Nov 14, 2009 Fight Card

CageFX Rumble in the Jungle Fight Card

CageFX Rumble in the Jungle II November 14, 2009

Cage Fighting Xtreme presents Rumble in the Jungle II November 14, 2009


As the most exciting promotion in New England, CFX continues to raise the bar for East Coast mixed martial arts and grow at an unparalleled rate! With a warm welcome to all local and national media we encourage everyone to come and witness the area’s best MMA fighters take to the cage on November 14th at the JunglePlex (8 Natalie Way, Plymouth, MA). If you’ve never been to CFX at the JunglePlex, you owe it to yourself to come see some raw, uncut, cage fighting at its finest LIVE. The JunglePlex is spacious, comfortable, fan and fighter friendly. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, and with a card this stacked—you’ll be glad you have an unobstructed view of all the hardcore MMA action. Add in access to the hottest gear from local vendors, awesome food and drinks (not just day old pizza like at some shows), and the best production values in New England and you have a night you cannot miss! There is no sporting experience like seeing MMA fights live and no one does it better than Cage Fighting Xtreme.
There are also several special guests scheduled for attendance including: Wrestler Lou “The Falcon” Velazquez, pro body builder Jack London, actor Christopher Gambino, and many more...
Tickets are now on sale to the public. The last show at the JunglePlex sold out! Get your tickets early. Visit cagefx.com for ticket information.
Now, onto the fights (card subject to change):
Lee Beane vs. Cody Lightfoot
Lee Beane is an undefeated monster and CFX Heavyweight Champion. If you’ve seen Lee fight you know what he brings to the table: New England Champion level wrestling, a granite chin, and a top game that suffocates even the most adept Jiu Jitsu fighters. If Beane gets a dominate position he is nearly impossible to move and with 265+ lbs of force behind every shot—he can end fights very quickly. Lee will look to continue his success against Cody Lightfoot. Cody is no stepping stone though. With an impressive 3-1 record Lightfoot brings good wrestling, heavy hands, and tons of heart. Lightfoot is an exciting and technical fighter who only moves forward and is constantly looking to end the fight. This will be Beane’s toughest test yet.

Josh Diekmann vs. Christian Morecraft
What can be said about Diekmann that hasn’t already been said? He is one of the true veterans of New England MMA, with a career spanning over 6 years and a dozen fights. He holds victories over UFC veterans and has competed in the WEC. Diekmann is well rounded and ruthlessly aggressive. His last fight was a brutal TKO stoppage of top ranked David Woodby barely a minute into the first round. Yet, the man standing before him on November 14th is the younger, bigger, and undefeated Christian Morecraft. Morecraft is 3-0 with all his fights ending by TKO or submission. This fight will not go the judges so make sure to get a good seat and don’t blink!!!

Justin Hammerstrom vs. Rigo Dominicci
This is a classic striker vs. grappler contest. Hammerstrom will be looking to use his slick Jiu Jitsu skills while Rigo will attempt to use his high level boxing to secure a win. Both guys are hungry and their last meeting, a decision win for Dominicci, left fans wanting one more round. Hammerstrom gets a chance for revenge November 14th.


Damien Trites vs. Giovanni Pagan
Damien “The Omen” Trites has had a great year. He came out on the losing end of a decision in a potential fight of the year performance against top ranked John Benoit and is looking to rebound against dangerous Dog Pound fighter Giovanni Pagan. But Pagan’s heavy hands and aggressive wrestling make him a tough assignment for anyone at 165 lbs.

Mike Mulligan vs. Eric Foley
Another quality heavyweight contest, these two met in a barn burner this past May that saw South Shore Sport Fighting’s Eric Foley win with a late 3rd round submission via an Americana. Mulligan, fighting out of Cape Cod Fighting Alliance, has been hard at work with UFC veteran Pat Shultz preparing for this much anticipated rematch. CFX’s Heavyweight Division is the deepest in the Northeast and both guys are looking to impress and move up the ladder. Full Fight card to follow

Meet the CageFX Xtreme Team!

