Pete Spratt explains support for MMAFA

While most mainstream newspapers ignored mixed martial arts, and to this day only a handful understand it at the institutional level, the Sacramento Bee is a sterling exception. For over a decade they have intelligently illuminated different aspects of our sport. Most recently Alex Daugherty interviewed Pete Spratt about his support of the MMAFA. The group, founded by attorney Robert Maysey in 2009, seeks the explicit legal extension of Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, widely known as the Ali Act, to MMA

Spratt began fighting in 1999, got into the UFC in 2002, and retired with a record of 25-23. He was once offered 8/8 to fight then UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, who was making 50/50. Spratt countered that he wanted $25,000 to fight; that was rejected and he never got another title shot.

I gave the politically correct answer that I wasn’t ready to fight a wrestler of that caliber, said Spratt. The real reason was because of that money. There’s no reason why they couldn’t compensate me $25,000 for a fight.

The Ali Act was enacted in 2000 in response to widespread abuse of boxers by means of exploitation, rigged rankings, and rigged matches. Sen. John McCain offers a one page summary here. The extension to MMA would, in theory, create a situation where an independent body (ideally one, in practice in boxing they are legion) names the champion and promotions have to bid for the right to promote a title fight.

In a dark vision of the Ali act applied to MMA, there would be five recognized lightweight champions, another half dozen lesser recognized lightweight champions, plus multiple interim champions, intercontinental champions, super lightweight champions, light lightweight champions, interim light lightweight continental champions, and more. Sanctioning bodies only get paid for title fights, so they make up a lot of titles. In another vision of the sport, Conor McGregor’s next fight would, in essence, be bid upon by the UFC, Bellator, ONE Championship, ACB, etc, and he would make more. Further, in this vision, the revenue would trickle down, too.

The first guy I fought was a guy named Keith Sutton and I knocked him out in the first round,” said Spratt. “There was no training camp and I think I made $100 in my first fight.

In my career, if there was an open market then I could probably easily make six-figures. Boxers make way more on average than mixed martial arts fighters because the UFC controls the market because that is the pinnacle of your career.

Given that UFC president Dana White spoke in now president-elect Donald Trump’s favor at the Republican convention, and that they speak on the phone twice a month, no one would be shocked if the Ali Act amendment got vetoed.

If the bill comes out of the committee, it will be voted on in the house. If it passes the house, it will be voted on in the senate. If it passes in the senate, it will be sent to President Trump. The President can veto the bill, sending it back, where it will need a 2/3 majority vote in the house and senate to become law. The UFC has hired a lobbying firm to fight the Ali Act expansion. Put simply, the bill faces a fight, but Couture is confident the bill will pass in 2017.

Couture conceded White may try to play that buddy card. However, both he and Pratt were dismissive of White’s influence. Couture, who supports Trump, said the president-elect understands fighters and is friends with UFC Hall of Famer and UFC critic Tito Ortiz, who was a compelling Celebrity Apprentice contestant.

Trump is a businessman and I think he’ll be fair and see the things that have been happening with MMA as a whole and he’ll sign off on the bill eventually, said Spratt.