MMA regulation in Hawaii comes this week; UFC may be far behind

by MMAmania.com on Jun 30, 2009 9:12 AM EDT

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has had big bad plans on the table for some time now to stage a blockbuster outdoor event in Hawaii, smashing the record for the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) crowd to attend a show in the "Aloha State."

The K-1: "World Grand Prix Hawaii" event at Aloha Stadium in 2005, which drew 12,000 fans to watch its native son BJ Penn defeat Renzo Gracie, is the show to beat.

But now that the promotion is actually on the cusp of realizing that dream for the first time ever -- Hawaii will sanction this sport tomorrow (Wednesday, July 1) -- it may happen later rather than sooner if at all.

That’s because the current mandates require "promoters, managers, trainers and ring officials to secure licenses from the commission and pay corresponding fees," according to MMAHawaii.com. Furthermore, the report indicates that a bond "not less than $10,000 is required before a promoter gets a license" and "fighters maybe required to get insurance coverage."

Put simply, promoters will have to jump through several hoops, as well as a pay a significant amount of cash up front. It is apparently too steep a price for several local-area promoters and even perhaps the worldwide leader.

Here’s what UFC President Dana White had to say a few months back:

"We finally get some regulations and they slap this huge tax on us that’s out of control, so probably never. I guess it’s their way of saying ‘OK, we’ll sanction this, but we’ll make sure nobody ever shows up and comes and does an event here.’"

Hawaii will adhere to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which states such as Nevada, California and others on the UFC circuit follow. Whether or not we will get to see them and UFC fighters, including Hilo's own lightweight champion BJ Penn, in action someday soon on one of the islands remains to be seen.

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Would probably be awesome for the fighters; who’d complain about chillin in Hawaii for a couple weeks? My only question is, if this tax is so brutal than how come some rinky dink promotion like Icon can afford to put on shows like the Phil Baroni vs Kala Hose fight.

by O damn he got caught on Jun 30, 2009 9:23 AM EDT reply actions

Bj’s mom is at it again…doesn’t she have enough cash from owning, managing, workin the cash and stocking the shelves at her Walmart that she built with her own 2 hands???

by McArthur on Jun 30, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

why isn’t bj going to the fan expo!

by mikeybear on Jun 30, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

because he’s going swimming that day followed by a little lunch then a nap

by McArthur on Jun 30, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Hey, those rocks on the ocean floor aren’t going to carry themselves.

by PW on Jun 30, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

swimming mcarthur?!?! you don’t want to overtrain!!! jeez who do you think bj is sean sherk? i think the 2 block walk to krispy kreme is sufficient training… back on topic, forget about hawaii, weve got bigger fish to fry, like NY… thats the real money maker, i mean how many people even live on the islands? like 50k? give me a break…

by brendan on Jun 30, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

lol

by McArthur on Jun 30, 2009 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions

“he’s going swimming that day followed by a little lunch then a nap” Oh yeah, almost forgot, there is a fight coming up. I was wondering why he included swimming in his regiment.

by neeko on Jun 30, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

By the way Brendan, last time I checked we had over 1.2 million statewide….about 900K here on Oahu and the rest on all the diff. islands. And the only Krispy Kreme in the state is on Maui!! He’s a Wainaku boy, I think so he stop by Pinky’s market. Come on BJ if you readin this we still love you brah, get back in shape & do your fans right!!! Hahahha

by 96744Queen on Jul 11, 2009 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions

why isn’t bj going to the fan expo!

by mikeybear on Jun 30, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Its a shame that Hawaii is doing this. Fighting is a bigp art of Hawaiian culture…the UFC would be HUGE there!

by John G on Jun 30, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions

i know…extremely wealthy state as well…not like they need the revenue although I’m sure tourism has dropped off a bit due to the recession

by McArthur on Jun 30, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Too bad about Hawaii, whenever MMA/UFC can expand it’s a very good thing. But who cares about Penn anymore!? Kenflo is going to end him anyway!!

by JS on Jun 30, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

tough call…me thinks Diego will beat either later this year anyways

by McArthur on Jun 30, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

diego cant even finish joe daddy, or guida. kenny is finishing very good fighters, i think there is no comparision kenny is on a different level now. I dont see bj winning more than one round against him. HE WILL retire BJ.

by dtoto on Jun 30, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

think bj has become nothing but a joke in mma, sadly after kenny demolishes him, he will be forgotten. I can see him balloing to 300lbs after kenny retires him, but im sure bj will have a good excuse for his loss. he allways does.

by dtoto on Jun 30, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Get a grip on reality, dude. Kenny will not “demolish” BJ. I don’t even think Kenny is a legit #1 contender.

by JoshuaThomas on Jun 30, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions

well EVEN spoiled millionaires like the penns need a hobby

by dtoto on Jun 30, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

I think we might be screwed because there is no June 31st, tomorrow is the first of July.

by bob on Jun 30, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

Greedy politicians all standing in line with their hands out for a piece of the pie.

by Double A on Jun 30, 2009 9:38 AM EDT reply actions

How could ICON and now Kingdom MMA hold events in Hawaii but not the UFC?

by Belisarius on Jun 30, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions

For all of you asking How ICON can hold events there and the UFC can’t afford to, from the article above:

“Hawaii will sanction this sport tomorrow (Wednesday, July 1)”

So previous events did not have to pay or go through any of those hoops

by Mad A on Jun 30, 2009 3:01 PM EDT reply actions

who needs ufc in hawaii, bumfights in aala park 4 life!

by HOWaiianFapOut on Jun 30, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

I think you got it wrong… http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906280370

They revised the laws and made the taxes on the shows lower. $50,000 cap on PPV sales.

by Davey S. on Jul 1, 2009 5:37 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah this sucks that they probably won’t ever fight here. Too bad Linda Lingle our gracious governor has decided that something which could actually BRING money here to our state, i.e. workers at hotels, rest. etc which unfortunately makes up most of our economy – is a bad investment, so I know where we’ll take more money from! Schools! That way, EVERYBODY wins.
MMA is huge in Hawaii. We no more professional teams here, we got UH and BJ Penn. Dammit! How can they not realize if they make this feasible for the UFC/MMA that it could benefit us at a time when we need it most.

by 96744Queen on Jul 11, 2009 7:15 PM EDT reply actions