Listen Live

Listen line to the Booth 1460AM.  CageFX's Heavy Weight Champ Lee Beane and Steve Dunn.
http://radiotime.com/ProgramDetails.aspx?ProgramId=22309&StationId=27406

Fight card Results

Stay tuned for fight results from September 12, 2009 Mayhem in Mansfield.

Spaz from WAAF & Glen "Big Baby" Davis join CageFX Mayhem in Mansfield!

Congratulations to all the CageFX fighters from the September 12th Mayhem in Mansfield show. 

Mayhem in Mansfield Fight Card

September 12, 2009 Mayhem in Mansfield Weigh-in location

Heavy Weights

Heavy Weight Title fight!

September 12, 2009

Lee Beane VS Jason Dolloff
Josh Watson VS Pat Bennett

Winner takes the BELT on November 14, 2009

Mayhem in Mansfield

Who will take the belt!

Cast your vote to the left of the page.

UFC 101 and MMA in Today

UFC 101 is just a day away in Philadelphia for the states first mega Mixed Martial Arts event. Meaning these events instead of being held in private underground fight clubs and local armories are a thing of the past. Final regulations were approved to allow revenue generating events in Mixed Martial Arts to take place in Philadelphia and Pittsburg. The Pennsylvania athletic commission working hand in hand with the House and Senate committees worked to make this event finally come to fruition. Diligently they strived to create new commerce in a struggling economy country wide. Not to mention working this process the office of the attorney general and an independent regulatory review commission. This was basically to approve guidelines that have to be maintained to host such events. Sure seems like a lot of Government cage work to be done as this was approved back in July of 2007. In the end it’s all about developing a well run safe platform for fighters to prove their dedication to hundreds of hours of training.



“This should be a battle cry for my home state of MA to follow in the footsteps of many Northeastern states swiftly changing legislation to facilitate a rapidly expanding fan base.”



Just this past weekend team Cagefx, Linda Shields Promoter, and Mike Varner director of operations launched a highly successful event in Brockton on Aug 1st called “Battle Under The Stars”. The MMA event, the first of its kind at Campanelli Stadium was a sold out, 10,000 citizens strong. Even though we don’t have regulations set in Massachusetts the platform follows a strict code of fighter safety set up by adjoining state templates and welcome state regulation. From Ticket sales alone our state would take 10% of all ticket revenue and we could use it in our budget short falls bottom line as of late.



Some idea of just the scope of this media operation attended by celebrities Alex Boylan from Amazing race, Burton Roberts from Survivor now partners in Around The World Productions, performances buy band mates from Diecast Paul Stoddard vocals, Marc Lopes Dark Day Sunday/Cobra Kai with The Evening’s Ben Goodman we are on the verge of a mixed martial arts explosion in the Northeast. This was not your small town production from front to back this was done with a polish not recognized today in our local fight scene. 4000 Dollars worth of fireworks punctuated an event that will be talked about in years to come.



The Fights were only stopped early by the self proclaimed MMA police Mike Varner a professional fighter himself. The Cage was getting really slick from all the condensation build up. He tried everything to facilitate a safe environment including getting on his hands and knees wiping up the cage in between rounds. The towels he threw out of the fight enclosure heavy with sweat fell with a thud outside the cage. If that doesn’t speak volumes about Varner’s dedication to the sport before, during and after we don’t know what does.



Lastly about the fighters cause that’s what it’s all about in the sport of MMA with more heart than I have seen in years. You have the truly humble local Dorchester’s own John “Doomsday” Howard reaching back and holding off on his own training for UFC 101 to help out younger fighters perform remarkably from Allston’s Wai Kru. In John Howard’s words. “He never had this great of a platform Cagefx when he was coming up in the sport.”



