Tim Hague and the MMA Severity Index

The Boxing Severity Index (BSI) was first presented at the Association of Boxing Commissions convention on July 24, 2003. The BSI is modeled after the Glasgow Coma Scale used internationally for scoring trauma patients. The purpose is not to create an objective tool to disqualify boxers from competing, but rather its aim is to identify athletes who should be evaluated in a more in-depth manner prior to licensing.

An MMA Severity Index (MMASI) is being developed at the direction of California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) Commissioner Martha Shen-Urquidez and Executive Officer Andy Foster, among others. The MMA SI is being developed in collaboration with the Contact Sports Foundation. Directors of the planned non-profit CSF include:
•Jerry Friedberg: One of Southern California’s Super Lawyers for the last 10 years.
•Archie Galbraith: Education, healthcare, and technology expert.
•Lisa Tealer: Seasoned diversity and inclusion professional.
•Bas Rutten: UFC Hall of Famer.
•Arnold Urquidez: One of the founders of American martial arts.
•Anna Wang: Film producer specializing in China-foreign co-productions.

The Contact Sports Foundation has secured the services of statistician David Algranati to help refine an algorithm for the MMASI. Once developed, promoters too will receive access to the MMASI for matchmaking, to help assess the likelihood that state commissions will accept the matches they submit for approval.

A beta version proposes using the numbers below:

1. Activity
1 or 0 fights in last two years = +1

2. Recent Record
Lost 5+ in a row = +2
Lost 3 of last 4 = +1
Won 3 of last 4 = -1

3. T/KO or Technical Sub
4+ in last 2 years +3
1-3 in last 2 years +2

4. Age
44+ = +2
35+ = +1

5. Cage Age
75+ rounds = +1 (note: Amateur fight = 1 pro round)
5+ years = +1

Risk Category
+3 to +4 = High Risk Category C
+5 to +6 = High Risk Category B
+7 to +9 = High Risk Category A

Categories A, B, and C indicate the fighter needs further clinical evaluation by the commission and their medical advisory board before licensure. This scale is not meant to replace good judgment but is to be utilized as one objective tool to determine suitability to compete.

The MMASI will be presented to the membership of the Association of Boxing Commissions at the annual convention at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut next week.

The tragic death of MMA fighter turned professional boxer Tim Hague in an eight-round boxing match in June provides an opportunity to review the MMASI and reveals the need to look across combat sports records when making a determination.

Combat Sports Severity Index

1. Activity: 0
1 or 0 fights in last two years = +1

Hague was active in both MMA and boxing and “Super Boxing” in the last two years, so receives no MMASI points for lack of activity.

2. Recent Record: +1
Lost 5+ in a row = +2
Lost 3 of last 4 = +1
Won 3 of last 4 = -1

This is Hague’s latest MMA record, with three losses in his last four fights:
•August 29, 2015: Loss to Evgeny Erokhin via KO (punch) at 3:05 of Round 1 at League S-70: Russia vs. World in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
•December 18, 2015: Loss to Tony Lopez via KO (head kick and punches) at 3:24 of Round 3 at Unified MMA 25 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•March 4, 2016: Loss to Tanner Boser via KO (elbows) at 2:30 of Round 2 at Unified MMA 26 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•April 15, 2016: Win over Kalib Starnes via TKO (leg kicks) at 0:13 of Round 4 at XFFC 9: Conviction in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
•July 15, 2016: Loss to Michał Andryszak via TKO (head kick and punches) at 0:33 of Round 1 at Absolute Championship Berkut 41 in Sochi, Russia

