By John T. Wendt, Professor Emeritus of University of St. Thomas
While different forms of boxing and combat sports have gone on for centuries, regulations of those contests have varied.[1] This also includes the rise of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and it has been reported that many participants, especially on the amateur level, have little understanding of the possible short and long term consequences of injury including traumatic brain injury.[2] Additionally, in many cases there is a patchwork of governing regulations including medical staff and assistance. [3]
On November 23, 2024, Edmonton MMA fighter Trokon Dousuah died after a three-round match. The event was held in the community center in Enoch, a First Nation community located just outside of Edmonton, Alberta. The event was billed as an opportunity for beginners to MMA a chance to compete and it featured more than 30 novice fighters. Dousuah’s death is under review by the province and by the Alberta RCMP. Joseph Schow, Alberta Tourism and Sport Minister said, “The loss of any life in sports is one too many. We take this very seriously…If we’re going to compete in sports in Alberta, it has to be done safely.”[4] Just last month in the wake of an investigation of the death of fighter Tim Hague, Justice Carrie Sharpe issued a report with 14 recommendations and urging Alberta to create a single body to oversee competition rather than the current patchwork of municipal sanctioning commissions.[5] Alberta is the only province that places combative sports commissions under municipal jurisdiction. Additionally, Schow pointed out that the province had no jurisdiction over this particular event as it was held at a First Nation community.[6] Reportedly the Enoch Cree Nation said Ultra MMA privately rented the facility and hired their own staffing team.[7]
The organizer for the event Ultra MMA is based out of Derby, UK. Their website says, “Welcome to Ultra MMA. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. Experience it in a safe and enjoyable environment with 8 weeks of FREE training, that will lead up to your big night fighting in a cage in front of a huge crowd at one of our glamorous events. Raise Money for charity and get in great shape!”[8] It also states, “Training will be approximately 2 sessions a week and will be weekday evenings or weekends. You must attend at least 50% of the training sessions to take part.”[9] The company requires fighters to “Pledge to raise a minimum $100 for a charity of your choice…(and) Sell tickets to friends and family (this can be standard, VIP or a combination).[10] The website also points out that “The event will be well run and organised, with the medical provision the same as a professional event. It will be a glamorous event, and will make you feel like a superstar on the night.”[11]
Charles Proulx, one of the other combatants that was supposed to fight in Enoch, trained and sparred with Dousuah thought that even though Dousuah had won the match was in trouble: “I thought he was gassing out normally like any big guy would but at the third round, it really went bad. He was not answering many of the punches. His energy level was dropping rapidly but he didn’t tap out…In the end, he asked to sit down and was carried out of the ring. Not too long after that, the commissioner told us there will be no other fights tonight…”[12] Proulx also noted that fighters had a pre-fight medical a month before the event, had to get a medical exam done with their own doctor that included blood tests and an eye exam, and “then just before the fight, we had another medical that we had to pass..”[13]
Natalija Rajkovic, another combatant said that the training they received was insufficient and “Everything seemed fine at the beginning for training…We were just doing a charity event, so no one expects it to be super crazy. But then when you get to the event, things just started to not make sense…I knew what I was getting into when I signed up. I knew that it could be dangerous as well. But with that being said, there should never be a result like this.”[14] Regarding Dousuah, Rajkovic said, “In the video, you can see his body looks normal but towards the end of the fight you could see his stomach was inflated, you could tell something was seriously wrong…The more I think about it, the more red flags come up about how everything was run and handled.” [15] Finally, Rajkovic wondered why Dousuah was allowed to fight at all because he suffered from asthma.
Former MMA fighter and now trainer Shara Vigeant criticized the event: “Someone lost their life. It enrages me because this was so preventable…This is what happens when there is not one commission and there’s no continuity in regulations. MMA has a higher risk and with a higher risk there has to be better policing and better standards and there isn’t right now…”[16]
Ryan Ford, former MMA Champion and professional boxer talked about the necessity for adequate training and the lack thereof in these events stating that fighters should train for a minimum of six months and with 50-60 sparring sessions before considering stepping into a cage to fight.[17] “Combat sports already has a bad rep because people think that it’s very brutal. But these people, these individuals that were on this fight card, they’re not fighters. It’s very stupid for an organization to host an event where you get normal people with no experience to train for two sessions a week … and then to throw them in a cage to fight. It’s just ridiculous. It takes a lot more than that to get into a ring or cage.”[18] Ford emphasized that there was a lack of protective gear such as headgear, oversized gloves and shin guards that leave inexperienced combatants vulnerable.[19] Ford noted that safety is the key, “Make sure that you’re prepared to fight and to make sure that you get home safe. Like, yes, we want to win, but if you’re taking too much damage, there’s times when that needs to stop. You’d rather go home to your family than die and win a fight, you know? I tell people, you play football. You play soccer. You play hockey. You don’t play fighting. It’s a very serious risk on your health and your life.”[20]
Ultra Events Canada, said, “Everyone at Ultra Events Canada was devastated to hear about our participant’s tragic death and our deepest sympathies go out to his family. Ultra Events Canada will, of course, offer his family and friends any support we can at this very sad time. The event at the Enoch Community Centre was carried out under the auspices of the Central Combat Sports Commission. With investigations now underway into the cause of our participant’s death it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.” [21]
Some of Justice Sharp’s recommendations include more oversight and tracking of a fighter’s health; the creation of a single database to track fighters’ medical and match histories; fighters must provide an MRI or CT scan that proves that they are fight to fight if they lost a previous fight due to knockout from blows to the head; a CT scan every six months, regardless of injuries they suffered in the ring; the creation of “concussion spotters” who are medically trained to recognize the symptoms of a concussion with the authority to stop a fight; and mandatory yearly training for referees on how to spot signs of head trauma.[22] In 2023 an inexperienced fighter Zhenhuan Lei allegedly suffered a brain injury at a “kick light” tournament, the 2023 Western Canadian Martial Arts Championships that was not sanctioned.[23] Within 6 months British Columbia overhauled regulation of combat sports in their province.[24] It is time for Alberta to protect all combatants and implement Justice Sharpe’s recommendations.
