UK MMA Governing Body

Project Brief for UK MMA Governing Body – Gary Cross / G4 MMA Fighters

UK MMA needs a Governing Body just like boxing or any of the Martial Arts. Fighters are in danger of becoming infected with HIV, AIDs or strains of Hepatitis. The problem with a Board of Control is that unless everyone from the UK industry has a chance to elect the Board, it will never be taken seriously. Rosi Sexton has suggested that UK MMA self regulates as opposed to a self appointed business attempts to sanction our sport. In order for the self regulation to formulate there are a number of tasks that need to be considered, and agreed. This would involve eventually creating a UK MMA Association with Stewards, Director / Administration, Representatives, Non Directors, Area Councils, Inspectors and Promoters.

Here is a list of tasks to be considered (not exhaustive):

a)      Decide upon the best platform to unite the UK MMA community in order to communicate the mandate effectively – most likely Facebook (Rosi has formed the group “The people’s MMA Governing Body”

b)      Communicate this brief in order to build the interim membership

c)       Propose volunteer positions for a steering group with the following roles to get the Association established:

1.       Chairperson

2.       Secretary

3.       Treasurer (optional)

4.       MMA Doctor

5.       Officials representative

6.       Fighters representative

7.       Promoters representative

8.       Risk Manager (optional)

d)      Using the interim platform, elect the people to the steering group

e)      The steering group formulate the mandate with a clear set of objectives and timeframe (and budget) with the proposed organisational structure.

f)       Conduct a feasibility study across the platform and collect feedback from everyone

g)      Prepare the Mandate and Objectives for the Governing Body

h)      Finalise the mandate, form the Association with a Name, Logo and Brand

i)        Initiate membership to the association to build the true membership

j)        Elect the operational Board of Control

k)      Establish an organisational chart with the following:

1.       Directors / Non Executives / Advisors

2.       Membership – licensing, Affiliations for clubs, promoters, fighters, managers and coaches

3.       Health & Safety – venues, equipment

4.       Disciplinary Committee

5.       Rules & Regulations

6.       Ranking system  - Titles & Belts

7.       Medical Board

8.       Official & Referees

Commence the transition from the interim steering group to the operational association

Communications will play a massive part of the project with roadshows to attract promoters, registration of clubs and fighters, managers, venue owners, medical and regulatory people to the Association. The first phase of the project might take 12 months to get the Board of Control in place and the associated departments.

The Association will provide governance across the sport in Britain with disciplinary, medical, inspection, experts and management departments as part of the Governing Board of Control. These departments will create a ranking system, unified set of rules, regulations for promoters and venue owners, structure for young fighters to progress their career in MMA, with a path for successful fighters to become National and World champions.

As an aside, if the Ministry of Sport (Sport England) were to recognise the UK MMA Association as a regulated sport as an Official Association and introduced licenses for clubs, fighters and promoters, the chance of getting MMA into the Commonwealth and Olympic games increases dramatically which has the benefit of gaining recognition and major sponsorship across the sport.

The values of the Association must be founded on health & safety, professionalism, ethics, presence in the world marketplace, knowledge of MMA, project management experience and the determination to get the job done.

The benefits will be:

a)      Safety of the Fighters with blood, eye, brain scans etc

b)      Investment from corporate sponsors

c)       Control of the sport via official databases

d)      Disciplinary measures in place

e)      A self elected association that works for everyone involved

f)       Representation for everyone involved

g)      Recognised training for officials, managers, promoters

h)      Increased advertising opportunities for the media

i)        Larger events due to sponsorship

j)        Increased purses for the fighters as attendances increase

k)      Sponsorship for the fighters

l)        Governance with legal, medical and ethical regulations

m)    Regular inspections of events and venues

n)      Increased medical supervision of fighters

o)      Long term careers for young MMA athletes

p)      Inclusion of MMA in the Olympics (one day)

q)      MMA as a national and global sport