Michigan lawmakers look to regulate amateur Mixed Martial Arts fights

A Michigan state house committee meeting this week is expected to draw dozens of Mixed Martial Arts fighters.

State Representative Harvey Santana says there are amateur Mixed Martial Arts events being staged in Michigan every weekend. And he says the way many bouts are staged puts fighters at serious risk.

Santana recalls recently watching an overmatched MMA fighter lose badly.

“Two fights later somebody doesn’t show up and who do you think comes out of the locker room to fight again…that same guy,” recalls Santana, “This time, he fights a guy with a superior record….and he gets knocked out cold in 30 seconds.”

Santana’s bill would regulate amateur MMA bouts and require a medical professional to be there just in case.

A similar bill passed the state house in the last legislative session, but died in the state senate.

Michigan already regulates professional MMA fights.