Gov signs bill opening Maine to MMA
Baldacci signs bill opening Maine to mixed martial arts Provisions for oversight of sport assuages governor’s skepticism While acknowledging his…
Baldacci signs bill opening Maine to mixed martial arts
Provisions for oversight of sport assuages governor’s skepticism
While acknowledging his early reservations, Gov. John Baldacci on Monday used a ceremony in his office to praise legislation that clears the way for mixed martial arts competitions in the state.
When I first learned of the legislation, I was a little skeptical, he said at a ceremonial signing of the bill in his office. I have not followed mixed martial arts as it developed into one of the most popular and fast-growing sports, but I have begun to watch it and appreciate it more for the training that people go through.
The Baldacci administration opposed the initial proposal because it placed oversight in the Department of Public Safety and lacked details to both define the sport and establish how to regulate it.
The new law that Baldacci praised Monday sets up the Mixed Martial Arts Authority of Maine and defines mixed martial arts as a combative sport for compensation that features a mixture of karate, jiujitsu, Muay Thai, tae kwon do, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, judo, and striking and grappling techniques.
The authority will establish rules to oversee the sport.
From the perspective of the state the most important part of the new law is to guarantee we have the rules and oversight to protect participants and fans, Baldacci said. Rep. Matthew Petersen, D-Rumford, sponsored the measure and said once the authority members are named, he expects there will be events in the state based on conversations with officials at Ultimate Fighting Championship, with some of them attending the ceremonial bill signing.
We’re very excited to bring an event here, hopefully in 2010, Petersen said. Sixty percent of those dollars spent at an event come from out of state.