Congress to hold hearing on MMA ahead of Ali Act expansion vote
Markwayne Mullin, retired MMA fighter, successful entrepreneur, and congressman (R) representing the 2nd District of Oklahoma has introduced H.R.5365, Federal legislation amending…
Markwayne Mullin, retired MMA fighter, successful entrepreneur, and congressman (R) representing the 2nd District of Oklahoma has introduced H.R.5365, Federal legislation amending the Ali Act, so that it expands to cover professional MMA, and even kickboxing.
The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, widely known as the Ali Act, is a federal law enacted in 2000 in response to widespread abuse of boxers by means of exploitation, rigged rankings, and rigged matches. Sen. John McCain offers a one page summary of the Ali Acthere.
The way boxing works now, a sanctioning body has a title, and a list of the top contenders. Then promoters essentially bid against each other to promote that title fight. Unfortunately, boxing sanctioning bodies only get paid for title fights, so, they make up a lot of titles. Where once boxing had eight weight divisions, with one champion in each, there are now likely over 100 world champions, maybe more – no one knows for sure.
In Mullin’s vision, the UFC would still have its champion, and Bellator would have its champion, and sometimes, if the rankings dictated it, they would have to fight each other.
“Lets say the Bellator champion and UFC champion are one and two in the rankings, they can have a title fight between each other,” he said. “Maybe it’s for both belts, or for one belt or for a super belt.”
Mullin suggests that the rankings might come from the commissions. Other changes the bill would lead to include limiting contracts to one year, promoters disclosing earning to fighters, and prohibiting promoters from managing fighters.
The Ali Act expansion is one of the central elements that Robert Maysey’s MMAFA has been working on diligently since 2009. Another is the anti-trust lawsuit underway against the UFC.
Now a private hearing will be held on December 8, with expert speakers.
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
HEARING NOTICE
The Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing on Thursday, December 8, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled Mixed Martial Arts: Issues and Perspectives. Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only. The hearing webcast will be available at http://energycommerce.house.gov/.
by Order of Chairman Burgess
If the bill comes out of the committee, it will be voted on in the house. If it passes the house, it will be voted on in the senate. If it passes in the senate, it will be sent to President Trump, who asked UFC president Dana White to speak at the Republican National Convention. The President can veto the bill, sending it back, where it will need a 2/3 majority vote in the house and senate to become law.
Further, the UFC has hired a lobbying firm to fight the Ali Act expansion.
Put simply, the bill faces a fight.