California Bill Proposed to Create Pension Program for Retired MMA Fighters

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Ronda Rousey is getting involved in the fight game again, but in a very different manner than before.

In the California State Assembly, a proposed bill is coming together to help former fighters. Per ESPN on Thursday, the charge is being led by Assemblyman Matt Haney from San Francisco. It was introduced on Feb. 15, and as it is being discussed and formulated, it could reach the Assembly for a vote or further debate by March 18 at the soonest. The plan is to create a pension fund for ex-MMA fighters, similar to the California fund for former boxers.

The proposal will pay retired MMA fighters that have competed a certain number of times within the state’s borders. If the language remains intact after discussion, the bill would take $1 from every ticket sold at an MMA event in California and place it in the fund. The pension would pay retired fighters at 50 years of age or older, who competed in around 13 fights in California or more, on a yearly basis. This system would be the first of its kind in the sport, as no such program for MMA athletes exists in any other state in the country.

Haney spoke of the importance of the bill, as transcribed by ESPN, saying, “We know that this is an incredibly popular sport. It’s a sport that’s growing and it’s also one that can be dangerous and people put their bodies on the line for our entertainment. And as fans, we appreciate it, but we should make sure they’re taken care of when they retire.”

The proposed legislation already has gained support from retired athletes, one among them being Rousey. The UFC Hall of Famer would not qualify for the program as she only competed in California four times as a pro and once more as an amateur. Despite this, she as a California native is a strong proponent for the proposed pension program because she knows just how much combat sports can take a toll on the fighter.

“MMA is a sport that I think you have a much shorter shelf life than any other sport, than boxing, than NFL, than any of those other examples,” the six-year professional explained. “You have a much shorter window because your body takes so much more of a heavier toll, and the difference with these kinds of combat sports with all this contact and the neurological injuries involved. You don’t know the day you’ve taken one hit too many. You’re gonna find out that you crossed that threshold many decades later, when you no longer have that extra income…when you’re dealing with the repercussions of that career is when you no longer have that income stream.”

Should the bill pass to become a law in California, the California State Athletic Commission, helmed by executive officer Andy Foster, will be in charge of operating the fund. The CSAC will be able to control how the money is doled out, and handle the specifics and details that the bill may not cover completely. According to Foster’s disclosure to ESPN, the boxing pension program that it currently runs has sent out 171 checks since 2012, with each check averaging $19,000.

“I hope to see a lot of other states replicate this model,” Haney concluded, “I hope to see us find ways to grow the amount of revenue that we can put in. We’ve had a good set of conversations with some of the promoters and hopefully we can get them to be more invested in it as well, and ultimately they can make even larger contributions to this fund.”