Doomsday or as a close friends call him “Dooms” is fighting Tamdan “The Barn cat” Mcroy both veterans of you got it, the Northeast fight Scene. They are both fighting at 170 pounds in the welterweight class and the barn cat has a height and weight advantage in the UFC’s mountain of fighters in the welterweight division. They are both challenging themselves for the next step and what is guaranteed to be a battle to remember. Anyone who is anyone in this sport knows one sure thing, there is no sure thing.



“Doomsday” sporting his new flame cut hair will enter the ring thirsty for a win and we all know bets are off. Howard believes in the win after his many hours of buckets filled with sweat shed in the gym. If you taped his sweat dripping micro fiber that wicks it away you would immediately want to wash your hands. Not his fellow training partners it was an embrace, a sharing of dedication building camaraderie in the studio run by John Allen. New England wishes him the best of luck and everyone really loves the underdog. This was coming from a huge sample of fans at the Battle Under The Stars in Brockton. These cage fighters that train everyday while mind you holding a wide array of different jobs in our community deserve our attention. They are Citizens, Fathers, Fighters, local businessmen and a remarkable eclectic group of individuals. UFC 101 has opened the doors and our collective eyes in many ways. From a Local, State, and evolving fan base here in the Boston Metro area, saying what if? What if Mr. Tom Menino we host the next pro event here in Boston because it would be good for all of us.



Written By Brian Pitcher

Creative support Rachel Carta at the News Item Shamokin, PA

Mixed martial arts event packs a wallop

Lakeville - Brockton’s Campanelli Stadium was the site for the largest mixed martial arts event in New England history, when Cage Fighting Xtreme held the “Battle Under the Stars” Saturday night.


An estimated 7,000 to 8,000 fans were treated to nearly 20 fights, a fireworks display, and a “storybook” ending to one of the most inspirational stories imaginable: Brockton native Mark Chaupetta’s: “A Father’s Fight.”

And CFX promoter Linda Shields — the first female MMA promoter in New England — reaped the rewards.

“I can’t believe we covered all the bases,” Shields said, as the fights took place inside the baseball stadium. “We had 17 vendors, and there were more we had to roll over to the next event. We had the Marciano fundraiser, Vinnie Pazienza’s book signing, the Mark Chaupetta fight, fireworks, a live band (Diecast). Where else are you going to get all that?”

In perhaps the most highly anticipated fight of the night, 40-year-old Mark Chaupetta prevailed via opening-round guillotine submission over Joe Kavy. Chaupetta, the founder of T.E.A.M., a non-profit organization designed to fund research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, is the father of twin 14-year-old sons who suffer from the disease. All of Chaupetta’s fight proceeds were donated to his foundation, and an accompanying auction raised funds for the cause as well.

“The fight went to a “t,” Chaupetta said. “Almost in the exact time frame my coach Mike Varner expected. He had more confidence in me than I did.”

Despite that confidence being proved justifiable, Chaupetta says his fighting days are now behind him.

“I’m retired,” he said. “For my film (documentary: “A Father’s Fight”), this was a storybook ending. And the sport is very risky injury-wise. I have two boys who need their dad. But I’m going to keep training, because it’s done wonders for me. And congratulations to (Kavy), he did a great job — he even donated some of his purse to my charity. And seeing my sons out in the crowd pumping their fists, that’s one of the best feelings.”

Chaupetta’s fight was just one of numerous action-packed bouts, as dozens of mixed martial artists had the opportunity to perform on the grandest stage New England has yet had to offer.

But unfortunately, Taunton native Greg Mendes was not among them.

“During the pre-fight physical, the doctor said, ‘You might not be fighting tonight,’” Mendes said. “I said, ‘Don’t tell me my opponent didn’t show,’ but he said (my opponent) had high-blood pressure.”

And for Mendes, whose previous bout was cancelled following a no-show, it was yet another letdown.

“I was pretty frustrated,” Mendes said. “But actually some of my training partners were surprised I wasn’t as angry as I should be. But I’ve got two teenage kids to raise and two businesses to run; this is the least of my worries.

Mendes’ frustration was compounded by the amount of effort he had put into preparation for the bout.

