An International Commission Would Build MMA’s Mainstream Legitimacy

By Raphael Garcia

Canada, Japan, Australia, and Abu Dhabi are locales in which the UFC has stabbed its flag into the ground as it pushes to expand mixed martial arts to every place in the world. The list will continue to grow, as the sport goes to Sweden in a few weeks and has plans to eventually hit China. With so many events planned outside of the United States, an interesting discussion has started over the regulation of these events. As the organization (and sport itself) continues to spread, the idea of an international regulatory committee to govern mixed martial arts is gaining steam.

The UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, recently made comments indicating that he would like to see an organization created that would handle the governing of events that occur outside the United States. Think of how the IOC governs the Olympics and its athletes. When MMA events are organized in the US, each state in which the sport is legal has some sort of sporting board that is charged with overseeing the event. One of their major duties is the administration of drug tests that have created controversy around many athletes over the years. Some countries, such as Canada, have independent organizations that complete these duties when major events come to their area, however every location does not have a company in place.

Japan and Brazil are examples of countries that do not have a regulatory organization in place. With that being said, we saw a major admission by a big name in the sport when Quinton “Rampage” Jackson admitted to using testosterone replacement therapy before his bout with Ryan Bader at UFC 144. Chael Sonnen, another admitted TRT user, is facing Anderson Silva in Rio on June 23rd. With his previous test failure when he last fought “The Spider,” one must wonder how the UFC will be able to ensure that this contest isn’t tainted in some form or fashion. Since these countries do not have the established personnel to regulate the events and participants, it becomes a viable threat that more drug related situations can occur. 

Had Jackson not admitted to using TRT in order to help heal from the knee injury that threatened the fight, the news may have never been known beyond his training team. That thought is a serious matter when you look at how prevalent illegal usage of performance enhancing drugs is becoming in mixed martial arts. This can potentially bring any fighter under scrutiny if they are performing on one of these overseas cards.

We have seen in the past the way the International Olympic Committee has heavily monitored its athletes and punished those who have been caught cheating; see Marion Jones. When traveling to countries that do not have a governing body for the sport, the UFC has acted as its own regulatory commission. An organization that oversaw mixed martial arts on the international level would be a great addition to the sport. Not only would it further help give the appearance of transparency along the lines of event regulation; everyone would now be held to the same set of standards across the board. Instead of having state athletic commissions looking at one another to see how they should deal with negligent athletes, this international governing body would have the first and most powerful say in the situation at hand. With so many grey areas swirling around the present rule system in mixed martial arts, an international governing body would help bring an end to all of the confusion.

As mixed martial arts continues to expand across the globe, the sport must make strides to reign in the lose strings that are currently dangling in many areas. An international governing body to regulate MMA would create a strong push towards bringing the sport together and facilitating its growth into an international powerhouse.