MMASucka

When Maximum Fighting Championships President Mark Pavelich was on MMASucka Radio to promote one of his MFC events he made a comment that didn’t sit well with some of Canada’s MMA promoters, especially Aggression Fighting Championships owner Darren Owen. Pavelich claimed that his under cards were better than most main cards in Canada.

I’m trying not to be derogatory, but my under card is 99.9% better than any other show in Canada’s main card. You go check other people’s cards in Canada and it looks like guys who flunked out of the MFC are now part of their show. It’s guys who flunked out or didn’t win titles here, and all of that stuff. That’s fine and all, but I’m building something here that is going to be long lasting. That’s why I went out and signed top guys like Mike Hackert, and Graham Spencer. There was a purpose behind that. I’m trying to build something and get into British Columbia and have those type of guys with such character on my roster to fight in B.C.

The usually mild mannered Owen, who is situated in Victoria, British Columbia, had a rebuttal.  He was so ticked off with Pavelich’s statement that he commented below the story where the quote could be found. The story was in regards to the new British Columbia Athletic Commissioner being appointed, and how Mark Pavelich was going to be opening up shop in Vancouver this year. Darren wrote the following comment:

So according to Mr. Pavelich his undercard of his last Edmonton event MFC 37 of:

• Peter Neufeld 6-3 vs. Garrett Nybakken 5-5 @155
• Allen Hope 7-10 vs. Paul Grandbois 5-5 @185
• Marcus Hicks 14-21 vs. Jared McComb 4-2 @185
• Maged Hammo 4-2 vs. Allan Munroe 5-4 @135
• Chris Treadwell 0-0 vs. Mike Treadwell 0-0 @265

Is better than the next AFC’s in Edmonton’s main card of:

• Ryan Ford 20-4 vs. Winner of Mike Hill 5-0 vs. Joel Powell 6-3 @170

Welterweight Title Fight

• Shane Campbell 8-1 vs. Jesse Ronson 12-2 @155

Lightweight Title Fight

• Victor Valimaki 17-8 vs. Dwayne Lewis 12-8 @205
• Stephen Beaumont 7-1 vs. Brandt Dewsbery 10-2 @155
• Tim Hague 14-7 vs. Kalib Starnes 12-8 @265
• Sheldon Westcott 8-1-1 vs. Thomas Ide 15-7 @185

Their main card was far inferior; he’s trying to leave Edmonton because he’s getting 700-800 people out to his shows. He can’t compete in his backyard anymore. He’s burnt too many bridges with sponsors, fighters and gyms.

Well obviously that intrigued us here at Sucka. We are always happy when promoters fuel the competitive fires, in fact, we encourage it. So we decided it was the perfect time to bring Darren Owen on MMASucka Radio to talk about his upcoming AFC 18: Mayhem card (This Sunday, May 19 at the Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria, British Columbia) Of course we had to ask him his thoughts and feelings on Mark Pavelich and the MFC. First we asked him about Pavelich claiming he will be bringing his promotion to British Columbia this year.

He’s also going to the US and many other places which he’s never actually followed through with. Also Brandon, Manitoba…remember he was going there…how did that work? What happened with that?

Touché Mr. Owen. You can’t really argue with him on that one. Pavelich has been beating the drum of moving out of Edmonton for a long time now. Yet Darren didn’t stop there. When asked about his rebuttal on MMASucka regarding Mr. Pavelich’s claim of a MFC under card being more superior than anyone else’s main card in Canada, Owen didn’t hold back on his feelings regarding that subject either.

The guy is delusional – I don’t have the names in front of me but his undercard was and no disrespect to any of the guys who fight MMA anywhere, but if you look at the undercard and the level of where those guys are at; kind of mid-tier guys, some guys up and starting. Two brothers who don’t train are fighting each other, yeah that made a lot of sense. There was some good integrity there in the sport and he is trying to say that is better? I compared apples to apples, his Edmonton card to our Edmonton card. We’ve got Ryan Ford, arguably the best fighter in Canada not signed by the UFC fighting the winner of Joel Powell a top 10 welterweight and Michael Hill. We’ve got Jesse Ronson, the number one 155er not signed in the UFC fighting Shane Campbell another 8-1 crazy Muay Thai specialist, our current 155 champ. We’ve got Stephen Beaumont 7-1 versus Brandt Dewsbery 10-2. The card is stacked – The Tim Hague vs. [Kalib] Starnes fight is on there. Sheldon Westcott is fighting on that card and Victor Valimaki vs. Dwayne Lewis. That card is probably better than any card he has ever put on. To try and say his undercard is better than that, I’d love to compare the two full cards. He had Birchak versus Benoit for his main event and have you ever heard of either one of those guys?

I think you can safely say that Darren was also correct in that statement. MMASucka.com won’t take sides, we just like poking the bears, and when we asked about his feelings on Mark Pavelich as a person, Darren Owen decided to let it all out like a sinner in confession.

