STATE SENATE TO FIGHT OVER BILL LEGALIZING MMA BOUTS

The only place more brutal than an Ultimate Fighting — also known as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) — ring is the South Carolina legislature. So it is only fitting that the Senate will debate a bill Wednesday that would lift South Carolina’s ban on the sport, which mixes kickboxing with karate, judo and jujitsu, and direct the State Athletic Commission to regulate all fighting events.

Why is this a good idea? Because we’re missing out on a boatload of cash from what has become a billion-dollar industry, duh.

“You’re having events all around you, and no revenue’s coming into your state,” said Marc Ratner, a vice president of Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has looked at Columbia as a possible venue if legalized.

Ratner said the sport is no more violent than boxing and attracts younger audiences. “It’s just a different form of combat sport,” said Ratner, a former executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Earlier this month, a UFC event in Montreal attracted more than 19,000 fans for a $5 million gross at the gate, he said. Other events are being considered in Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s a moneymaker,” said Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia, who met with Ratner and sponsored the bill at the State Athletic Commission’s request.

Sen. Larry Grooms said he added his name to the bill because his wife and sons are big fans.

“I find it strange that she can watch it on TV where they fight in other states, but she can’t watch it here,” the Bonneau Republican said. [AP]

As far as I’m concerned, if two meat heads want to get into an octagon-shaped cage, wrestle around in their skivvies and beat the living crap out of each other, then more power to them. And if we can make a few bucks off the event, good for us.

But more importantly, I think the senate needs to take this bill a bit further with an amendment that would allow MMA competitions to replace petty legislative squabbles. It’s certainly a hell of a lot less lethal than dueling.

Now, the only question is, who would be willing to take to the ring against Jakie Knotts?

(h/t Bloody Elbow)

This entry was posted on Monday, May 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pm and is filed under Legislature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.