Indiana’s MMA regulation will shake things up

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By Dann Stupp, Contributing Writer 9:06 PM Sunday, January 10, 2010

Mixed-martial-arts regulation is now underway in the state of Indiana, which recently adopted legislation to oversee the quickly growing sport. But a few hiccups have already developed.

Formerly limited to overseeing boxing shows, the recently renamed Indiana Athletic Commission is now tasked with assuring Indiana venues, including the southern casinos that draw heavily from parts of Ohio, provide safe conditions and proper medical oversight for MMA shows.

Nearly 200 events took place in Indiana in 2009, but that number is expected to drop significantly this year due to the strict standards of the state oversight (and due to a bit of market saturation).

The commission didn’t take long to make its presence known. MMA veteran Gary Goodridge, who was expected to headline a Jan. 9 MMA Big Show event in Belterra, Ind., was pulled from the card a week before the bout. Without permission from the organization, the veteran fighter took a bout in Japan on Dec. 31 and suffered a knockout loss.

Commission officials denied Goodridge a license — and rightfully so — because of the KO, and MMA Big Show promoter Jason Appleton ultimately pulled the two pro bouts from the card and made it an amateur-only show. The loss of Goodridge – coupled with some paperwork issues – forced the change.

Appleton called it part of the growing pains of regulation.

“With a very small staff of three for an entire state and no state funding for (the athletic commission’s) efforts, it’s created more new issues than problems solved,” Appleton stated about the new regulation. “As a promoter who has put on some of the best events in the region for three years, I’ve never dealt with something quite like this.”

It’ll take time for Indiana to find its stride just as it did for other states. However, a trip from a major organization such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship — which now employs the hands-on Marc Ratner, a former top regulator from the Nevada State Athletic Commission — could help the commission iron out the wrinkles. UFC officials have expressed interest in an Indianapolis show but don’t currently have one planned for the first part of the year.

So what does Indiana’s new regulation mean for Ohio’s MMA scene? Probably not much.

Aside from competition for major shows, which happen only rarely per region, Indiana should actually see a decrease in the number of shows hosted in the state, and they usual draw very local crowds anyway.

Ohio, which regulates more MMA shows than any other U.S. state athletic commission, will continue with its top dog status even with the new pup on the block.

Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, voted best media outlet in the 2008 and 2009 World MMA Awards. For the latest mixed-martial-arts news, go to

mmajunkie.com.

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