His lack of respect for everybody else in Canadian MMA is what bugs me. He disrespects the fighters all the time, he disrespects some of the other pioneers who have done this longer than him and have done this with more integrity than him. He will cut anybody’s throat to make a buck in this business, he screwed over almost every one of his sponsors – he has no sponsorship retention. All the sponsors go with him and he screws them over and then they go.

The time I spent in Edmonton hearing stories from all the different fighters in Edmonton, it is ridiculous how many bridges that guy has burnt. I think that is why he’s got to get out of Edmonton; nobody wants to support him, everybody hates him. You continue to disrespect people and fight with people you’re going to run out of fighters to use, gyms to use and sponsors to have. So I hope he doesn’t come to B.C. and screw everything up over here.

For the record Mark Pavelich and the MFC has been good to us here at MMASucka.com so we won’t comment, however, it isn’t the first time we have heard similar statements from people in the Canadian MMA scene regarding the MFC President. Who knows if it is sour grapes, but you can tell that the AFC owner is not a fan of Mr. Pavelich.

The MFC is considered the #1 MMA organization in Canada. How long will that last? Lately the AFC has been putting together some great cards in different parts of the country and as they sign more and more top tier talent, they might actually give the MFC a run for their money. In Darren Owen’s mind, all it comes down to is a television deal.

They have AXS TV, other than that they don’t have anything. If they didn’t have AXS TV he’d have nothing. His live shows don’t draw anywhere near what our live shows draw. People in Canada can’t even watch the MFC live!

The MFC is shown on TSN 2 weeks later, but MMA fans want their fix as it happens, not later. Right now the AFC has some momentum and as more markets throughout Canada open up, it will be interesting to see these two promotions go head-to-head. For now you can watch the AFC shows, including AFC 18:Mayhem this Sunday night, via live stream on GFL.tv or check MMASucka.com for results.

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You can listen to Trevor on MMASucka Radio heard weekly on MMASucka.com. Follow him on Twitter @tdueckMMA

In follow up to my 24 Hours Vancouver piece this week, it appears the B.C. Athletic Commission is starting to take shape and will be open for business as of May 30, 2013. Mark Pavelich broke the news last week on MMASucka Radio that he is planning on coming to British Columbia twice this year.

There is some movement on my end. Nothing is confirmed yet but I have two prospects to make a deal. I’m just kind of calculating it very carefully. To be honest with you, I want to do fewer shows in Alberta. I love Alberta and this is where I live, but even for the remainder of the year I only want to do three shows here [Alberta] and two shows in BC. Next year I want to do three in Alberta, two in BC, and I want to do two in Ontario, which will get me back to seven shows a year and that is where I need to be.

There seems to be some growing optimism in B.C. regarding their newly formed commission. For months it was difficult to get any information on the process. Anytime MMASucka.com tried to reach out to the current Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Bill Bennett, in regards to an update on the newly formed Provincial Athletic Commission or Commissioner, we have been greeted with no response or the run-around treatment. That led to many, including myself, wondering if the entire idea had been put on the back burner.

Mark Pavelich had no problems letting people in B.C. know that the Commission takes shape at the end of this month. What it will be exactly and who will be in charge is another story.

It [Provincial Athletic Commission] is going to come in sooner than later and that is why I’m talking about it. Basically, we have been informed that we can apply for a license come May 30th, 31^st or June 1^st, somewhere around that time, so that is what we are going to do. We are going to move forward. I really think it is so imperative that we do that so that people can assess the level of MMA they are watching.

I have been told that the actual date for the new Provincial Commissioner to start his job of regulating is May 30th. Although the other details are foggy for the moment, Battlefield Fight League President Jay Golshani was able to inform Sucka about some of the other tidbits surrounding this new Commission.

If any promoter plans on doing a show after June 1st, they have to apply through this new Commissioner. I have been told it will take forty-five-days for an application to be reviewed and for them to do their due diligence like check criminal records and stuff. So if any promoter is saying they are coming to Vancouver with a pro show in June or July that is a lie. I don’t see anybody doing any professional shows in Vancouver or other parts of B.C. until late August, early September. I also know that promoters will have to drop down a $25,000 bond just to put on a show. They don’t want to make it as expensive as Ontario with all their outrageous fees, because a lot of promoters over there went out of business, that said, it will still be expensive, so anyone coming over here will have to be prepared to put up the money.

Battlefield Fight League in Vancouver has done a great job of promoting and showcasing B.C. talent throughout the Province, and although they have put on some solid professional shows in Penticton and Nanaimo, their overall goal has always been to operate pro shows in Vancouver and possibly in the suburb of Langley. However, Golshani doesn’t necessarily want to be the first promoter outside of the UFC to bring professional MMA to the Lower Mainland.

I don’t need to be the first. Look at what went on in Ontario. Everyone wanted to be first, everyone wanted to put on a show over there and establish themselves, and many haven’t returned or they went out of business. MFC was first and they couldn’t sell tickets. They did it at Casino Rama and lost money, so Pavelich said he would never go back. I have no need to be the first, I just want to go about it the right way. We have some of B.C.’s top talent and we have been involved in this community for the last few years. People know us, and when we finally do a professional show in Vancouver, we will put some money into our marketing and showcase some of our top local guys.

