder-that-the-ontario-government-is-a-ok-with-doping-in-combat-sports/
Or that time (think every time) Quebec ignored their actual ‘mixed boxing’ rules to let the UFC come to their backyard https://combatsportslaw.com/2013/08/22/the-laws-of-mixed-boxing-aka-professional-mixed-martial-arts-in-quebec/
Or that place where a karate and judo white belt have to register their hands as deadly weapons with the government https://combatsportslaw.com/2021/03/01/registering-your-hands-as-deadly-weapons/
Or that time where jurisdictions completely failed to unify the unified rules despite a near unanimous vote that they would do so https://combatsportslaw.com/2021/02/16/how-dis-unified-are-the-unified-rules-of-mma/
Or that time where Florida said boxing gloves are still boxing gloves if they don’t cover the knuckles https://combatsportslaw.com/2021/02/13/the-bizarre-story-of-bare-knuckle-boxing-legality-in-florida/
Or that time New Mexico changed a fighters win to a loss without telling him (surprise!) https://combatsportslaw.com/2020/07/28/new-mexico-athletic-commission-blunders-fighter-appeal-rights-with-admitted-impropriety/
Or those times regulators did not give a shit that they were not provided actual details of fighter pay https://combatsportslaw.com/2019/08/09/did-regulators-deceive-the-public-about-brock-lesnars-ufc-pay/
Or that time Quebec suspended a fighter that they allowed to compete while suspended https://combatsportslaw.com/2018/01/18/quebec-suspends-fighter-that-they-allowed-to-fight-while-suspended/
Or, perhaps my favourite. The time Nevada approved smaller gloves for Mayweather vs McGregor ‘for science’ lol https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/08/17/did-nevada-approve-8oz-gloves-for-mcgregor-v-mayweather-in-exchange-for-sports-memorabilia/
Anyways, this thread can go on and on and on (took about 15 minutes to compile the above). Feel free to add other stories that deserve to be highlighted. There should be hundreds.
That time New York let a fighter make weight for a title bout by leaning on a towel https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/05/26/cormier-weigh-in-shenanigans-prompt-overhauled-procedures-in-new-york/
Or that time Quebec shut down Ammy BJJ events as illegal under the criminal code https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/02/26/quebec-declares-amateur-bjj-events-illegal-under-the-criminal-code/
Those Nova Scotia laws that let a fighter win via illegal groin shot https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/01/25/why-ufc-halifax-fighters-can-win-by-groin-shot/
That time Nevada upheld a loss despite a fighter being caught in a cage defect https://combatsportslaw.com/2016/12/30/nevada-athletic-commission-dismisses-jake-ellenberger-foot-wedging-tko-appeal/
That time Colorado licensed a 68 year old woman in her MMA debut against a 24 year old https://combatsportslaw.com/2016/02/23/disparity-in-age-and-combat-sports-licencing/
That time Edmonton licensed a fighter and cleared him during pre bout Medicals despite having a broken arm https://combatsportslaw.com/2014/10/12/what-fallout-will-come-from-ryan-fords-pre-bout-broken-arm/
And the one that made me start this thread - Ontario having no manager/fighter contracts despite their laws saying all such contracts must be obtained from the commission
OK, I stand corrected. 6 dozen of you liked this. My people!
Some of the creative ways regulators went about legalizing bare knuckle boxing https://combatsportslaw.com/2019/06/23/documenting-bare-knuckle-boxing-legality/
And nothing funny about this one but the numerous injuries and even deaths regulators allow via rapid extreme weight cutting https://combatsportslaw.com/2014/09/03/yes-athletes-have-been-hurt-from-weight-cutting-in-mma/
By the way this thread only covers about 7 years of stories. Imagine how many gong show tales exist over the last few decades.
That time Brock Lesnar rejoined the UFC and was allowed to skip their 4 month USADA anti doping testing period (not really a regulator but worth a mention) https://combatsportslaw.com/2016/06/06/brock-lesnars-return-and-the-ufcs-usada-policy/
That time Nevada suspended Diaz for 5 years for the demon weed. Got so much blowback Obama himself chimed in and they eventually changed their tune. https://combatsportslaw.com/2016/01/11/nevada-athletic-commission-to-readdress-diazsilva-suspensions/
That time Chael Sonnen tested positive for a pair of estrogen blockers, as well as HGH, EPO, and hCG following a random drug test and persuaded Nevada to go light on him because he would teach them about doping (Chael deserves all the credit for this legend move)
That time Nevada tested Jon Jones for cocaine out of competition only to get hurt feelings when they realized cocaine is not banned out of competition under their own rules https://combatsportslaw.com/2015/01/06/why-jon-jones-pre-bout-cocaine-use-is-ok-in-nevada/
If anyone has stories you want added here (with link) tweet and I’ll add to the thread. Like the time the WCB almost got sued out of existence for saying their champ was a typo so Roy Jones could be champ https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=1821391
That time (nothing funny about this one) where Edmonton licensed a boxer who should have been suspended from brain trauma (KOs/TKO’s) and he then died from brain trauma. https://combatsportslaw.com/2017/06/18/under-the-legal-microscope-ufc-vet-reportedly-brain-dead-following-edmonton-boxing-bout/
That time when fighters with HIV and hepatitis were allowed to fight in NYS. https://deadspin.com/hiv-hepatitis-c-and-more-new-yorks-amateur-mma-scene-1578988576
