MMA banned in another MN city!!!

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City Council takes on the ultimate fight

Samantha Marcus The Republican Eagle
Published Tuesday, January 09, 2007

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Ultimate fighting’s been growing in mainstream success all over the country, but Red Wing officials said Monday they’re not interested in the city being a venue for the combat sport.


“It almost gets us back to gladiators,” Council member Stephen Castner said. “I just don’t think it’s necessary for Red Wing to have that.”

On the recommendation of the police department, the Red Wing City Council introduced language banning ultimate fighting in Red Wing. <SCRIPT type=text/javascript> function photoFull (URL) { day = new Date(); id = day.getTime(); eval("page" + id + " = window.open(URL, '" + id + "', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=0,width=510,height=510,left = 137,top = 84');"); } </SCRIPT>












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Police Chief Tim Sletten, who supports the complete ban, said the spectacle can spur aggressive and disorderly conduct.

Welch’s Brian Childs estimates he’s participated in five or six matches between Red Wing and Rochester.

He said that while the people who go to a fight can get wound up, “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“I don’t see why they would feel a need to ban it,”said Childs, who added that save a broken nose, he’s never been seriously injured.

Everyone in attendance, whether fighting or watching the match, is there by their own free will, he said.

Ultimate fighting is a mixed martial arts sport, “in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others to their strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match,” according to the Ultimate Fighting Championship Web site.

Language in the city’s draft ordinance defines it as “any activity ... or any other form of entertainment, where the primary practice involves individuals engaged in physical contact by striking or touching an opponent... .”

The ordinance specifically excludes contests sponsored by schools of martial arts and activities where physical contact is “incidental to the primary purpose of the game,” such as

football and soccer.

“Once you see it, you know what it is,” Sletten said of ultimate fighting.

The ultimate fighting scene is set around an octogon-shaped cage. There are mats on the inside and a fence around the outside to keep the brawl enclosed.

Childs said the matches are usually pretty regulated, with a referee so things don’t go too far.

“I’ve always been one that likes to fight,” he said, “And it’s a way to do it without getting in trouble or out of hand.”

Sletten said ultimate fighting has been on public safety’s radar since Red Wing’s first known match at the National Guard Armory — where Childs sparred with Bill Peterson, owner of Mr. Bilz.

A few haphazard matches held at the Alibi Bar since then have given ultimate fighting a bad reputation in Red Wing, Childs said.

“There’s been two or three of them at the Alibi or Coliseum that haven’t been well run,” he said. “The people who are running them, they don’t really know how to do it. They’re just thrown together.”

Sletten offered the council members two packages, one banning ultimate fighting in establishments with liquor licenses and another with an all-out ban.

He modeled the ordinances after two other Minnesota cities with ultimate fighting bans.

An incident in a parking lot following an ultimate fighting match in Fridley, Minn., left a badly beaten victim in a coma with brain damage, Sletten said.

Ultimate fighting, he added, puts at risk the participants, spectators and police officers who may be called to the event.

There’s concerns about these events in law enforcement circles, Sletten said. “We’re just being proactive.”

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How is this sport ever going to take off if Minnesota doesn't jump on board?!!!

3

So in supposed "land of the free and home of the brave" politicians and bureaucrats can ban MMA events, even though MMA events are voluntary activities. This is yet another example of how we are being turned into the "land of the slaves and home of the cowards" and why America needs the Libertarian Party.

Legalize freedom, vote Libertarian!
www.LP.org
800-ELECTUS

4

i coulda sworn MN was all about personal liberty and bucking the over
protective state ...

shoulda kept jesse around

5

you can credit this ban to Jeff Luhman, Kevin Garlitch(Team Crazy), and Jeff Paul (xkk).

This is what happens when fly by nite promoters are let in to do shows. they come in, do no marketing, meet with no city officials, police, and hope to make a quick buck! Then when people who have never seen MMA live before see one of these poorly ran shows, it leaves a very bad impression of the sport on those peoples minds.

shows like this are what is hurting our sport. they come in and smooth talk bars, and local venues that they can fill the stands, and we can all make tons of money! The reality is, they have no backup plan if something goes wrong. there is no insurance, no hired police or security, and a huge lack of matchmaking ability. when the shows dont produce enough money to pay there bills, and pay the fighters, the fighters get screwed out of money. It has happened time and time again with this group, and now this is the result. Another city shutting down its doors to MMA because of fly by nite promoters who only have monetary gains in site!

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ttt

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This is bad...

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Is it? 

In less than 2 years this will be an issue again at the capitol.

It will be banned or regulated.

People need to pic their battle. Who will be ready?

People need to step up and fight for regulation. Don't just support it, go out and make it happen.

It will not continue for long unregulated like it is in Minnesota. There are too many people cutting corners.

 

 

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I couldn't agree with you more Chris.  There is a lot more than just a few people to blame.  Everyone who has a stake in this sport in the state is to blame since we've done NOTHING to fix this yet.  I'm so tired of hearing that things are being done behind the scenes to address this... Honestly, if they ban us at this point, we had it coming.  We've had an entire year to put together a plan of action yet nothing gets done until we're under the gun.  People did come thru last session and got the language stricken from the bill that would have allowed boxing to oversee mma.  The problem becomes that nobody wants to bother doing anything until right when we're about to get plowed.  How many people in MN even knew that MMA in Redwing was going before their City Council? 

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Gee, a woman, what a surprise.

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City Council takes on the ultimate fight

Samantha Marcus The Republican Eagle
Published Tuesday, January 09, 2007

 

Ultimate fighting’s been growing in mainstream success all over the country, but Red Wing officials said Monday they’re not interested in the city being a venue for the combat sport.