Another promoter in British Columbia is Darren Owen of Aggression Fighting Championships. AFC have been doing pro shows in Victoria, B.C. for years and Owen says he knows who the new Commissioner is, but according to him has been told not to reveal the mystery man’s identity. Rumor has it that the newly appointed Commissioner will be in Victoria and in attendance at AFC 18: Mayhem on May 19, 2013. For obvious reasons Darren Owen could not confirm this.

Although MMA Sucka is not big on reporting rumours, there is also another one floating around that this new Commissioner will have no experience in the fight game, and will be over seeing professional combat sports in the Province through advisors from the boxing and MMA community. If that is the case, it appears that goes against what was originally planned and communicated by former Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Ida Chong and what she told MMASucka.com almost a year ago.

We will be looking for someone who obviously has a certain skill set and knowledge of combat sports, said Chong. The person does not have to be affiliated with the current Liberal party. This is not a party related matter. What we are looking for is someone who can enforce legislation on behalf the Province.

If I had to guess the Commissioner is someone from municipal or provincial Government, but at least the puzzle pieces are starting to come together and a bigger picture is starting to take form.

This is great news for the UFC, who don’t have Vancouver on their schedule for 2013, but there is no doubt they will be looking to come back to Vancouver in 2014 and there are rumors that Victoria has been considered for a UFC on FOX Sports event.

More information is coming but it appears promoters who have first hand information on who this Commissioner is have been given the gag order not to spill the beans. Some are saying there will be an announcement this week, but with the Province in the midst of an election this week, it maybe quietly announced amongst all the noise.

MMA Sucka will update this story as more information is released. We will also be in attendance at AFC 18 in Victoria on May 19th, and will hopefully shed more light on the situation and provide a name and face for the new BC Commissioner.

B.C. will finally get the provincial commission they have been waiting for, and although this is great news for promoters, let the war of words begin as a new opportunity lay on the horizon, starting with MFC President Mark Pavelich.

I’m trying not to be derogatory, but my under card is 99.9% better than any other show in Canada’s main card. You go check other people’s cards in Canada and it looks like guys who flunked out of the MFC are now part of their show. It’s guys who flunked out or didn’t win titles here, and all of that stuff. That’s fine and all, but I’m building something here that is going to be long lasting. That’s why I went out and signed top guys like Mike Hackert, and Graham Spencer. There was a purpose behind that. I’m trying to build something and get into British Columbia and have those type of guys with such character on my roster to fight in B.C.

Let the fun begin.

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UPDATE - MMASucka.com found the following information online. The new Commissioner Act will only cover MMA and boxing with professional kickboxing and Muay Thai to added at a later date. Although there still is no name or face attached to this newly appointed Commissioner the following does answer some questions.

Athletic Commissioner Act comes into force.

The Athletic Commissioner Act will come into force effective May 30th. On that date the BC Athletic Commissioner will commence operations. Links to the Athletic Commissioner Act, the Athletic Commissioner Regulation and the Minister’s Regulation are set out below.

Additional links include an Information Sheet on transition from local athletic commissions to provincial regulation and a FAQ document.

The Athletic Commissioner Act

FAQ

Athletic Commissioner Regulation

Minister’s Athletic Commissioner Regulation

Information Sheet – Transitions from Local Athletic Commissions to BC Athletic Commissioner

Overview
The Athletic Commissioner Act (Bill 50) was passed by the B.C. Legislature on May 30, 2012. The Act provides for a BC Athletic Commissioner to regulate and supervise professional contests that feature:

• Boxing;
• Mixed martial arts;

The purpose of this initiative is to ensure the safety of participants in boxing and mixed martial arts, and to implement consistent rules, policies and procedures across the province.

This Act does not apply to amateur contests or events.

The key duties of the Commissioner would be to:

• Establish a consistent standard of qualifications and safety protocols for all participants and officials through a uniform licensing and permitting framework; and
• Ensure compliance with the Act and its regulations.

There are currently at least nine local athletic commissions throughout the province. When the Provincial Athletic Commission is established, the local commissions will no longer operate, as the provincial government will assume responsibility for professional combat sport events across B.C.

If local governments do not want such contests to take place in their communities, they would be able to prohibit these events by passing a bylaw.

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You can listen to Trevor on MMASucka Radio heard weekly on MMASucka.com. Follow him on Twitter @tdueckMMA

“The deeper thought is, the taller it becomes.” – Dejan Stojanovic

I’m not sure what that quotes means, but it sounded good and I needed something clever to write as an introduction. Let’s get ‘er done, it’s time for three rounds of opinion and facts, and don’t be confused in which is which.

Round One – GSP Boring?

Here is something people need to understand, there are many different fighting styles out there, and we have pretty much seem them all.  Some fighting styles are flashy and other styles can be more conservative, but this is mixed martial arts, so part of the fun is seeing what works for some fighters as they try to make a name for themselves in the Octagon.