“It’s time away from my kids, my friends, my classes,” Mendes said. I was training (hard). Cutting weight, not eating, getting in the sauna. And my family — it’s not that I’m miserable before fights, but I’m not happy. But the CFX is one of the best promotions around, and one of the most professionally run, I just hope they continue to re-evaluate.”

CFX matchmaker Gary Forman agreed.

“I completely understand, it’s very frustrating,” Forman said. “The hours at the gym away from your family, cutting weight. And we love Greg, he’s part of our family. I consider him a friend. But sometimes, it’s part of the game.”

Forman cited fighter safety as being paramount in the CFX, but also feels there is no room in the promotion for unreliable fighters.

“It’s disrespectful not showing up for a fight,” Forman said. “And we don’t want to use guys like that. One thing the fighters have is such a camaraderie. Even after slugging it out, they’ll get a drink together after the fight.”

The high level of competition at “The Battle Under the Stars” underscores Forman’s progressing abilities as a matchmaker.

“I hope we grow and mature as an organization,” Forman said. “And I’ll grow and mature as a matchmaker. Just because a fight is evenly matched on paper, doesn’t mean that it will be a good fight. Our number one thing is fighter safety, but right behind that is the experience for the fans. Other promoters put on good fights, not a good show. And it’s because of Linda; she’s able to outwork, outthink, and out hustle (the competition).”

“Battle Under the Stars’ featured 18 total fights, both amateur and professional.

In the night’s opening bout, 150-pound Ethan Truong defeated Frank Stone via rear naked choke at 1:52 of the second round.

Lightweight Dave Irving submitted Andy Robinson with a guillotine 2:31 into the second round.

Heavyweight Greg Armstrong was victorious over Aaron Ames via TKO at 2:35 of the opening stanza.

Lightweight Brandon Douglas won via rear naked choke over Jeff Lyon at the 1:08 mark of round one.

Lightweight Collin Smith secured a TKO victory over A.J. Marigliano

Brockton native Shawn “The Neckbreaker” Baker, at 190 pounds, scored a unanimous decision over Jarrod Menslage.

The most heavily crowd-supported fighter on the card, 180-pound Brockton native Steve Dunn did not disappoint his fans, with a unanimous decision victory over Lionel Young.

“Moose” Abdurakhmanov, 160 pounds, won via rear naked choke 1:15 into the first round.

John Clarke showed impressive submission ability, submitting Robby Roberts at 1:42 of the first with a kimora from the bottom.

Brett O’Teiri won via guillotine over Bob Puntunto 2:30 into the first.

Fireworks kicked off the start of the heavyweight tournament, which will continue at the CFX’s next show on Sept. 12, and culminate in a title fight at the Nov. 7 show.

Bridgewater native and crowd favorite Lee “The Beast” Beane steamrolled to an impressive opening-round TKO victory.

Heavyweight Jason Dolloff won when his opponent suffered a groin pull just over a minute into the contest.

Heavyweight Josh Watson dominated with a 47-second stoppage.

Heavyweight Pat Bennett stormed out to a 33-second TKO victory over Juliano Coutinho.

Following 185-pounders Ross Warriner and Carlos Rivera’s fight ending in a majority draw, the bout went into a 1:00 overtime round, in which Warriner secured a rear naked choke victory.

Two-hundred pounder Shawn Rockwell earned a first round TKO victory over Fernando Rivera.

In what turned out to be the last fight of the night, 185-pound Todd Chattelle got the win after his opponent slipped and suffered an ankle injury just 12 seconds into the bout. This highlighted the event’s one hindrance.

As “Battle Under the Stars” drew to a close, the combination of muggy conditions and inadequate canvas material led to a cancellation of the final three fights following the slip.

“Doing an outdoor show is the biggest risk you could ever take,” Shields said. “And the material for the canvas was different than what we’re used to, but we don’t own the cage. And we don’t fool around with fighter safety. (V.P of operations) Mike Varner, we jokingly call him the ‘MMA police.’ So when the canvas became an issue, we spoke to the fighters and asked them if they wanted to reschedule for the next show. The majority ruled. We follow the rules and regulations and look out for fighters as number one; it’s not worth risking injury to a fighter. And we’ll really address the canvas; it will never happen again.”

