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To knee or not to knee? That is the question the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports and the Colorado Combative Sports Commission disagree on.
The ABC is not pleased with the Global Rule Set being used for ONE Championship’s first event in the U.S. – but the Colorado commission remains firm in its belief that it’s well within its rights.
On Tuesday, ABC president Mike Mazzulli issued a written statement to MMA Junkie in which he condemned Colorado’s approval of the non-ABC-approved ruleset for ONE Fight Night 10, which takes place Friday at 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, near Denver.
Mazzulli’s primary qualm is with the use of knees to a grounded opponent, which are illegal in the ABC-approved Unified Rules used by the UFC, Bellator and other American-based promotions.
“The Association of Boxing Commissions is very disappointed in the State of Colorado regarding the upcoming ONE Championship event on May 6, 2023,” Mazzulli said. “Colorado is stepping back decades regarding health and safety. In fact, if the executive director in Colorado has any medical documentation or studies that show ‘knees to the head of a grounded opponent is safer,’ he should share the information with the ABC.
“At first glance, it appears the State of Colorado has amended their rules simply to attract a promotion. (ONE Championship has not yet operated in the U.S. and uses ‘knees to the head of grounded opponents’ in their foreign promotions). The ABC Rules specify ‘No knees to the head of a grounded opponent’ because the organization believes a Commission’s first obligation must be to fighter safety. Rule changes should always have fighter safety at the forefront.”
He concluded, “ONE Championship is welcome to bring their promotions to the United States, but they should be using the unified rules. The liability that the State of Colorado is incurring with this rule amendment is staggering.”
Colorado explains itself
Colorado’s commission is a member of the ABC but argues it’s well within its rights to adopt additional rulesets, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies spokesperson Lee Rasizer told MMA Junkie.
“The Colorado Combative Sports Commission allows for third-party sanctioning of events provided that the sanctioning body meets requirements under Rule 1.4, including the review and approval of rules by the Director [Tony Cummings],” Lasizer wrote in a written response. “ONE Championship submitted rules that were reviewed and approved in 2021 and will be in effect for the first time for Friday’s card at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield.”
“The State of Colorado’s first concern has always been fighter safety,” Rasizer continued. “Rules have in no way been amended to attract a promotion. In fact, unlike other states, the Commission adopted the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts set forth by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) without deviation.”
Much more here:
https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023...-championship-ruleset-grounded-knees-us-debut
I say legalize knees to a downed opponent already. The hand down rule is fucking stupid.
The ABC is not pleased with the Global Rule Set being used for ONE Championship’s first event in the U.S. – but the Colorado commission remains firm in its belief that it’s well within its rights.
On Tuesday, ABC president Mike Mazzulli issued a written statement to MMA Junkie in which he condemned Colorado’s approval of the non-ABC-approved ruleset for ONE Fight Night 10, which takes place Friday at 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, near Denver.
Mazzulli’s primary qualm is with the use of knees to a grounded opponent, which are illegal in the ABC-approved Unified Rules used by the UFC, Bellator and other American-based promotions.
“The Association of Boxing Commissions is very disappointed in the State of Colorado regarding the upcoming ONE Championship event on May 6, 2023,” Mazzulli said. “Colorado is stepping back decades regarding health and safety. In fact, if the executive director in Colorado has any medical documentation or studies that show ‘knees to the head of a grounded opponent is safer,’ he should share the information with the ABC.
“At first glance, it appears the State of Colorado has amended their rules simply to attract a promotion. (ONE Championship has not yet operated in the U.S. and uses ‘knees to the head of grounded opponents’ in their foreign promotions). The ABC Rules specify ‘No knees to the head of a grounded opponent’ because the organization believes a Commission’s first obligation must be to fighter safety. Rule changes should always have fighter safety at the forefront.”
He concluded, “ONE Championship is welcome to bring their promotions to the United States, but they should be using the unified rules. The liability that the State of Colorado is incurring with this rule amendment is staggering.”
Colorado explains itself
Colorado’s commission is a member of the ABC but argues it’s well within its rights to adopt additional rulesets, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies spokesperson Lee Rasizer told MMA Junkie.
“The Colorado Combative Sports Commission allows for third-party sanctioning of events provided that the sanctioning body meets requirements under Rule 1.4, including the review and approval of rules by the Director [Tony Cummings],” Lasizer wrote in a written response. “ONE Championship submitted rules that were reviewed and approved in 2021 and will be in effect for the first time for Friday’s card at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield.”
“The State of Colorado’s first concern has always been fighter safety,” Rasizer continued. “Rules have in no way been amended to attract a promotion. In fact, unlike other states, the Commission adopted the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts set forth by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) without deviation.”
Much more here:
https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023...-championship-ruleset-grounded-knees-us-debut
I say legalize knees to a downed opponent already. The hand down rule is fucking stupid.