GSP has his own style of wrestling and kickboxing. He is like a machine that nobody can stop and so far nobody can emulate. Can we not just sit back, relax and watch one of the best in the business go about his craft in a dominating fashion? Is it George’s fault that Nick Diaz can’t stop a take down to save his life? Yes it’s true; GSP takes guys down and tries to smash their faces in with ground and pound. He is constantly moving with ease while looking for openings. This is what a great ground game is all about. Don’t forget about George’s stand up game, because he has a super man punch and a jab that can wreck most faces.

When you see an athlete like GSP dominate over and over again, I can understand that people start to get bored; they want to see some drama. Many people believed that Nick Diaz would give St-Pierre a run for his money, but the fight turned out to be a five round ass kicking. The fight actually went how I predicted it would. To beat St-Pierre you have to bring some high end striking mixed in with some word class wrestling to the table. A GSP opponent has to make it uncomfortable for the welterweight champion, or the same movie will roll with the same predicatlbe ending. A guy like Johny Hendricks might be what the doctor ordered for those fans who can’t appreciate what we are witnessing in GSP’s sheer dominance.

Round Two – Fallon Fox (Transgender Fighter)

I have no problems with transgender people, but I do have a serious problem with transgender fighters. Fallon Fox used to be a man and is now considered a woman. She wants to be able to compete in MMA as a female and fight other women. The problem I have is that Fallon Fox is not really a woman. She may look like a woman, and she may quack like a woman, but really she is a woman in a man’s body…but with fake boobs. Again I have no problems with people doing whatever they feel will make them happy, but this transgender fighter has to understand that her chemical and physical make up is still under the “Man” category. When one is born a male or female they are created with different chemistry. For instance a male produces larger amounts of androgens and smaller amounts of estrogens. These “sex steroids” are largely responsible for the physiological differences that distinguish men from women. So it doesn’t matter that you may look like a woman, because you will most likely hit like a man. So in the end if Fallon Fox were to compete in women’s MMA, she will ultimately still be considered a dude hitting other women. Sorry but that doesn’t fly with me and there really has to be a line drawn in the sand so it protects the lady competitors. Women fighters already have to be concerned with some women doing what they can to become men!

Round Three – British Columbia Athletic Commission

I really hope I’m wrong about this. Remember when people in BC were all excited about this new provincial commission that was going to be created? The problem is, I don’t think it’s happening anymore. The current Liberal Government who has done everything in their power to not get re-elected in the upcoming Spring election, has put the whole idea of a provincial commission on the back burner. How do I know this? Okay I don’t have any real evidence but I’m reading the tea leaves and something has changed.  When this whole thing was first announced a year ago, I had no problems getting information from Ms. Ida Chong, who was at the time, the current Minister of Community Sport & Cultural Development. She had a plan and it appeared that plan was moving forward. In fact, if things moved according to the “Ida plan,” we should be currently talking about pro fights in Vancouver and the rest of the province.

Now, some guy named Minister Bennett is the head of Community Sport and Cultural Development along with other departments in his large portfolio, and he doesn’t really want to talk about a provincial commission. I have sent countless emails and phone calls to Mr. Bennett and the BC Liberals and I haven’t received one email or phone call in return. It used to be easy to get information, now there is none to be given? Why? Because all that current government is working on right now is patching up the holes in a sinking ship. A new government (New Democrats) will most likely form in British Columbia in May of 2013, so all bets are off about an athletic commission happening anytime soon. Most of British Columbia is still closed to MMA and that’s a damn shame. Unless someone in the Liberal party wants to contact me and tell me I’m wrong. I’m not holding my breath.

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You can listen to Trevor on MMASucka Radio heard weekly on MMASucka.com and Sportsnet.ca. Follow him on Twitter @tdueckMMA

It is a joyous time to be a MMA fan in British Columbia. On May 31, the Provincial Government passed Bill 50 “The Commissioner’s Act” through the provincial legislature. The Liberal Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Ida Chong, who was a big part of the creation of the bill, felt it was time to allow professional combat sports in any jurisdiction in the province of BC.

After talking to many different athletic commissions through out the province we believed that it was time to have a provincial commissioner who could oversee professional fighting like professional mixed martial arts, said Minister Chong.  A lot of people enjoy watching the UFC and we fully understand how popular the sport is. Some parts of BC are allowing professional fights while others are not. We were hearing that one city would have different rules than another city and we felt that with how popular the sport was across the province, the safety of the participants had to be paramount and the rules had to be the same across the board for everyone.

This recent move by the Liberal government is very similar to what Ontario’s provincial government did back in 2010 when they appointed Ken Hayashi as their provincial Athletic Commissioner. Since then, they have had many successful professional mixed martial arts shows, including two UFC events, one of which was held at the Rogers Center for 55,724 screaming fans.

A lot of venom has been spewed at the City of Vancouver for how they went about their business in regulating two UFC events that came through the town in June of 2010 and 2011. The City made it virtually impossible for any promotion to wave through the red tape of crazy insurance and indemnity demands during their supposed two-year “trial” period. Even the UFC had grown tired of Vancouver’s silliness. So much so the UFC Director of Canadian Operations Tom Wright through his hands up in the air and believed that it would be a long time before the UFC would ever return to Vancouver.

