The unprecedented nature of the UFC’s event on the White House card has brought up some complications.
A recent warning said that the White House fights may not go on fighters’ skilled records attributable to the DC Combat Sports Commission not receiving a request to oversee the event.
The UFC addressed this on Thursday, announcing that the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) could be serving as an independent third party to permit all bouts to be officially licensed and sanctioned.
This news could have clarified some concerns but that doesn’t mean it sits well with Andrew Huff, the chairman of the DC CSC.
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DC commission chairman Andrew Huff raises concerns over UFC working with ABC
Within the UFC’s press release on March 19, the promotion stated that attributable to the ‘Freedom Fights 250’ card being held on federal property, the event doesn’t require a state athletic commission to oversee it.
DC Combat Sports Commission chairman Andrew Huff said that while this would be the case, he doesn’t fully support the Association of Boxing Commissions’ involvement.
Huff, who was contacted by SevereMMA to provide his thoughts on the promotion’s press release, is anxious about what impact this move could have going forward.
“The ABC is just not a sanctioning body and has no authority within the District of Columbia,” he wrote in response.
“While I’m relieved to learn that a further organization will maintain some type of oversight of the UFC White House event, I’m dissatisfied that the ABC, which represents Commissions across the USA, including within the District of Columbia, has chosen to disregard our Commission’s laws and authority. It sets a dangerous precedent for all commissions and the industry as a complete.”
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Huff has said that he didn’t receive a response when he reached out to Marc Ratner, the UFC’s vice chairman of regulatory affairs, in regards to the fights being unsanctioned.
He had spoken to Ratner back in November of last yr but commission staff were only told last month that the UFC weren’t going to work with them for this event.
“The best thing to do is to work with us,” Huff told SevereMMA before the news of ABC’s involvement. “Government isn’t fun, it’s not sexy, it’s not on the minds of the individuals who go to those events. But it surely’s a significant a part of ensuring the security and well-being of the fighters, in addition to protecting the patron.”