[1] Nicholas Watanabe et al., The Emergence of Mixed Martial-Arts and the Future of Boxing: An Analysis of Consumer Interest and Compensation, 0 0:0 J. Sports Econ. (2023), https://doi-org.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/10.1177/15270025231156058 (last visited Dec 3, 2023).
[2] Joanne Merino, Brooke-Mai Whelan & Emma Finch, Examining the Occurrence and Outcomes of Concussion and mTBI in Mixed Martial Arts Athletes: A Systematic Review, 51 Phys. Sportsmed. 394 (2022).
[3] Alex Channon, Christopher Matthews & Mathew Hillier, ‘This Must Be Done Right, So We Don’t Lose the Income’: Medical Care and Commercial Imperatives in Mixed Martial Arts, in The Palgrave Handbook of Sport, Politics and Harm 429 (2022), https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72826-7_21 (last visited Dec 3, 2024).
[4] Wallis Snowdon, Death of Edmonton Fighter Following MMA Match to Be Reviewed by Alberta Government, CBC News, Nov. 26, 2024, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-mma-fighter-death-1.7394030 (last visited Dec 1, 2024).
[5] Id.
[6] CBC, Death of Edmonton Fighter Following MMA Match to Be Reviewed by Alberta Government, Yahoo News (2024), https://ca.news.yahoo.com/fighter-dies-following-mma-match-230151427.html (last visited Dec 1, 2024).
[7] Karen Bartko, Death of Amateur Fighter after MMA Event in Alberta Raises Questions, Global News (2024), https://globalnews.ca/news/10888045/enoch-ultra-mma-fighter-death/ (last visited Dec 1, 2024).
[8] Ultra MMA, Welcome to Ultra MMA, Ultra MMA Canada (2024), https://ultramma.com/ca/ (last visited Dec 4, 2024).
[9] Ultra MMA, Frequently Asked Questions, Ultra MMA Canada (2024), https://ultramma.com/ca/faq/ (last visited Dec 4, 2024).
[10] Id.
[11] Id.
[12] Snowdon, supra note 4.
[13] Bartko, supra note 7.
[14] Snowdon, supra note 4.
[15] Jason Hills, “No Idea Why He Was Cleared to Fight”: Edmonton’s Fight Community Speaks out after Death of Amateur Fighter, edmontonjournal (2024), https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmonton-mma-death-enoch (last visited Dec 1, 2024).
[16] Wallis Snowdon, Fatal MMA Fight near Edmonton Prompts Calls for Tougher Combat Rules in Alberta, CBC News, Nov. 29, 2024, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fatal-fight-near-edmonton-prompts-calls-for-tougher-combat-rules-in-alberta-1.7396150 (last visited Dec 1, 2024).
[17] Hills, supra note 15.
[18] Snowdon, supra note 16.
[19] CBC, Fatal Fight near Edmonton Prompts Calls for Tougher Combat Rules in Alberta, Yahoo Sports (2024), https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/fatal-fight-near-edmonton-prompts-130000686.html (last visited Dec 1, 2024).
[20] Bartko, supra note 7.
[21] Id.
[22] Erik Magraken, Judge Recommends Alberta Scrap City Athletic Commissions and Move to Province Wide Model, (2024), https://combatsportslaw.com/2024/11/07/judge-recommends-alberta-scrap-city-athletic-commissions-and-move-to-province-wide-model/ (last visited Dec 6, 2024).
[23] Liam Britten, B.C.’s Athletic Commissioner Granted Expanded Sanctioning Powers, CBC News, Jun. 6, 2024, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-athletic-commissioner-expanded-sanctioning-power-1.7226158 (last visited Dec 6, 2024).
[24] Erik Magraken, BC Overhauls Combat Sports Regulation, Combat Sports Law (Apr. 8, 2024), https://combatsportslaw.com/2024/04/08/bc-overhauls-combat-sports-regulation/ (last visited Dec 6, 2024).