The disappointing thing for our sport is that after a two-year test period, they’ve had two tests… ours,  Because no other promotion could afford the indemnification or the insurance costs or the other things  or actually have the perseverance to get an event to be held there.

However, that was then and this is now. Through all of their political posturing, the City of Vancouver stood by their beliefs that the Province should be the one who regulated the fastest growing sport in the country. Many believed that was a pipe dream, but here we are, on the precipice of what many believed would be years down the road. Bill Mahood of MMABC (The governing body that looks over amateur MMA in the province) told MMASucka.com that when the bill was tabled he was pleasantly surprised.

 It was a big surprise to all of us. I was at the [Vancouver Athletic Commission] having a meeting and we talked about the possibility of a provincial commission and our feeling was the province had no desire to pursue it; and then boom out of the blue came Bill 50. I think on a professional level it’s absolutely what the sport needs. The municipal commission structure is really difficult. There’s only six cities in the province that are regulating MMA and none of them are in the Lower Mainland area except for Vancouver which only [did] the UFC. I think it’s a big step in the right direction.

So what happens now? Liberal Minister Ida Chong says that the process of selecting a commissioner is going to start immediately but first comes the research into the rules and regulations that the province will adopt for professional MMA. There is no doubt that the Province will most likely go down the same road as Ontario and adopt the rules of the State of New Jersey, which are the most widely used in North America.

This Summer we will be putting together our provincial rules and regulations when it comes to professional MMA and other combat sports, says Chong. We will be talking to other provinces, I believe there are seven provinces in Canada that we will look at like Ontario, and we will also be speaking with people in the States about some of the pitfalls that we should look out for when putting this all together. We plan on putting a lot research into this. We want what is best. We will also be doing our due diligence in looking for a Commissioner who fits our criteria and we hope to have that process going on during the Summer months too.

So who gets the job? Many believed the Liberals would bestow the job of Athletic Commissioner onto one of their own, but Minister Chong says that is not the case at all.

We will be looking for someone who obviously has a certain skill set and knowledge of combat sports, says Chong. The person does not have to be affiliated with the Liberal party. This is not a party related matter. What we are looking for is someone who can enforce legislation on behalf the Province. So if a promoter is not following the rules and regulations, which will be provincial law, that commissioner will know what to look for and enforce the law and pull that promoter’s license.

The early front-runners for this position have to be MMABC heads Mr. Bill Mahood or Paul Lazenby. I’m sure you can throw in a few others into the mix, however, both men have experience in combat sports and both men have in-depth knowledge of all the rules and regulations that will be in place.

So does this mean that it will be a big open door for all promoters to set up shop in BC? Will the UFC be coming to Victoria or Vancouver early next year? Not so fast. Ida Chong says cities throughout the province can still control who puts on events in their city limits.

The commissioner will only be overseeing the sport,  notes Chong. If a city like Vancouver wants to create bylaws to only allow certain promoters into their jurisdiction they have the right to do that. They can put whatever bylaws in place they would like. A city can still refuse to have a professional fight in their City. The province is only there to make sure that if a professional event does take place in their city that all the safety standards are being followed.

So now it’s up to your mayors to welcome professional MMA with open arms. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and all his merry men and women have wanted the Province to oversee it. They claimed that once that happened they would be ready for the fight game… but for real this time.

Now we will see if they are truly honest politicians. It’s about time Vancouver and other cities allow promotions like Maximum Fighting Championship, Battlefield Fight League, Bellator, Strikeforce and of course the UFC to put on shows in Rogers Arena, Agrodome, Pacific Coliseum and BC Place. There are too many great promoters and athletes in this province that deserve a chance.

No more games…well unless the Province regulates them. That has a nice ring to it.

-Corner Man-

• Related Article: Will Bill 50 be a boon for BC MMA? 

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For full MMA coverage and the latest news, keep it locked to MMASucka.com. You can also follow Trevor on Twitter @tdueckMMA

In a move that both shocked and delighted the MMA scene in British Columbia, the provincial government recently tabled Bill 50, which would set up a provincial athletic commission to oversee and regulate professional combat sports, taking the responsibility from the mish-mash of municipal athletic commissions currently operating.

The municipality system had been a hindrance to the growth of the sport, which each local governing body free to operate by their own set of rules and standards. The current system had led to situations like the one in North Vancouver, where city council avoided regulating MMA events by simply dissolving their athletic commission.

It also led to the years-long fiasco that has been the sport of mixed martial arts vs. the City of Vancouver. Despite approving a two-year “trial period” whereby the city could sanction MMA events, city council demanded indemnities so high that only the UFC could afford them, and even the UFC eventually decided they wouldn’t come back under the current structure.

The province currently has a regulatory body for amateur events, MMABC, which operates as a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers. The organization’s chairman, former MMA fighter and promoter Bill Mahood, was surprised but encouraged by the news:

It was a big surprise to all of us. I was at the [Vancouver Athletic Commission] having a meeting two weeks ago and we talked about the possibility of a provincial commission and our feeling was the province had no desire to pursue it; and then boom out of the blue came Bill 50. I think on a professional level it’s absolutely what the sport needs. The municipal commission structure is really difficult. There’s only six cities in the province that are regulating MMA and none of them are in the Lower Mainland area except for Vancouver which only [did] the UFC. I think it’s a big step in the right direction.

