Fight Supervision: An Inside Look at Event Regulation

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LEMOORE, Calif. -- The California State Athletic Commission granted Sherdog.com an all-access pass to observe its operations at Bellator Fighting Championships 35 on March 5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, providing a behind-the-scenes look at all that goes into regulating an MMA event.

Although the event was broadcast live through Bellator’s new partner, MTV2, CSAC regulators treated the eight-bout event the same as the 84 mixed martial arts shows, both televised and untelevised, it oversaw in 2010. Those who do not make their living in the fight game may be surprised to learn just how much goes into the regulation of a single MMA event.

According to CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd, the commission’s number one priority in regulating MMA is the safety of the fighters. From the start of the event until the finish, it was clear that Dodd’s philosophy was shared by all 18 of the CSAC representatives on site.

As a starting point, the term “athletic commission” is somewhat of a misnomer. Although the term suggests the commission regulates all types of athletics, athletic and boxing commissions are state-run agencies that regulate various forms of combat sports. Like its counterparts in other states, the CSAC regulates professional MMA by licensing all participants -- promoters, fighters, chief seconds, referees, judges, etc. -- and overseeing all professional events.

Weeks in the Making

The on-site regulation of Bellator 35 began on Friday afternoon, when the CSAC’s first inspector arrived on site at the Tachi Palace Casino. Separate and apart from the on-site regulation, the CSAC’s oversight of the event actually began about six weeks earlier, when the commission received the bout cards from Bellator. Before sanctioning the event, the CSAC first reviewed the initial tournament matchups divined by Bellator matchmaker Sam Caplan to ensure the proposed fights appeared reasonable based, in part, on fighters’ experience and professional records.

Once bouts are approved, the commission ensures that fighters, their seconds and managers are licensed in the state of California. The commission also requires the fighter to submit up-to-date medical exam records. All of this initial paperwork, plus additional licensing forms, drug test kits, examination forms for the ringside physician, bout agreements, scorecards and post-fight evaluation forms, finds its way into that first inspector’s immense rolling briefcase that follows her around the Tachi Palace.

The CSAC’s lead inspector for this MMA event, Sarah Waklee, arrived at the venue the day before the fights for weigh-ins and a host of other activities. The following day, she would be joined by 17 other CSAC representatives from throughout the state. Waklee, an outgoing and matter-of-fact supervisor who has been with the CSAC for seven years, effectively had the final word on what was permissible and impermissible at the event.

The minute Waklee finishes the three-hour drive from Sacramento, Calif., to Lemoore, she is on duty. With only an hour and a half before the fighters report for weigh-ins, there are a slew of issues to work through before beginning the evening’s nonstop, four- to five-hour run of pre- and post-weigh-in activity. Waklee meets with Bellator representatives to discuss missing medical records, fight night report times, order of weigh-ins and drug testing.

With this being the CSAC’s first live event involving MTV2, Waklee also meets with the production team to discuss the logistics of the live broadcast and ensure everyone was on the same page. Athletes and trainers find her in between meetings to ask last-minute questions about the weigh-ins, rules or fight night, but they only catch her on the move, as she whisks from one activity to the next.

Before weigh-ins begin, fighters not only undergo a steroid test but also a pre-fight physical exam. Pre-fight physicals are a crucial part of regulation because previously submitted medical records can permissibly be up to a year old and therefore might not capture recent injuries, trauma or sickness. A physician could call off a fight for any number of reasons during a pre-fight exam -- all of which contemplate whether the fighter could incur a life- or career-threatening injury if allowed to go through with the bout.

Waklee recalls a handful of occasions when fighters did not pass the pre-fight physical examination. One example was an exam that revealed a fighter had developed a heart murmur; as a matter of fighter safety, the CSAC called off the bout. However, the pre-fight exam is crucial even when athletes are fit to fight. For example, the examining physician needs to be sensitive to how much weight the fighter has cut prior to his or her exam. At times, according to Waklee, the doctor will tell the CSAC that, from a medical standpoint, a fighter cannot safely cut any more weight. As a result, if that fighter does not make weight, the fight is either called off or the fighter can forfeit 10 percent of his or her purse to the CSAC and 10 percent to the opponent, as long as the opponent is willing to fight the overweight fighter. She explains that fighters who do not make weight but are cleared to cut more, if necessary, have two hours to cut up to two pounds; anything more can be dangerous.