But the manner in which the situation was related to fans led to some confusion.

“It was confusing,” Shields said. “But we spoke to the fighters first. That was the most important thing.”

The event’s abbreviation drew some boos, but Shields remains adamant that it was the proper decision, citing fighter protection as essential.

“People booed us because we follow the rules and regulations so stringently,” Shields said. “And they’re not used to it because other promotions are not like that. And for those that booed, shame on them for not respecting the fighter’s safety. That’s why the card says ‘Subject to change.’”

Following one fan’s drunken tirade upon invitation inside the cage from Varner, security was quickly summoned.

“I think Mike was aggravated at his heckling,” Shields said. “And invited him in as more of a joke. But it was probably a bad idea. But I think the security team did exactly what they were supposed to do: they defused the situation and didn’t let it get out of control.”

Inebriated outbursts aside, the “Battle Under the Stars” lived up to the hype and established the CFX as a promotion on the rise.

“At our medicals and weigh-ins, we want an audience,” Shields said. “We want people to see exactly what’s going on. And if there’s an issue with a fighter, they can call me at three o’clock in the morning — and they do. I know every one of my fighters by name. I know their kids, their family, their records. It’s like a team, and if you’re a team player we want you. I think that singles us out.”

Cage Fighting Xtreme’s next event will be held on Sept. 12 at the M-Plex in Mansfield.

For more information on the CFX, visit CageFX.com.

Promoter Linda Shields sets the cage for ‘Battle Under the Stars’

Bridgewater - Massachusetts is recognized as a breeding ground for a seemingly endless supply of talented mixed martial artists, with world-class fighters like the Lauzon brothers and Kenny Florian.


And Cage Fighting Xtreme promoter Linda Shields, whose Aug. 1 event, “CFX4: Battle Under the Stars” at Brockton’s Campanelli Stadium - poised to be the biggest MMA show in New England history - is the beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time.

“I’m more than excited,” Shields said of the upcoming event. “I never imagined we’d come so far so quickly; we’ve actually had to rewrite the business plan.”

Yet with the combination of Shields’ work ethic and boundless enthusiasm, her promotion’s rise may come as no surprise. The hands-on approach with which she handles everything from literally inspecting fighter’s gloves to personally answering e-mails - even negative ones - can be directly attributed to the CFX’s mounting success.

“I burn the wick at both ends,” Shields said. “And I don’t find that a lot in New England. A lot of promoters of local shows dodge the door; they put themselves in a different category than the fighters and staff. They’re not team members; I look at these guys as my team.

“We also try to gear our shows around the venue,” Shields said. “And it has the tendency to impact an entire community with hotels, people filling up their gas tanks, and people eating before and after a show. And we try to have more interaction with pre and post parties, weigh-in parties, celebrity guests, and press conferences.”

The CFX also takes time out to build close relationships with its fighters.

“In the CFX, we live, eat, and breathe fighting,” Shields, whose yellow Corvette bears the license plate: “CageFX,” said. “The fighters are like family members. They text me at three in the morning; I even watch their kids. And I see the fighter’s reaction, it’s flattering - they have unbelievable respect for me. And I’m a tomboy - I have three brothers and no sisters - so I can joke around with them, too.”

Each CFX event is involved with a different charity, and the Aug. 1 show is no exception. The “Battle Under the Stars” will be raising money for the T.E.A.M. Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding research and a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, or DMD.

“And I think that separates us,” Shields said. “We’re always giving back to the community and giving to charity. (V.P. of Operations) Mike Varner is great at coming up with a good cause and following through.”

“Battle Under the Stars” will also feature fighter Mark Chaupetta - a 40-year-old father of twin 13-year-old sons who suffer from DMD, and the founder of the T.E.A.M. foundation. Chaupetta will be donating his entire purse to the foundation, and an additional auction of donated items will take place with all proceeds also going to the charity.