A single administration also ensures a single set of rules and guidelines, which has been sorely lacking. With a provincial commission in place, there would be no further questions as to what can be approved in Prince George vs. what can be approved in the city of Victoria, for example. This would only serve to enhance fighter safety while making it easier for promoters to hold more events, something Vancouver Athletic Commissioner Jonathan Tweedale emphasizes:

The move to a uniform province-wide regulatory framework will provide better and more consistent protection for fighters, and the consistency and predictability afforded by a uniform framework will enable promoters to promote more events across the province as compared to under today’s regulatory patchwork. A single set of referees and judges (all licensed by the Provincial Commissioner) will afford the opportunity for province-wide competency and training requirements, which is notably absent today (to the detriment of the fighters).

A provincial commission would also be responsible for any and all liability issues and indemnification thereof, which was one of the major issues the City of Vancouver had in allowing the sport. Taking that responsibility away from the City not only relieves the municipalities of the burden of liability, it also takes a major argument away from anti-MMA city councillors. Not only would UFC be able to come back to Vancouver, but the door would be open for smaller promotions such as Bellator, Maximum Fighting Championship, Aggression MMA and other smaller Canadian promotions who would no longer be frozen out by the staggering amount of insurance the City was demanding. UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner welcomed the news:

It’s something that’s absolutely we wanted. We think there should be one set of rules and regulations in BC. We’re very thrilled with that. We were hoping this was going to happen.
I don’t [see any further resistance]. Whenever we have a meeting with Vancouver City Council, in the next 3-4 weeks, we hope that they will give us the go-ahead to put a show there. The reason we’re not in Vancouver this year is because they haven’t met yet. So all the dates we could have come are gone, so instead this year we’re going to Toronto, Calgary and Montreal.

The question then becomes who would be the right person to lead a commission at the provincial level. MMA has run into problems with other provincial and state athletic commissions who have relied on people with a boxing background, possibly because of proponents of that sport’s concern of MMA usurping their spot among fans and athletes alike. The ideal candidate would not only have a background in multiple combat sports, but would also be savvy enough to deal with the regulatory and political hurdles the position would certainly entail.

The names from those “in the know” that are repeatedly suggested are Mahood and fellow MMABC director Paul Lazenby. Lazenby has an extensive background in both MMA and muay thai, as well as pro wrestling, which would presumably fall under the commission’s responsibility. Lazenby also has the advantage of being one of the more media-savvy candidates, having served as an MMA analyst on both radio and TV. When asked if he would accept such a position, Lazenby says he would listen to any offers, but defers to Mahood.

Mahood approaches the possibilities of such a position with great enthusiasm. His idea for the commission allies itself more with the structure currently in place at MMABC, with responsibility shared among a group of qualified individuals, rather than having an “athletics czar” solely responsible.

I see it as a real opportunity with the right people in place. I don’t think it’s a single person thing and that’s really important. I think to find one individual who has all of those skills would be pretty darn impossible. I think it should be a committee-type structure. Where you have a group of people that have varying skills. Where it’s administrative as well as technical from the sport end of it, as well as obviously medical and legal. I think a good group of people is probably the way to go as opposed to a single individual.

Skeptics of the idea point to the current provincial government’s sagging support among voters and question whether the idea is a quick way to convert political capital among the constituents. Others are concerned that the commission would adopt a similar posture to Vancouver City Council, which would effectively serve as a disincentive to promoters to hold events in BC. Another concern is that cities would require their own additional indemnity, effectively “double-dipping”, which is the practice in cities such as Seattle. But while the idea of a commission and its role is still taking shape, Lazenby is convinced this is a big step in the right direction.

With all the bureaucratic obstacles that MMA has already had to negotiate in this province, I can’t see where even a worst-case-scenario provincial commission could be any worse. And I’m optimistic that it would actually make our situation substantially better.

In the end, it comes down to two things: public support and revenue. The public support is clearly there, as evidenced by the thousands that paid top dollar to attend Vancouver’s two UFC offerings, as well as the groundswell of grassroots support that keeps the BC MMA scene thriving. And as Mahood astutely notes, governments at any level love nothing more than a new revenue stream.

I think they’d like the money. The big events, even the small events I ran in Vernon back in the day. We had 1100 people show up and half of those people got hotel rooms, people go out for dinner, people go for drinks afterwards. Any sort of event, a music concert or whatever, any sort of event that gets people out of the house at night is economically good for a municipality. In these tough times we can’t be turning aside this kind of revenue.

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Follow @carlinbardsley on Twitter and keep up with the latest news by following @MMASucka on Twitter and on Facebook

Courtesy of Dave Teixeira of Dave.ca

Today the British Columbia Government is introducing Legislation (Bill 50) to form an Athletic Commission to regulate combat sports Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Boxing, Kickboxing, etc. – in the Province.

