A step towards a uniting the UK MMA scene and maybe a governing body....

[Rosi]

I agree that we somehow need to get everyone working together on this.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=153336941346126

All input appreciated!

[chrislamuk]

I responded with the below to a thread on the Pro MMA discussion, but its home should really be here:

well...we all talk about tidying up the sport loads so I think some action needs to be taken, collectively. I posted some stuff on a governing body thread last year and have spoken with lots of different people to decide a 'way forward' for UK MMA. we're all very passionate about it and everyone has slightly different ideas, but that shouldn't stop the sport evolving.

I am proposing over the coming weeks to set out a sort of pro forma for how we would all like to see MMA promotions run; consider all the little issues that fighters, referees and promoters squabble about- weigh ins not being witnessed, fighters purse, difference in rules between promotions, submission of results, medical preparation and participation, hand wrapping...everything really. If we collectively adhere to an informal guideline and it becomes successful then maybe someone or an organisation, even the British Boxing Board of Control may look at UK MMA and see that we are all trying to clear up all the disparities. Furthermore, we may even have fewer reasons to sit on here and moan or acccuse a promoter about ambiguous rules/ match making etc.

I am happy collect the information and try to press this forward, but please be gentle with me and remember i'm just a fighter and spectator like the rest of you! Please PM me if you're interested in participating ie adding your thoughts about certain key points. I'm trying to structure a document which may take some time, but we've got to start somewhere. I am not attempting an individual crusade here and I wont pretend to know as much as the next person. And this certainly will not work unless fighters in particular buy into the idea.

The British Boxing Board will have nothing to do with MMA - bottom line.

The UFC have invited members of the board and Simon Block on at least 2 occasions that I can remember and he has categorically stated that he is not interested.

MMA and boxing are two completely different sports and as such must be treated as such. MMA needs to go it only rather than depend on other sports to back it up.

[boxingbrit]

A fighters union should be the priority independent of any governing body.

The GMB will cover MMA as well as boxing.

[Mad Dog]

Cage Warriors seems to be the home of UK MMA.

It makes sense to regulate yourselves to a high standard, to show BBBC that your all pulling together.

One thing id love to see is a forum dedicated to show results. IE:

Ultimate Cage Fighting 6: Undisputed

Date: Saturday 1st June
Venue: SECC, Glasgow
Referees: Herb Dean, John McCarthy
Judges: Cecil Peoples, TJ Day, Les Mills
Attendance: 3000
Sponsored by: Burger King

PRO FIGHTS
Silva bt Hendo via triangle, 3rd min, rd1.
etc

SEMI PRO FIGHTS
StPierre bt Hughes via TKO, Headkick, 4th min, rd3
etc

This would provide a data base for matchmaking, keeping track of fav fighters/shows, sponsor exposure etc.

good idea but its already been done on www.mmauniverse.com (hope you dont mind me mentioning them, there is no forum so not a competing website)

[BakedBean]

Im guessing this hasnt progressed? From the small amount of research i have done on this the sticking blocks are as follows:

1)Time
It is going to take a shit load of time to set this thing up then run it for 2 years before it can be reconised.
Travel around meeting promoters and signing them up.
2)Money
The initial legal documents, policy , structure, then getting people to actually pay into it for 2 years so it can operate before it is recognized and legislation makes it mandatory.

The first step I think is to carry out a cost excersize and find out exactly how much it all costs , then assess the time with associated costs of running and then work out how it will be funded for the first year whilst people are being signed up.

The problems will come when the governing body says or does something that one or two of the big promotions dont agree with and they then opt out of the scheme placing it in jeoperdy.

A question to any promoters reading:

How much would you be willing to pay into a body like this? £500 a show? would that cover the personal required to be present and check everything was in order?

[CraigSt.Clair]

Dude some promoters don't even pay for the cage, chances of paying for this?

[BakedBean]

Dude some promoters don't even pay for the cage, chances of paying for this?

From what I understand it may only need 3 or 4 promotions to agree.

Once they have operated for 2 years and become reckognized the others will have to follow suit although then it will be cheaper as the body will have public funding also.

[CraigSt.Clair]

They don't HAVE to follow suit, we will just get unlicensed, like boxing.

Tbh I WANT a commission as I believe it would help massively with the public perception of MMA, but it needs one of the big dogs to be backing it, such as (you will hate this lol) Dave O Donnel, problem is after the BAMMA incidents he may be off put with regards to trying to co-promote/work together

[BakedBean]

They don't HAVE to follow suit, we will just get unlicensed, like boxing.

Tbh I WANT a commission as I believe it would help massively with the public perception of MMA, but it needs one of the big dogs to be backing it, such as (you will hate this lol) Dave O Donnel, problem is after the BAMMA incidents he may be off put with regards to trying to co-promote/work together

LOL despite what people think i actually think very highly of Dave O Donnel and the stick I give him is only to help him fullfill his potential, but I do not agree with the need for one of the big dogs initially, yes it would help but I suspect that the process itself would result in unlicensed MMA being banned.

I believe that a two year process that highlights and regulates all the problems/shortfalls presently in UK MMA (blood tests, poor medical supervision/assesments the list is endless) would result in much tighter control being placed on the unlicensed form sport and likely a ban as MMA does not have the same historical significance as boxing and is viewed very differently.

And thus this would force all the good promotions who are already taking care of most of what will become the regulations will have to follow suit.

All the small shit ones will shut down.

It will change the face of the sport for ever in the UK and will take a good 5-10 years before people stop moaning about it and talking about how much better it was before but the fighters will be safer and likely better and more reliably paid.

[CraigSt.Clair]

LOL despite what people think i actually think very highly of Dave O Donnel and the stick I give him is only to help him fullfill his potential, but I do not agree with the need for one of the big dogs initially, yes it would help but I suspect that the process itself would result in unlicensed MMA being banned.

I believe that a two year process that highlights and regulates all the problems/shortfalls presently in UK MMA (blood tests, poor medical supervision/assesments the list is endless) would result in much tighter control being placed on the unlicensed form sport and likely a ban as MMA does not have the same historical significance as boxing and is viewed very differently.

And thus this would force all the good promotions who are already taking care of most of what will become the regulations will have to follow suit.

All the small shit ones will shut down.

It will change the face of the sport for ever in the UK and will take a good 5-10 years before people stop moaning about it and talking about how much better it was before but the fighters will be safer and likely better and more reliably paid.

Comedy is I agree with you on every point except the idea that we could ban unlicensed mma, not really happening, people will do whatever they like unfortunately