Shields, a Watertown native and current Taunton resident, initially became involved with mixed martial arts through her husband, former MMA referee and current CFX matchmaker, Gary Forman.

“Two things got me involved,” Shields said. “My husband was refereeing, and he’s also a martial artist and trainer. He loves the sport; he holds a number of different black belts in different styles. And Mike Varner, the owner of Full Force talked me into it. I loved it; it was like planning an 800-person wedding times 10.”

Shields quickly acclimated to her new role as marketing and promotions director for Full Force productions, and soon began to think of launching a promotion of her own. After parting ways “as friends” with Full Force last October, the CFX’s debut event was held on Jan. 17, 2008 at the Worcester Palladium.

“(With Full Force) I saw a vision every time I stepped foot into the arena,” Shields said. “I saw the potential that was not utilized, and it was eating me up inside. I saw these fighters training so hard, and then they weren’t being treated properly. I thought, why not give them celebrity gift bags and swag? And I began to implement that through our sponsors like H2Ocean, Rockstar Energy drink, Boston Brawler, Maaco, Skinny Water - the list goes on and on.”

The fighters’ collective response to Shields’ generosity has been overwhelmingly positive.

“We have two dozen fighters who fight exclusively for (the CFX), and half of them came to us,” Shields said. “And they all say we treat the fighters the best. My philosophy is I’m never too busy to take a few minutes to listen.”

And that philosophy has served Shields well in becoming the first female promoter of mixed martial arts in New England.

“And I didn’t even know that until an article came out,” Shields laughed. “But I hope it’s a trend. If there are other females out there, it will help pave the way. But you can’t clone me; I’m totally that person who’s known for being wild and crazy. You’ll never know what to expect.”

Another unexpected aspect of the CFX is the rousing response from female fight fans - a relationship that Shields has carefully cultivated.

“It’s funny, I was in Plymouth beating the pavement - almost like a politician,” Shields said. “And women were talking to other women like, ‘You have to meet Linda.’ I’m contacted by women on my MySpace all the time - I think it’s the coolest thing. But when you throw a party, you don’t invite all women or all men. And that’s what we want at our shows: a party atmosphere. There’s no riffraff, and females can have such a good time.”

Shields’ femininity is also an advantage when dealing with her fighters.

“Being a woman promoter, it’s not the same at all,” Shields said. “My husband and Mike are ‘guy’s guys’. My female connection, trust me, is on a different level than the guys. The fighters’ ask me about their girlfriends, clothing - everything. I’m almost like a sister to them.”

With an ever-increasing number of promising young fighters throughout the area, Shields has decided to primarily concentrate on local talent in the CFX.

“I think it’s only fair,” she said. “There’s so much talent in New England, why not give the guys a chance to fight in their own backyards? We want our fighters to excel on another level. I have resignation bringing in outside guys if they are going to take the place of talented local fighters.”

Some of the local fighters performing on the “Battle Under the Stars” card include Brockton, Bridgewater, and Taunton natives like Shawn Baker, Matt Perry, Shawn Galano, Brett O’tieri, Brian Conrad, Steve Dunn, Lee Beane, and Greg Mendes. The event will feature more than 20 bouts in total, both amateur and professional.

With an action-packed fight card in a great venue and night-long fireworks displays, the “Battle Under of the Stars” event is expected to draw as many as 10,000 people.

“It’s exhilarating,” Shields said. “And so exciting - the hype prior to a show. To see and hear the people’s reaction - when the doors are opening it’s like a movie. And honestly, I won’t sleep until it’s sold out. It’s not being arrogant, it’s just that I know the potential. So many nights, it’s me, Dave Haggerty our operations manager, Mike Varner our V.P. of operations, and Gary Forman our matchmaker - the four of us staying up late and trying to make things work. I couldn’t do it without them.”

For more information on the CFX visit www.cagefx.com, and to purchase tickets for the Aug. 1 “Battle Under the Stars,” call (781) 510-6000.