After years of working with various stakeholders including Athletic Commissions, all levels of Governments, media, fans, combat sports companies, etc this is a welcomed move.

In October 2010 I said in a 24 Hours interview: “I think it’s [the formation of a Provincial Athletic Commission] going to happen within two years. Promoters want to be professional, and to do it they have to pay the taxes, fees and have protection from the government.”

This Legislation replaces local commissions with a single Provincial body; ensures participant safety is paramount; codifies and unifies the rules of the sports; and has consistency with fees, taxes, etc.

A Provincial Athletic Commission under the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development will allow large scale MMA organizations like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to work with a professionally run Commission who are not held to the moral whims of unelected staffers (*cough* City of Vancouver *cough*).

STORY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP – UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY

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Athletic Commissioner Act introduced in the House

VICTORIA – The Province is taking steps to establish a Provincial Athletic Commissioner, who would regulate and supervise professional contests such as boxing, kick-boxing and mixed martial arts.

Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Ida Chong introduced Bill 50 – Athletic Commissioner Act – in the legislature today

The proposed act would establish a consistent framework to oversee the conduct of these professional events throughout the province. This legislation would not apply to amateur contests.

The commissioner’s primary focus would be to ensure the safety of competitors and officials.

If local governments do not want such contests to take place in their communities, they would be able to prohibit these events by passing a bylaw.

Quotes:

Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development –

“The benefit of having a provincial athletic commissioner would be that every professional contest would be subject to the same rules and regulations, whether it was being held in Vancouver, Nanaimo or Vernon.”

“Since sports such as kick-boxing and mixed martial arts are very popular and are taking place without a consistent regulatory framework, it makes sense to be proactive about creating this position to increase the safety of athletes and officials, as well as to provide certainty for communities and the industry.”

Quick Facts:

• The role of the commissioner would be to oversee the conduct of professional contests such as boxing, kick-boxing and mixed martial arts throughout the province, with a key focus on the safety of competitors and officials.

• The key duties of the commissioner would be to:
  • Ensure a consistent standard of qualifications and safety protocols for all participants and officials through a uniform licensing and permitting framework.
  • Ensure compliance with the proposed act and its regulations, through the use of suspension or cancellation of licences and event permits, as well as administrative penalties.

• The Community Charter and the Vancouver Charter now provide for the establishment of local athletic commissions to authorize public events. Such athletic commissions may regulate professional boxing and similar activities, contests and exhibitions.

• At least nine B.C. municipalities currently have athletic commissions. If the Province establishes an athletic commissioner, both the Community Charter and Vancouver Charter will be amended to remove the authority to create local commissions.

Keep it locked on MMASucka.com as more news comes out about this proposed bill.

By Geordie McCredie

Battlefield Fight League put on their first ever show in Vernon, BC, this past Saturday, BFL:10 WAR. Featuring an undercard with one pro and two amateur bouts followed by a 7 pro fight main card, it was action packed from start to finish. The production value and professionalism were, as always with Battlefield, excellent.

UNDERCARD:

Fight #1, Mark Delgado vs Chris Rock (Pro, 135 lbs)

To start off the night, Mark Delgado put on an impressive display of wrestling, slamming his opponent five times before securing a north-south kimura at 3:58 of 1st round. This win is a long time coming for Mark who has been a “gym star” for quite some time and was an accomplished wrestler in high school. He seems to finally be hitting his stride in MMA, and in impressive fashion.

Fight #2, Kyle Francotti vs Kolten Higginbottom (Amateur, Heavyweight)

Francotti came into this contest in excellent shape, in stark contrast to his opponent who barely made the minimum limit for heavyweight. It showed as he immediately overpowered Higginbottom in the clinch, leading to a quick takedown and TKO victory via Ground and Pound at 1:22 of the 1st round. Higginbottom looked outclassed in both fitness and technique and should probably consider dropping to 185 or less if he wants to continue competing at this level.

Fight #3, Ryan Allen vs Bret Deacon (Amateur, 205 lbs)

Allen was able to impose his will in this grappling battle with Deacon (Who was a last minute replacement), however both fighters seemed to throw caution to the wind resulting in a seesaw of reversals on the ground. Both of them had dominant position at times during the first round but failed to exert adequate control or capitalize on their advantage. After winning the first round, Allen came out determined to land strikes standing before securing a rear bodylock on Deacon and nearly suplexed him to get him to the mat where he finished the fight via TKO at 51 seconds of the 2nd round.

MAIN CARD:

Fight #4, Marcus Aurelio vs Jose Cornejo (175 lbs Catchweight)

As always with with Axe Capoeiristas, Aurelio displayed an amazing level of athleticism, effortlessly executing a backflip when he was introduced to the crowd. Once the fight began Cornejo was obviously confused by Aurelio’s unorthodox spinning attacks and backed himself into the cage. He ate a knee the first time this happened but the second time, in by far the most spectacular moment of the night, Aurelio landed a jumping switch kick (ala Shogun) for the KO at 43 seconds of the first round.