 


“It almost gets us back to gladiators,” Council member Stephen Castner said. “I just don’t think it’s necessary for Red Wing to have that.”


On the recommendation of the police department, the Red Wing City Council introduced language banning ultimate fighting in Red Wing.



Police Chief Tim Sletten, who supports the complete ban, said the spectacle can spur aggressive and disorderly conduct.

 


Welch’s Brian Childs estimates he’s participated in five or six matches between Red Wing and Rochester.


He said that while the people who go to a fight can get wound up, “It’s not as bad as it looks.”


“I don’t see why they would feel a need to ban it,”said Childs, who added that save a broken nose, he’s never been seriously injured.


Everyone in attendance, whether fighting or watching the match, is there by their own free will, he said.


Ultimate fighting is a mixed martial arts sport, “in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others to their strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match,” according to the Ultimate Fighting Championship Web site.


Language in the city’s draft ordinance defines it as “any activity ... or any other form of entertainment, where the primary practice involves individuals engaged in physical contact by striking or touching an opponent... .”


The ordinance specifically excludes contests sponsored by schools of martial arts and activities where physical contact is “incidental to the primary purpose of the game,” such as


football and soccer.


“Once you see it, you know what it is,” Sletten said of ultimate fighting.


The ultimate fighting scene is set around an octogon-shaped cage. There are mats on the inside and a fence around the outside to keep the brawl enclosed.


Childs said the matches are usually pretty regulated, with a referee so things don’t go too far.


“I’ve always been one that likes to fight,” he said, “And it’s a way to do it without getting in trouble or out of hand.”


Sletten said ultimate fighting has been on public safety’s radar since Red Wing’s first known match at the National Guard Armory — where Childs sparred with Bill Peterson, owner of Mr. Bilz.


A few haphazard matches held at the Alibi Bar since then have given ultimate fighting a bad reputation in Red Wing, Childs said.


“There’s been two or three of them at the Alibi or Coliseum that haven’t been well run,” he said. “The people who are running them, they don’t really know how to do it. They’re just thrown together.”


Sletten offered the council members two packages, one banning ultimate fighting in establishments with liquor licenses and another with an all-out ban.


He modeled the ordinances after two other Minnesota cities with ultimate fighting bans.


An incident in a parking lot following an ultimate fighting match in Fridley, Minn., left a badly beaten victim in a coma with brain damage, Sletten said.


Ultimate fighting, he added, puts at risk the participants, spectators and police officers who may be called to the event.


There’s concerns about these events in law enforcement circles, Sletten said. “We’re just being proactive.”

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I reposted the article cause it was messed up.

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See now placing blame won't help you guys at all, instead I would suggest a more proactive roll. Get together and do what needs to be done rather than fighting amongst yourselves (or do it yourself).

Adding fuel to the fire won't help.

STOP running shit shows!! Get involved in the state's politics, make yourselves heard.

But Jeff does run shit shows, he should knock it off.

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GOOD!

Some of the smaller shows are a joke. No medical/doctors on site. Catch weights. Untrained fighters. Mismatches. This has little to do with the "liberal" state of Minnesota and more to do with common sense.

Putting a 19-20 year old kid on the cage with 3 months of crappy training is irresponsible. You can tell the second you see the kid that he is gonna get hurt. Training should be a greater prerequisite. Not to make the fights more technical, but so some of these guys know how to protect themselves. Someone is seriously gonna get killed!

The best thing that could happen is sanctioning by a newly formed boxing/athletic commission. The immediate reaction by the promoters is "we don't want a boxing commission coming in and ruining our sport." Don't worry about that. These smaller shows are doing a good job of ruining it themselves.

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Jaydub,
for 1. jeff and nick are not partners, they havent been for a long time (1.5 years).
2. I dont know that Jeff has ever done anything but "talk" about doing good. he as a person is a black eye for the sport. I remember when he came to the city council meeting (fridley) and he looked like he just dropped a tranny out of a semi. his notes were writen down on a piece of paper that was cupped inside his hand. He just looked "ruff". I begged him not to get up and talk in place of the sport. They would have laughed him off. Mike Reilly was up there making some very well referenced and well spoken points in the favor of MMA. they were even turning there head to him when he was making great, valid, points.

3.Im not sure what Jeff ever told you but, Im not aware of anything like that. not to say that I have never made a mistake in this business, but the difference is that we should try to correct our mistakes, and better each show, where as Jeff and the others noted seem to run the same poorly organized show.

Gavin, NOBODY knew about the Red Wing literature until it was too late. They did it under everyones radar so there would be no resistence. they contacted Brian Childs the day before and questioned him, and next day its all over the front page of the paper...I did not even here about it until my mom called me and read me the front page of the paper! I was shocked, but not surprised...

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Jaydub,
I have a question. What good did Jeff ever do for the sport or fighters?

*Note that paying fighters, running shows, etc are "Normal" procedures for every promoter.

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There needs to be a sanctioning body. Plain and simple! I have been around the sport for 10+ years. Watching some of these local shows I can see why people would be disgusted. I am and I know what's going on!

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I am a smaller show, I video tape the weighins and everyone has to make weight, so far everyone that has fought has trained, I have three classes for fighters and one of our classes you wear 7oz. gloves with no knees or elbows when you hit the ground, matchmaking is very carefully thought out and you are not overmatched, I talk to and hire two officers for each event plus I have a minumum of six security people working, I also hire two RN's for each event ( thank god my family is all in the medical field), so I would not say that all of the smaller shows are shit shows.

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Not all, but most.

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does anyone know of any under the radar legislative action being done