In a few weeks, the Nevada State Athletic Commission is opening the floor to ideas on how to better regulate MMA.
The commission today gave notice of a workshop designed to "to solicit comments from interested persons on any matter related to contests or exhibitions of unarmed combat, or any other matter within the jurisdiction of the NSAC."
"Which is pretty much a glorified public comment session, where anyone and everyone who wants to put ideas out there for the commission to consider, we definitely welcome that," NSAC executive director Keith Kizer today told MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com).
The meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. PT on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The commission held such meetings on a regular basis before a one-year freeze on regulatory changes was instituted after state government elections this past January.
"So we've kind of been stuck for the last year," Kizer said.
There are no restrictions to the type of suggestions that can be made, as long as they pertain to commission regulations on unarmed combat.
"A few years ago, we changed the reg to allow the commission to change a win by a steroid user to a 'no contest,' Kizer said. "We changed it [in late 2010] so you don't have a title fight to have a five-rounder. Sometimes it's minor changes like the definition of something. It's truly very, very broad."
The goal, he said, is to improve regulations as combat sports continue to evolve in the state. The NSAC is one of the busiest and most prominent athletic commissions when it comes to MMA and boxing and oversees dozens of high-profile events yearly.
Suggestions that are well-received by the commission will be drafted into a proposed rule change with any needed additions or subtractions for a "regulation hearing" held in spring, where the change will be presented for public comment. The NSAC could then schedule another hearing to vote on the change.
"I'm sure there will be some good ideas from the public, I'm sure there will be some not-so-good ideas from the public, but we want to hear them all," Kizer said.
The commission will also accept suggestions via email. Interested parties can send ideas to Kizer at
kkizer@boxing.nv.gov.
