PA Commissioner Greg Sirb: Amateur MMA in the USA is ‘a mess’
Greg Sirb, who has served as executive director of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission since 1990, has taken a look…
Greg Sirb, who has served as executive director of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission since 1990, has taken a look at the regulation of amateur MMA, and he is not happy:
The AMATEUR MMA situation in the States is a MESS
In a simple review of the records just within the past six months I have documented over (60) amateur MMA fighters who were TKO/KO by strikes yet received NO suspension – of these (60) – 37 of them had NO MMA ID – so how do we even know who they are ? – I think it would be very easy for an amateur fighter to by KO’d then just turn around the very next day and fight again using a different name – WHO would KNOW ?
There are currently 12 states where amateur MMA is legal but not regulated:
Below is a listing of the # of Bouts in each of these states:
Montana= 0 bouts
S. Dakota=0 buts
Michigan=108 bouts
Illinois=86 bouts
Alabama=11 bouts
Virginia=47 bouts
Vermont=31 bouts
N Hampshire=0 bouts
Alaska=0 bouts
Massachusetts=0 bouts
Missouri=304 bouts
Tennessee=25 bouts
New York =30 bouts (although Amateur MMA is NOT legal)
**So we have 642 amateur bouts ( just so far in 2013) that have NO State Commission regulation – which in many cases means NO medical suspensions – NO MMA ID cards – this is a SCARY SITUATION
Three possible solutions:
1. Have all states/tribes that allow Amateur MMA regulate it
2. If the Commission cannot get regulation authority than amateur MMA in that state should be banned
3. The formation of a National amateur MMA Association
Gregory P. Sirb
PA. State Athletic Commission
Harrisburg, PA. 17110
