Outside Source
On Monday, the promotion encountered a major regulatory snafu when the District of Columbia Combat Sports Commission weighed in on the fight card. As the UFC White House: Freedom 250 event is to be held on federal land and not under a state’s jurisdiction, the UFC can technically serve as its own commission in running it—a la the upcoming UFC Macau show, for example.
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The drama all came down to a $100 permit that at the time the UFC was refusing to acquire. The D.C. commission and its head, Andrew Huff, stated that any fight card run without this permit would be considered unsanctioned and may not be eligible for records. Huff’s overarching concern is that any other event would receive this same permit that would allow the commission to be involved in the regulatory process, including the use of commission medical staff.
This came to a close on Thursday, when the promotion announced alongside the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) that the UFC would use this regulatory entity to serve as an independent third party to operate the card. Under this agreement, the Las Vegas-based organization will work with the ABC to select the officiating crew of referees, judges and the like. Additionally, it will collaborate with the ABC for the medical examinations of the athletes before, during and after the event.
Dotting the T’s and Crossing the I’s
The President of the ABC, Timothy Shipman, expressed relief that the UFC was able to come to terms with a sanctioning body to provide independent oversight over this historic show. In a statement, he revealed some of what the ABC would be involved in regarding Freedom 250.
“As the event is being held on federal property, there is no requirement for the UFC to select a state athletic commission to oversee the event,” Shipman wrote. “The UFC expresses its commitment to ensuring that this event is among the most thoroughly regulated in the history of the sport and has requested that the ABC serve as an independent third party to assist in assembling the most qualified group of judges, referees, and inspectors in the world. The UFC has further confirmed that it will abide by all applicable regulatory requirements in support of this event, including all required medical examinations, pre-bout and post-bout physicals, and athlete safety protocols. All bouts on this card are officially licensed and sanctioned contests.”
The ABC will work alongside the UFC’s Chief Business Officer, Hunter Campbell, as well as former regulator and currently Senior Vice President of the UFC’s Government and Regulatory Affairs department, Marc Ratner. The latter also put out a brief statement signaling his involvement in the matters.
“UFC is the gold standard for athlete health and safety in combat sports—bar none,” Ratner wrote, “and we will absolutely bring those same industry leading standards to this incredible, unique event at the White House. We thank the Association of Boxing Commissions for lending their expertise to ensure the highest standards of competitive integrity and professional governance to a truly unprecedented stage for MMA.”
The UFC White House event will go down on June 14 with a pair of championships atop the six-fight billing. The men in the marquee will fight to unify the lightweight strap, as champ Ilia Topuria battles interim beltholder Justin Gaethje. In the co-main attraction, Alex Pereira moves up to heavyweight in search of his third divisional strap, and he will face ex-interim titlist Ciryl Gane. The remainder of the lineup will see Sean O’Malley take on Aiemann Zahabi at bantamweight; Mauricio Ruffy will throw down with Michael Chandler in a 155-pound showcase affair; Bo Nickal and Kyle Daukaus meet at middleweight; the event will kick off with a featherweight banger when Diego Lopes faces Steve Garcia.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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