One thing is for sure. When it comes to lawmaking through wizard-like research, there is nothing better than politicians using media hype.

It is simply overkill in the state of Victoria, Australia, where new legislation -- seemingly targeting mixed martial arts and tagged "cage" fighting -- passed. But there is more than meets the eyes and ears, especially after what's been said in the media.

Just days after broadsheet newspapers The Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun took scathing potshots at MMA fights held in cages, calling them a "theatre of blood," the Victorian state government introduced hard-hitting laws to prevent cage-fight competitions from taking place. Sadly this has most of the Australasian MMA community in serious doubt of the sport's future and growth opportunity.

The end of mixed martial arts has not necessarily arrived, however.

Several weeks ago the professional boxing and combat sports bill 2007 was introduced to Parliament. The amendment looks to change the existing law, from 1985, by augmenting safety standards. Replacing the term "professional boxing" with the blanket term "combat sport," the bill ensures that promotions will comply with procedures and safety practices to reduce the risk of injury.

However, this change was sadly juxtaposed with sports minister James Merlin's prophetic words in a mainstream newspaper: "I have never approved and will not be approving any combat sport competition in cages."

The whole idea of fighting in a cage was unbearable to the minister. He thought it repulsive to entertain the fact that humans, let alone professionally trained MMA fighters, should be fighting in a cage.

That does not mean they won't be, but new standards -- with no specific reference to banning cage fights or MMA -- will be put into place, and promoters of future combat sports events have to meet them. The law itself will be enacted July 1, 2008, but it could be fast-tracked if the government deems it necessary.

This will bring many changes, as power will be invested into the professional boxing and combat sports body. The board will have better control on directing activities and cracking down on any Kangaroo-style competitions -- in cages or rings. More specifically, according to analysis done by AustralianMMA.com, the board will maintain a list of acceptable timekeepers, and licensed promoters will only be able to host events that use timekeepers who are registered and approved by the board.

The board will also have increased power to determine the professional skills of fighters and to authorize matchups based on specified criteria, including medical examinations. There are a few other specific changes, but all apply across the combat sport industry and not specifically to MMA.

Essentially this is no different than a state athletic commission sanctioning a fight, except that with government involvement it will be much tougher when promoters try to convince the board that an event is safe and sufficiently professional. Moreover, a promoter who wants to use a cage will need a bulletproof setup to overcome an obvious dislike for cages even though they are, some argue, safer than rings.

If the board is comprised of officials who have no understanding of MMA and no correspondence with the MMA community, the hurdles will be that much higher. Yet, in reality, this is the right direction for the sport to take. A much more regulated and legally (not to mention politically) accepted format is a wise move, especially in the wake of Sam Vasquez's recent death.

On the flip side, the new law will give the minister total discretion over combat events -- cage or no cage. Considering his comments about the cage, MMA events might have a hard time pleasing him.

Professional boxing, on the other hand, won't. Its historical presence, legal acceptance and political acceptance will see a green light rather easily. As for MMA, with it being a relatively new sport in the regulated era, Merlin's microscope will inspect it with the sharpest possible lens. Accordingly, we could see a high attrition rate in the future when it comes to cage promotions.

Therefore there is no law explicitly banning the cage or cage fighting, but laws of a tough nature are being put into place, curbing the Mickey Mouse-like events that have veterinarians for ringside doctors and that count on good old-fashioned luck instead of proper procedure to prevent someone from getting hurt. Any promoter running an unsanctioned fight would be caged and most probably fined quite heavily. The law states a penalty of up to 12,000 Australian dollars, 12 months inprisonment or most likely both.

Professional combat sports and MMA have had an exceptional record in Australasia, with no major injuries. It would be interesting to compare statistics with other contact sports like rugby and also with extreme sports that get high-profile media exposure such as the X Games. The numbers would give a very good picture of MMA's respectful track record, which would only improve if MMA was fought almost exclusively inside cages that prevent fighters from tumbling to the floor.

With no real effort to research the matter or any logical reasoning, cage fighting is "not up to community standards," according to the magical statesman. The sport is perceived as brutal, though no real science or reasoning is behind the minister's comments or the media's sensationalism.

As expected when such news is made public by mainstream media, the reaction within the MMA community is worry. Many have feared the sport would die an untimely death in Australasia, starting in the state of Victoria. That isn't and won't be the case, however.

The laws are there to make the sport safer and more accepted. As the Victorian government sets its own standards, it will also be creating a blueprint neighboring states can follow. New Zealand, which is Australia's most significant neighbor, will at some point look to follow suit. Then, no doubt, the politicians involved will take the credit, announcing their accomplishments to the media during a taxpayer-funded news conference in a five-star auditorium.

Regardless, the new standards should strengthen the industry and make it all the more legitimate and professional. Events will take place only if they satisfy all the requirements necessary for the honorable minister's full approval, and case-by-case inspections will be made.

Any licensed promoter who can meet safety and other standards will be in business. Quasi promoters wishing to hold shows without regulatory backing will be out. Simply put, the days of Kangaroo fights will be done.

Initially it will be a stern test, but as time passes and templates of the perfect promotion surface, MMA will be like a rolling stone and gather no moss. As the UFC has demonstrated with a sound business model and a strong cast of fighters, mixed martial arts in a cage or otherwise is unstoppable.

Time and procedure will be the decider as far as this Merlin-like minister's wizardry is concerned. With every great magic trick comes a stringent procedure in its illusion. With this one, though, there is no illusion but well-structured regulation.

As far as the mainstream media in Oz, Ronan Keating couldn't have offered them any better advice: "You say it best, when you say nothing at all."

Boa Athu is the managing editor of Roguemag.com

Information from Australian MMA was used for this report.