Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), currently one of the fastest-growing sports in
the world, was not always accepted by American viewers or lawmakers. During the
1990s, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) took MMA into its first
phase of mainstream acceptance, the sport was treated as “barbaric” and “human
cockfighting.” For many years, MMA fought for legalization in the United
States, reflecting the struggles of athletic commissions, politicians and
promoters trying to legitimize a sport based on raw competition, and derived
from various martial arts. MMA is now a billion-dollar industry, accepted in
all 50 states, but getting to that success story was anything but easy.
Early Days: Controversy and Outlaw Status
When the UFC debuted in 1993, the sport’s appeal was its
“no-holds-barred” nature. Fighters from different martial arts styles—boxing,
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, Muay Thai and karate—fought with the benefit of
minimal rules. There were no weight classes, few safety regulations, and
virtually no oversight. Early in UFC history, the tournaments were marketed as
the search to find “the ultimate fighter,” while others referred to them as a
galvanizing and cruel combat or even a “carnival sideshow.” The national
perception of the UFC was not ideal.
Senator John McCain was one of the leading voices against the sport and
famously called MMA “human cockfighting” as he led a national campaign to have
it banned. His statements and prominence were impactful: pay-per-view
distributors stopped distributing UFC events, and numerous state athletic
commissions banned MMA outright. By the late 1990s, MMA was illegal in most
states, primarily limited to underground events and the promotional shows at
smaller venues. The future of MMA appeared unsure.
Reorganization and Regulation: Legitimizing Our Sport
The era of legalization began for Mixed Martial Arts in the early 2000s
when new ownership and a new leadership team decided it was time to clean up
the image of the sport. In 2001, Zuffa LLC, led by partners Lorenzo and Frank
Fertitta and Dana White, purchased the Ultimate Fighting Championship. This new
ownership realized the only way to operate successfully was to have rules and a
regulatory body overseeing the sport.
Zuffa consulted with state athletic commissions to create a unique set
of rules in an effort to standardise the regulations to ensure fighter safety
and sportsmanship. Approved as the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, it
included things like weight classes, time limits for rounds, gloves, and banned
techniques. Additionally, medical exams, drug testing, and referees were
introduced as part of the regulatory environment to ensure fighters competed
under fair and safe circumstances.
As an example, New Jersey was one of the first to officially promote and
sanction MMA using the unified rules as far back as 2000. Once the other states realised that MMA could
be safe and profitable with regulatory oversight, they followed suit.
The UFC for Public Legitimacy
Once MMA began to resemble a legitimate sport rather than a street
fight, public perception began to change. The UFC, with Dana White's
promotional aggressiveness and the financial backing of the Fertitta brothers,
heavily invested in promoting fighters as athletes, not as entertainers to be
abused. The first season of the reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter,"
aired on Spike TV in 2005 and was a shift in narrative for MMA. It introduced
millions of viewers to the discipline of the sport, the training, and the intrigue
of the emotional aspect of competition.
In 2005, there was a pivotal moment that was credited for establishing
the transition of MMA into the mainstream with the final fight between Forrest
Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. Fans were able to observe the fighting as a
demonstration of skill, endurance, and heart and not simply violence for
violence's sake. The framing of the fight transitioned from "fighting to
survive" to "fighting to compete."
As television ratings and pay-per-view buys reached historic highs,
states began to reconsider their bans. Legislation could not ignore the extent
to which public demand and economic demand would enhance legitimacy for MMA in
the sports community.
All States Legalized
By the mid-2010s, Mixed Martial Arts was legalized in almost every state
in the U.S., except for one primary outlier- New York. After years of lobbying
from the UFC, as well as MMA athletes and fans, the state of New York continued
to keep professional MMA illegal, especially given the state's business and
economic potential for the UFC and MMA, as one of the most popular sports
organizations, added to the end of the long campaign [to legalize MMA] once
they were finally legalized.
New York additionally maintained that it was still a safety issue and an
issue of exposing our youth to violence. Finally, in March 2016, the New York
State Assembly voted to legalise professional MMA. In November 2016, UFC 205
was held at New York's Madison Square Garden and quickly became one of the most
successful fight cards in MMA and combat sports history. For MMA, it signified
the end of the national campaign by the sport to achieve acceptance as a
legitimate sport.
Key Factors Leading to Legalisation
Multiple factors led to the eventual legalisation of MMA throughout the
United States:
Regulation and Safety Standards: By implementing the Unified Rules and
medical standards, legislators and the public were reassured that MMA is not a
reckless bloodsport.
Economic Impact: Revenue generated through tourism, ticket sales, and
broadcasting of an MMA event can result in millions of dollars for the local
economy, and states capitalized on proposed sanctions.
Media and Cultural Influence: As social media and streaming services
gained popularity, MMA fighters became worldwide celebrities. Fighters like
Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and Jon Jones brought mainstream visibility and legitimacy
to MMA.
Emergence of a Respected Sport: With the opening of MMA gyms across the
United States, training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and Muay Thai became
mainstream. MMA began to be viewed as an established sport with athletic
competition, capturing the interest of a wide-ranging demographic.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite the green light of MMA to operate legally in the United States,
fighters are still grappling with numerous challenges: pay, health concerns,
and care in the years after competition. Critics contend that the UFC boasted
such a powerful presence that fighter bargaining power was weak, and advocates
countered their position by claiming the sport was never as regulated or as
safe as it currently is.
Additionally, the rise in amateur MMA and regional promotions provides
opportunities and challenges for regulation itself—the smallest organizing
groups, in some situations, must meet the same safety expectations as major
promoters.
Conclusion
The tale of MMA and its effort to be legalized in the U.S. is a story of
grit, reform, and evolution. From its illicit days to its emergence as a widely
recognised and enjoyed sport, MMA has fought (literally and metaphorically) for
inclusion and legitimacy. By engaging with athletic commissions, implementing
the Unified Rules (law in some places), and with the force of dedicated
advocates, the sport made an impressive leap from "human
cockfighting" to its current state of postal state of regulation, sparking
interest on a national or global scale.
Today, MMA thrives as one of the U.S. ' most-watched and fastest-growing
sports. Legalization in all 50 states is a milestone benefiting many fans and
fighters, as sports can involve evolving legislation, education, and
considerable tenacity.