HDNet to cover Cagefx August 1st show

Cage Fighting Xtreme is proud to announce that the leading provider in High Definition Broadcasting, HDNet, will be covering the August 1st show at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Mass. HDNet will be filming for their flagship program “Inside MMA” which airs weekly on the HDNet Television Network. Inside MMA covers the Nation’s best Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) shows in the country to provide the most comprehensive coverage to MMA fans across the United States.
Cage Fighting Xtreme continues to raise the bar on the East Coast in the mixed martial arts community. With a warm welcome to all media outlets across the country as the sport of Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the world.
HDNet launched on September 6, 2001, HDNet provides viewers with some of the most exciting and topical news, sports, music and entertainment programming in the industry. HDNet features up to 20 hours per week of award-winning, original features — more original, high definition programming than any other network.
Cage Fighting Xtreme is a Boston based company specializing in live Mixed Martial Arts events. Cage Fighting Xtreme has proven itself as a leader in Mixed Martial Arts organization on the East Coast. Founded in September of 2008, Cage Fighting Xtreme has grown at an unprecedented rate and will continue to wow right to the top of the North East.


Cage Fighting Xtreme Battle under the Stars takes place at Campanelli Stadium (home of the Brockton Rox) in Brockton, Massachusetts. Catch all the action live! Witness the area’s best MMA fighters take to the cage. Visit cagefx.com for ticket information.

Time for the State to step in?

Time for state to step in?

Mixed martial arts fighting promoter Linda Shields and some members of her team.

BY JIM HAND SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:24 AM EDT

Sen. Timilty says mixed martial arts fighting needs regulation

State Sen. James Timilty was a big boxing fan growing up, following the exploits of Marvelous Marvin Hagler as Hagler became middleweight champ.

In more recent years, Timilty said his interest has been captured by mixed martial arts fighting, sometimes known as ultimate fighting.

The sport has grown tremendously as the combination of boxing, wrestling and kick boxing in a cage-like ring has overtaken traditional boxing in popularity among young fans.

But, Timilty, D-Walpole, said the sport needs to be made safer. He is pushing legislation that would put it under the authority of the State Boxing Commission and the Department of Public Safety.

Two members would be added to the commission, including one with expertise in martial arts, he said. Regulations would require a doctor to be on duty at events. Participation in professional bouts would be limited to those ages 18 through 35. Older fighters, however, could get an exemption from a doctor.

Promoters and fighters would have to be licensed, he said.

Timilty said the bill passed the Senate 34-1 this week and has a good chance of passing the House.

There are some who claim the sport should be banned, calling it cruel, but Timilty said other violent sports such as football and boxing are legal.

He said what is really needed are clear regulations.

Thirty-four other states regulate the sport, he said, whereas in Massachusetts, anything goes.

The fighting is popular here and an outfit called CageFX is staging a fight Aug. 1 at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, a minor league baseball facility.
Promoter Linda Shields said she regularly stages sold out fighting events in Plymouth and New Hampshire that attract 4,000 people, but now she is taking the shows outdoors. She expects 10,000 people at the Brockton match.

"It's the fastest growing sport not only in the country, but the world," she said.

Shields said she welcomes state regulations. "It's all about the safety of the fighters," she said.

Shields said her bouts in Massachusetts voluntarily follow the regulations set by the New Hampshire Boxing Commission, but Massachusetts regulations would mean little change for her events.

Timilty said state regulations would attract the biggest promoters in the country to Massachusetts. He said one outfit, Ultimate Fighting Championship, will not come to Massachusetts because of the lack of regulation.

Regulation would also bring licensing fees into state coffers, he said. The state would get 4 percent of ticket sales, plus a cut of TV revenue.

He said a sold out event at TD Garden in Boston would raise an estimated $775,000 in fees and result in $12.4 million in spinoff business for area restaurants, hotels and other establishments.

"It's going to bring some money into the coffers without raising taxes," he said.

Spazz WAAF at CageFX