AWord(or2)FromDaFlyingCockoroach

Hafa Adai and Greetings All,

As some of you may already know, Rep.Stanley Torres is taking all the steps necessary to pass House Bill 16-26 which aims to produce an Athletic Commission for the regulation of Mixed Martial Arts in the CNMI. He was quoted as saying “MMA is very violent and too brutal” and that it’s nothing but a “Blood Sport”. He also mentioned that we are operating our shows/events in an “unorganized manner” and that it needs to be regulated.

Mind you, between the 2 local promoters, collectively we have had 20 SUCCESSFUL MMA events with another  one coming up on the 27Th of this month.This doesn’t include the other 4 MMA events that was held here in Saipan and 1 in Tinian and 1 in Rota by outside promoters in 2004,2005 and 2006.There were no serious injuries in all 26 MMA events held.Each event had anywhere form 8-18 matches per show.

Fighters from the Saipan,Tinian,Rota, Guam, Hawaii, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, the US and Japan have competed in MMA here in the CNMI and believe me, it takes respectable, experienced promoters who have global connections to successfully put on an event such as the ones held in recent years.

I truly believe that it is Rep. Stanley Torres’s ultimate intent to bring down the sport of MMA altogether and by initiating this commission, it solidifies that chance. I am not against a commission, especially when it involves fighter safety. If the terms are for the best interest of the fighters,competitors and and of course the promoters who are putting on these events for everyone’s viewing pleasure, then I support regulation to a certain extent. But you are going to have to ask yourselves- Who will run the commission? What should their credentials be? Who decides who will be appointed ? I know the Governor will definitely appoint the Doctors and other members of the board but truthfully you would need experienced people to run the commission.

What I am against are the outrageous fees and mandatory percentage charges that will be implemented and that will be enforced by the commission for us to pay. Rep.Torres copied the Nevada State Athletic Commissions guideline VERBATIM and wants to use it here in the CNMI. According to the regulations of the commission, we would have to pay a $10,000.00 bonding fee per fighter, pay a high percentage fee on all ticket sales and gross sales per event, pay a fee for 3(three) “Highly Qualified” Doctors per event, and pay all the requirements for fighters’ mandatory health screening- CAT Scan, MRI Scan of the brain, Chest X-Rays, Blood testing and etc…..the list goes on and on…Just paying SS tax for employees and BGRTs is tough enough. (Oh and the service fee the CPA charges).

It wouldn’t be so bad if Saipan or Tinian or even Rota had stadiums that fit 20,000+ fans and if we were selling out the house every time. If this were the case, as it is in Nevada and the States and other parts of the world, then the fees would probably be attainable.The reality is, is that commissions around the world are facing litigation from promotional companies all the time because of how they are ran.

FYI- In every MMA event held here in the CNMI, many months of planning and organizing takes place prior to each event. Fighters’ safety is our priority.We insure the presence of a Doctor and ambulance at each event and we hire highly qualified and experienced referees to control each bout. International MMA rules are enforced and fighters are educated in all the do’s and don’ts prior and during each contest. The referees and doctors can stop the match at any time they feel the competitor’s lively hood is at risk…even if the competitor thinks he is OK. Combatants are matched by weight and EVERY PARTICIPANT signs a waiver form prior to competing. Good sportsmanship is mandatory and more friends are made through fighting in MMA than in any other sport. In fact, it is through fighting that goodwill and friendship are created. Events such as MMA is their outlets.

I think that there is some regulation taking place after all with all these requirements, don’t you? Statistically, MMA is far more safer than boxing as far as deaths and serious injuries are concerned.

If you have the time, please feel free to comment on this issue. Every opinion is welcomed and encouraged. I would like to hear everyone’s take on this and what positives and negatives may come out of the whole thing. Thank you for reading!

LONG LIVE THE ISLAND WARRIORS!! AND LONG LIVE MMA!!