The night before Bellator 35, the weigh-ins go off without a hitch, with all athletes medically-cleared and only one needing two attempts to make weight. While fighters slowly rehydrate and begin eating after weigh-ins, Waklee takes the opportunity to conduct her rules meeting. She stresses the consequences of not following CSAC rules during fight night and fields questions from the fighters and their cornermen.

At the conclusion of her long day, Waklee eats dinner at 10:30 p.m. and decides to review the bout contracts in the morning with a fresh set of eyes.

Fight Day Arrives

On fight day, Waklee starts working again at about 8:30 a.m., beginning with a thorough review of the bout agreements between Bellator and the fighters. She also verifies that the promoter has all the requisite insurance coverage in place. Having verified the fighter purse and bonus amounts, she sends a list back to Bellator’s chief financial officer so he can cut and hand all the fighter purse and bonus checks over to the CSAC.

Waklee does not, however, leave her hotel room until she is certain she has all of her ducks in a row to begin the fights; there is never any time to return to her hotel room once things get rolling. Her pre-fight ritual includes what is best described as either a very late lunch or extremely early dinner. As our waitress rushes to get us food quickly, Waklee explains that once the 3 p.m. show time rolls around, there would be no time to grab food for at least six and a half hours. As if on cue, when her salad arrives, welterweight Rick Hawn comes up to ask whether he can tape his ankles. In fact, throughout the day, she is repeatedly stopped for rule clarifications while walking through the casino.

At 3 p.m. -- two hours before the first fight -- the CSAC team of 18 begins reporting for duty. Note that this ratio means the CSAC has more than one official on hand for every fighter competing that night. This team is comprised of the lead inspector, seven other inspectors -- all dressed in red neckties and black suits, which is reportedly helpful in camouflaging blood -- three referees, three judges, two timekeepers and two physicians. Waklee explains that the fights cannot start without at least one of the physicians on hand. In addition to the physicians, two sets of paramedics and their ambulances are also stationed on site as a precautionary measure. In response to various questions about the purpose behind many of the rules and rituals, members of this team, such as inspector Mike Bray, repeatedly stress that their chief concern is the fighters’ safety and the fairness of the bouts.

The inspectors assemble to receive their assignments. Waklee charges three inspectors with responsibility for the eight fighters assigned to the red corner. The other three oversee the blue corner fighters, with the seventh inspector assigned to suspension and payout duties.

Next is a quick talk with the paramedics. Waklee is not thrilled to learn from them that the closest emergency room is approximately 30 minutes away. Regardless, she confirms that at least one of the ambulances is solely dedicated to Bellator to the exclusion of any other emergency calls at the casino.

Waklee next turns to Bellator Executive Director of Operations Joe Kelly, also CEO of Titan Fighting Championship, who is also present for the briefing. She informs him that the CSAC’s physicians usually charge $300 to stitch a laceration. Without hesitation, Kelly responds that Bellator will cover the costs associated with any stitches. At the end of the night, Bellator made good on that promise. Fighter Jaime Jara requires several sets of stitches to his face following a heated split-decision battle against Waachiim Spiritwolf in the last -- and clearly the crowd’s favorite -- fight of the night. Although not televised that night, Bellator decided to air the fight the following week, reportedly in response to fan requests.

At 3:15 p.m., the fighters begin checking in. From that moment until completion of the physician’s post-fight evaluation, they are under the watchful jurisdiction of the CSAC and its inspectors. Although the promotion continues responsibility for production and the time between bouts, it has no real oversight of the fighters from this point forward.

The first order of business is providing another urine sample. This second sample is to screen for drugs of abuse; the commission tested for steroid use the day before. Each fighter provides a specimen in an integrated drug testing cup. Once the sample is in the CSAC’s custody, an inspector turns a plastic key on the outside of the cup that causes the sample to activate the drug test. The results of the test are visible on a label, similar in concept to a litmus test or those roadside drug tests seen on “Cops.”

With one exception, all the samples come back negative, clearing the fighters for their bouts. The sole exception is a defective testing cup. When the key is turned, the test cup fails to properly activate. Because the test is inconclusive, the sample is retained by Waklee, to be taken back for lab testing. CSAC representatives explain that when drug tests do come back positive, the fighter still gets to compete, although the sample is preserved for additional, more conclusive lab testing.

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