Fight #5, Bill Fraser vs Darwin Douglas (180 lbs Catchweight)

After going back and forth with clinch wrestling, Fraser landed a big single leg slam and landed in side mount. Douglas would escape after taking some shots and go for a double leg as the round ended with Fraser attempting a guillotine as the bell sounded. In the 2nd round Fraser would land an initial takedown but Douglas wanted no part of the bottom of side mount and stood back up. Fraser then took his back standing but failed to use the position to his advantage. Fraser’s superior grappling would be too much for Douglas, however, as he would land another single leg, follow it up with ground and pound from mount, and secure the RNC with 4 seconds left in the 2nd round.

Fight 6, Nathan Swayze vs Cory Tossof ( lbs)

In the only fight that went to decision it was a battle of striking vs grappling as Tossof endlessly tried to shoot the double leg and Swayze attempted to strike. Most of the first round was spent with Swayze pressed into the cage attempting to land knees although near the end of the round, Tossof would get the takedown. Swayze tried a guillotine as the bell sounded.

In round 2 Tossof again was relentless in his attempts to secure a double leg, but Swayze was more successful in defending, standing Tossof up and landing punches. The second attempt resulted in Swayze sprawling him flat and Tossof giving up his back. Swayze would secure a body triangle and land dozens of punches before Tossof was able to turn into his guard. From there Tossof landed a couple of punches and passed the guard before the round ended.

The third round started with yet another double leg attempt from Tossof with Swayze sprawling into Tossof’s guard then standing up after some ground and pound. As Tossof was standing up Swayze landed a huge knee and Tossof spent the rest of the round wall and stalling. Swayze finished the round with a flurry of knees.

Tossof won via Split Decision, although many of those present thought Swayze had won the second and third rounds and his management filed an official complaint with the Vernon Athletic Commission, the decision is under review. Swayze and his team expressed dissatisfaction with what they saw as hometown judging.

Fight #7, Chad Bellwood vs Dave Logan (165 lbs Catchweight)

Logan entered this contest with a record of 0-9 and the result was no surprise. After a quick takedown and guillotine attempt, Bellwood landed an RNC at 1:44 of the first round.

Fight #8, Mike Hill vs Nolan Clark (170 lbs)

Hill started the fight very aggressively, landing a flurry of strikes and ending up in Clark’s guard. Clark attempted a gogoplata and seemed to have Hill in trouble at times but was unable to finish. Hill then passed the guard and when Clark attempted to stand, kneed him in the face (there was some question as to the legality of the knee but subsequent review of replays confirmed that it was in fact legal as Clark raised his hand off the mat as it was being thrown, so he did not have three points down). Hill then proceeded to punch Clark in the back of the head repeatedly. When the ref stopped the contest, there was some confusion, as it seemed to some observers, including Darcy McBride sitting ringside, that he was going to warn Hill about the illegal strikes. In fact, he had ended the fight in favor of Hill via TKO at 4:51 of the first round.

In the opinion of this reporter, the repeated illegal strikes showed a blatant disregard for the rules and terrible sportsmanship. Further, the referee showed a surprising lack of concern for the rules or fighter safety surrounding the end of this fight.

CO-MAIN EVENT:

Fight #9, Matt Dwyer vs Levi Alford (175 lbs Catchweight)

Dwyer showed that he belonged in the co-main event throwing a huge knee followed by punches for the TKO at 41 seconds of the 1st round. Alford was severely outclassed.

MAIN EVENT:

Fight #10, Matt Baker vs Marcus Vinicios (185 lbs)

A fight nearly broke out while the referee was giving the fighters his directions as the fighters shoved each other and the ref. Vinicios looked undersized for this matchup and reported being sick the day of the fight. The crowd was roaring and clearly on Baker’s side as the fight started and there was barely a quiet moment from start to finish. As the fight started, Baker tried to shoot immediately but was stymied by Vinicios and had to abandon the takedown in favor of punching Vinicios in the clinch. Vinicios failed an attempt at a guillotine but quickly stood up and executed a switch on Baker resulting in a takedown. From Baker’s guard Vinicios landed a couple of flurries of big punches before the round ended. It seemed that Vinicios had won the round based on strikes landed.

In the second round Vinicios landed a double leg and tried to stand up out of the guard to punch, as he had done in the previous round. This resulted in a leglock battle that ended with Baker taking Vinicios’ back. After struggling to secure an RNC Baker appeared frustrated and began throwing 12-6 spiking elbows to Vinicios spine followed by a big forearm strike directly to the back of the head. There was no call from the ref for these shots and Vinicios would later report concussion-like symptoms due to this strike. Baker then secured the RNC for the win at 3:46 of the 2nd round. After the fight, Vinicios expressed his desire for a rematch. Again, a combination of poor sportsmanship and reffing resulted in the potential for injury.

In conclusion, the event was a great success, very exciting and fun to watch. The promoter and fighters did an excellent job of putting on a wonderful event, however some officials with the Vernon Athletic Commission showed an unfortunate lack of professionalism and concern for fighter safety. This reflects the overall amateurish nature of commissions in the province of British Columbia, a problem that will hopefully soon be remedied.