If Hagues’ boxing record is combined in, the picture is even more stark:
•August 29, 2015: Loss to Evgeny Erokhin via KO (punch) at 3:05 of Round 1 at League S-70: Russia vs. World in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
•December 18, 2015: Loss to Tony Lopez via KO (head kick and punches) at 3:24 of Round 3 at Unified MMA 25 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•March 4, 2016: Loss to Tanner Boser via KO (elbows) at 2:30 of Round 2 at Unified MMA 26 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•April 15, 2016: Win over Kalib Starnes via TKO (leg kicks) at 0:13 of Round 4 at XFFC 9: Conviction in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
•July 15, 2016: Loss to Michał Andryszak via TKO (head kick and punches) at 0:33 of Round 1 at Absolute Championship Berkut 41 in Sochi, Russia
•September 9, 2016: BOXING Loss to Stan Surmacz Ahumadav via Unanimous Decision in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•December 12, 2016: BOXING Loss to Mladen Miljas via TKO at 2:58 of Round 1 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Hague also participated in a “Super Boxing” bout, which is standing MMA only, in a cage, with MMA gloves. This took place in Lethbridge, Alberta on April 7, 2017. Hague was knocked out in under a minute, and afterward tearfully retired, saying he did not want to put his elementary school students seeing him like this.

Tim Hague’s MMA, boxing, and “Super Boxing” record is frightening:
•August 29, 2015: Loss to Evgeny Erokhin via KO (punch) at 3:05 of Round 1 at League S-70: Russia vs. World in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
•December 18, 2015: Loss to Tony Lopez via KO (head kick and punches) at 3:24 of Round 3 at Unified MMA 25 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•March 4, 2016: Loss to Tanner Boser via KO (elbows) at 2:30 of Round 2 at Unified MMA 26 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•April 15, 2016: Win over Kalib Starnes via TKO (leg kicks) at 0:13 of Round 4 at XFFC 9: Conviction in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
•July 15, 2016: Loss to Michał Andryszak via TKO (head kick and punches) at 0:33 of Round 1 at Absolute Championship Berkut 41 in Sochi, Russia
•September 9, 2016: BOXING Loss to Stan Surmacz Ahumadav via Unanimous Decision in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•December 12, 2016: BOXING Loss to Mladen Miljas via TKO at 2:58 of Round 1 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
•April 7, 2017: SUPER BOXING Loss toJared Kilkenny via KO (punch) at 0:40 of Round 1 in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Hague was 1-7 in combat sports in the last 2 years, with 6 T/KOs, before participating in an 8 round boxing contest for a “world” title vs. the then 7-1 Adam Braidwood.
•June 16, 2017: BOXING Loss to Adam Braidwood via KO at 2:08 of Round 2 inEdmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Tim Hague died on June 18, 2017, from brain injuries sustained during this bout.

As Hague lost four of his last four fights, +1 is added to the MMASI.

3. T/KO or Technical Sub: +3
4+ in last 2 years +3
1-3 in last 2 years +2
As noted, Hague suffered T/KO losses 6 times in the past two years, adding +3 points to his MMASI.

4. Age: 0
44+ = +2
35+ = +1
Hague was born on May 9, 1983, and thus age would not factor in for another year.

5. Cage Age: +1
75+ rounds = +1 (note: Amateur fight = 1 pro round)
5+ years = +1

Hague competed in 60 rounds in MMA
His additional cage age for boxing was 7 Rounds, but boxing has a far higher age cut off for number of rounds (500+ rounds vs. 75+ rounds).
However, because Hague had been fighting professionally for more than five years, a further +1 goes towards the total.

Tim Hauge MMA Severity Index total: 6. This puts him squarely in the High-Risk category that needs further clinical evaluation by the commission.

Note, these are just the beta protocols for the MMASI. A test was run using the beta MMASI on approximately 500 active MMA fighters in California, and just 16 were identified as 6. None were higher.

Competing in sports entails a degree of danger.

Seven athletes have died from injuries sustained while competing in the Olympics – one runner, one cyclist, a boxer, one speed skater, one downhill skier, and two lugers. Auto racing has killed countless drivers, and spectators are not immune. A single accident in 1955 killed approximately 60 spectators and the driver.

28 people are believed to have died running, in marathons alone, in the USA alone, just from 2000-2009. In 2005, four runners died, in a single event, the Great North Run half marathon in the UK.

Cheerleading killed 42 between the fall of 1982 and the spring of 2007.

Twelve people are believed to have died from injuries sustained during MMA competitions from 1993 to the present. And boxing has recorded nearly 1,500 deaths since it’s inception in the 1700s.

There is no way to make sports competition completely safe. But there are ways to make them safer and the implementation of the MMASI, taking combat sports into account as well, is a reasonable and prudent step.