Mich. Comp. Laws § 338.3654a — MI Code / Chapter 338 / Act Act-403-of-2004 / Section 338.3654a
Unarmed combat event, amateur mixed martial arts, professional mixed martial arts, or professional boxing event presented by licensed promoter; requirements.
Status: in_force

Sec. 54a.

(1) A licensed promoter that presents an unarmed combat event in this state must comply with all of the following:

(a) At least 30 days before the event, submit a request for approval of the event to the department, on a form prescribed by the department. The request shall include the names the promoter is required to provide under subdivisions (d), (e), (f), and (g).

(b) Within the 5-day period preceding a professional boxing or professional mixed martial arts event, submit the fight records of each contestant to the department. "Fight records" means that term as defined by the department by rule.

(c) Pay all obligations that are related to the normal course of promoting an unarmed combat event, including, but not limited to, venue rent and judge, physician, referee, and timekeeper fees.

(d) Arrange for a physician to attend the event for purposes of subsection (2)(k), and arrange for an alternate physician to attend the event if the original physician is unable to attend the event. The promoter shall include the name of the physician and the alternate physician described in this subdivision in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(e) Arrange for an ambulance that is staffed by emergency medical technicians to be on the premises to attend the event for purposes of subsection (2)(j), and arrange for an alternate ambulance that is staffed by emergency medical technicians to be on the premises to attend the event if the original ambulance and emergency medical technicians are unable to attend the event. The promoter shall include the name of the ambulance provider and the alternate ambulance provider described in this subdivision in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(f) Arrange for a referee, judges, and a timekeeper to attend the event for purposes of subsection (2)( l ). The promoter shall include the names of the referee, judges, and timekeeper described in this subdivision in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(g) Arrange for an inspector who meets the requirements of section 33(11) to attend the event for purposes of subsection(2)( l ). The promoter shall include the name of the inspector, and any other information about the inspector that is required by the department, in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(h) Maintain records of the event for at least 1 year after the date of the scheduled event and make those records available to the department or law enforcement officials on request.

(2) A licensed promoter that is presenting an amateur mixed martial arts, professional mixed martial arts, or professional boxing event in this state shall ensure that all of the following are met in the conduct of the event:

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), each individual mixed martial arts contest consists of not more than 3 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round; and the length of each individual boxing contest is determined by the department but does not exceed 10 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round.

(b) Each individual national or international championship mixed martial arts contest consists of not more than 5 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round; and the length of each individual national or international championship boxing contest is determined by the department but does not exceed 12 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round.

(c) Each mixed martial arts contestant wears gloves, supplied by the promoter, that weigh at least 4 ounces and not more than 8 ounces; and each boxing contestant wears gloves that each weigh at least 8 ounces and not more than 16 ounces.

(d) The referee examines the gloves worn by each contestant before and during a contest. If the referee finds that a glove is misplaced, lumpy, broken, roughed, or otherwise unfit, the contestant must change the glove before the start of the contest.

(e) Before a contestant participates in a contest, he or she is weighed and placed in the appropriate weight class. The department by rule shall establish weight classes for contestants.

(f) An individual does not compete as a contestant unless he or she submits to the department a medical certification of negative results for hepatitis B and C and HIV tests that were performed on the contestant in the 180-day period that precedes the scheduled contest or event.

(g) An individual does not compete as a contestant unless he or she submits to the department the results of an ophthalmologic exam that was performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist within the 12-month period that precedes the contest or event that indicate that the contestant is medically cleared to fight. The individual shall submit the results on a form prescribed by the department.

(h) A female individual does not compete as a contestant unless she submits to the department the results of a pregnancy test that was performed on her in the 7-day period that precedes the contest or event and the results of the pregnancy test are negative.

(i) An individual is not allowed to compete as a contestant without proper medical clearance.

(j) The event does not take place or continue without an ambulance that is staffed by at least 2 emergency medical technicians on the premises of the event.

(k) The event does not take place or continue without a physician at the event.

( l ) The event does not take place or continue without an inspector and a trained and competent referee, judge, and timekeeper.

(m) An individual is not allowed to compete as a contestant if there is any reason to suspect that he or she is impaired or has used or uses performance enhancing drugs.

(n) A professional is not allowed to compete as a contestant in an amateur contest.

(o) If an individual lost a contest by a technical knockout in the 30-day period preceding the event, he or she is not allowed to compete as a contestant unless he or she submits the results of a physical examination to the department that indicate that he or she is fit to compete.

(p) The physician at the event determines the status of a contestant who is knocked out or whose contest is stopped by the referee. The physician may make recommendations concerning either of the following:

( i ) The contestant's status, including, but not limited to, a recommendation to the department that the contestant not compete for a period of time specified by the physician.

( ii ) The need for additional testing or examination of the contestant, including, but not limited to, a postfight neurological examination, which may include performing computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the contestant immediately after the contestant leaves the event venue.

(q) If a physician recommended that the contestant not compete for a period of time under subdivision (p)( i ), that contestant does not compete in another contest during that time period.

(r) If a physician recommended further neurological examination of a contestant under subdivision (p)( ii ), that contestant does not compete in another contest until those examinations are conducted, the promoter and department receive copies of the examination reports, and the reports demonstrate that the contestant is fit to compete.

(s) A contestant who sustains a severe injury or knockout in a contest is examined by a physician and is not permitted to compete in another contest until a physician certifies that the contestant is fully recovered.

(t) An individual who meets all of the following does not compete as a contestant:

( i ) He or she participated in multiple contests before the event.

( ii ) In any 90-day period, he or she was knocked out in 2 contests or 2 of his or her contests were stopped and a physician recommended neurological testing under subdivision (p) after any of those contests.

( iii ) The second knockout or stoppage described in subparagraph ( ii ) occurred in the 120-day period preceding the event.

(u) An individual who meets all of the following does not compete as a contestant:

( i ) He or she participated in multiple contests before the event.

( ii ) In any 12-month period, he or she was knocked out in 3 consecutive contests or 3 consecutive contests were stopped and a physician recommended neurological testing under subdivision (p) after any of those contests.

( iii ) The third knockout or stoppage described in subparagraph ( ii ) occurred in the 1-year period preceding the event.

(v) If an individual was not allowed to compete as a contestant in an earlier event because he or she met the requirement of subdivision (s), (t), or (u) at the time of that earlier event, he or she does not compete as a contestant unless he or she provides the promoter with proper medical clearance.

(w) Each contestant is at least 18 years of age.

(x) A contestant does not compete in more than 1 contest at an event.

(y) All of the contestants in a contest are the same gender.

(z) An individual does not participate as a contestant if he or she participated in another contest in the 7-day period preceding the event.

(aa) The results of each contest are reported to the department, on a form prescribed by the department, within 48 hours after the conclusion of the event. The report shall include any physician recommendations under subdivision (p). Within 2 business days after it receives those results, the department shall enter those results in each national contest results database selected by the department.

(bb) In a professional event, that tickets sold by contestants are not a factor in determining the amount of the purse.

(cc) If a mixed martial arts contest is a cage fight, the referee conducts a safety inspection of the cage before the contest.

History: Add. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016; Am. 2017, Act 146, Eff. Jan. 31, 2018