Bill seeks Maine's recognition, regulation of mixed martial arts

One of the world's top mixed martial arts fighters asked lawmakers to support regulating the full-contact combat sport in Maine, as dozens of other states already have done.

Marcus Davis of Bangor, who claims the world's No. 8 ranking in the 170-pound weight class, was among several to back Rep. John Tuttle's bill to license and regulate these events.

Tuttle's bill defines mixed martial arts as a no-holds-barred, full-contact combat sport that includes a mixture of boxing, wrestling and martial arts traditions, including striking and grappling techniques.

Under the bill, competition would be licensed and regulated by the state Public Safety Department, but state police Deputy Chief Robert Williams told the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee he wants no part of it.

Known as "the Irish Hand Grenade" for his fights in Dublin, London and other foreign cities, Davis touted the advantages of licensing the sport by citing his own experiences.

He said he abandoned professional boxing almost penniless and found financial success in mixed martial arts. He began training in martial arts as an 8-year-old and later trained for boxing, he said.

"Mixed martial arts has been able to give to me what nothing else has been able to give to me as far as being a professional fighter," said Davis, a father of four whose grandfather was a pro boxer. Davis, who is affiliated with Ultimate Fighting Championship, the major league of the sport, owns training gyms in Brewer and Biddeford.

Williams, however, called the activity "bloody, brutal and potentially deadly." He asked the committee to shun "the type of vicious events that are contemplated in the bill."

Williams, saying "I appear to be the underdog today" as the only opponent to speak, added that the department has no expertise in regulating sports, and raised concern that the bill includes no protections for children or criteria for referees.

Ultimate Fighting Championship's reputation was badly bruised in the 1990s when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called it "human cockfighting" and called for it to be banned. UFC events now pack arenas, are broadcast on pay-per-view TV and appear on cable networks such as Spike TV. Davis said he has fought before a crowd of 10,000 in Ireland.

The UFC is now trying to fight off federal legislation that seeks to create a commission to regulate boxing, fearing mixed martial arts too would be covered. UFC says the sport's now a mainstream event that's sanctioned and regulated by athletic commissions in 37 states.

One of them, Missouri, OKd the sport in 2007 without a legislative free-for-all. New Jersey also gave its approval after unified rules for the sport were adopted in 2000 that added judges, rounds, time limits and weight classes. The Pennsylvania state athletic commission's five-panel board sanctioned MMA after outlawing it in the mid-'90s.

In Maine, Tuttle, D-Sanford, called mixed martial arts "the fastest growing sport in the nation" and said two of the state's cities — Bangor and Portland — could serve as venues for the sport if it becomes recognized.

A co-sponsor, Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, said "there's an opportunity, there's an interest, there's a fan base" for the sport, but no "guiding structure to let this happen in Maine."

The committee did not vote on the bill and will review it again on March 27.