MICHIGAN UNARMED COMBAT REGULATORY ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 403 of 2004 CHAPTER 5

338.3650 Boxing elimination contests.

Sec. 50.

(1) Boxing elimination contests in which all of the following apply are exempt from this act:

(a) The contestants compete for prizes only in elimination contests and are not also professional boxers competing in 4 or more rounds of nonelimination boxing.

(b) Each bout is scheduled to consist of 3 or fewer 1-minute rounds, with contests conducted on no more than 2 consecutive calendar days.

(d) The contestants participating in the elimination contest are insured by the promoter for all medical and hospital expenses to be paid to the contestants to cover injuries sustained in the contest.

(e) A physician is in attendance at ringside and the physician has authority to stop the contest for medical reasons.

(f) All contestants pass a physical examination given by a physician, a licensed physician's assistant, or a certified nurse practitioner before the contest.

(g) A preliminary breath test is administered to each contestant which indicates a blood alcohol content of .02% or less.

(h) The promoter conducts the elimination contest in compliance with the following:

(i) A contestant who has lost by a technical knockout is not permitted to compete again for a period of 30 calendar days or until the contestant has submitted to the promoter the results of a physical examination equivalent to that required of professional boxers.

(ii) The ringside physician examines a contestant who has been knocked out in an elimination contest or whose fight has been stopped by the referee because he or she received hard blows to the head that made him or her defenseless or incapable of continuing immediately after the knockout or stoppage. The ringside physician may recommend post-fight neurological examinations, which may include computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to be performed on the contestant immediately after the contestant leaves the location of the contest. The promoter shall not permit the contestant to compete until a physician has certified that the contestant is fit to compete. If the physician recommended further neurological examinations, the promoter shall not permit the contestant to compete until the promoter receives copies of examination reports demonstrating that the contestant is fit to compete.

(iii) The promoter requires that a contestant who has sustained a severe injury or knockout in an elimination contest be examined by a physician. The promoter shall not permit the contestant to compete until the physician has certified that the contestant has fully recovered.

(iv) The promoter does not permit a contestant to compete in an elimination contest for a period of not less than 60 days if he or she has been knocked out or has received excessive hard blows to the head that required the fight to be stopped.

(v) A contestant who has been knocked out twice in a period of 3 months or who has had excessive head blows causing a fight to be stopped is not permitted by a promoter to participate in an elimination contest for a period of not less than 120 days from the second knockout or stoppage.

(vi) A contestant who has been knocked out or had excessive hard blows to the head causing a fight to be stopped 3 times consecutively in a period of 12 months is not permitted by a promoter to participate in an elimination contest for a period of 1 year from the third knockout.

(vii) Before resuming competition after any of the periods of rest prescribed in subparagraphs (iv), (v), and (vi), a promoter requires the contestant to produce a certification by a physician stating that the contestant is fit to take part in an elimination contest.

(2) As part of the physical examination given before the boxing elimination contest, the physician, licensed physician's assistant, certified nurse practitioner, or other trained person shall administer a preliminary breath test in compliance with standards imposed in rules promulgated by the department of state police regarding equipment calibration and methods of administration. The promoter shall keep a log of preliminary breath test results of contestants on file at its place of business for at least 3 years after the date of administration of the test. These results shall be made available to law enforcement officials upon request.

History: 2004, Act 403, Eff. Feb. 20, 2005

338.3651 Repealed. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016

Compiler's Notes: The repealed section pertained participant license.

338.3652 Repealed. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016.

Compiler's Notes: The repealed section pertained to examination or training program.

338.3653 Repealed. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016.

Compiler's Notes: The repealed section pertained to licensure as professional referee, judge, or timekeeper.

338.3654 Repealed. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016.

Compiler's Notes: The repealed section pertained to experience standards for licensure as professional judge.

338.3654a Unarmed combat event, amateur mixed martial arts, professional mixed martial arts, or professional boxing event presented by licensed promoter; requirements.

Sec. 54a.

(1) A licensed promoter that presents an unarmed combat event in this state must comply with all of the following:

(a) At least 30 days before the event, submit a request for approval of the event to the department, on a form prescribed by the department. The request shall include the names the promoter is required to provide under subdivisions (d), (e), (f), and (g).

(b) Within the 5-day period preceding a professional boxing or professional mixed martial arts event, submit the fight records of each contestant to the department. "Fight records" means that term as defined by the department by rule.

(c) Pay all obligations that are related to the normal course of promoting an unarmed combat event, including, but not limited to, venue rent and judge, physician, referee, and timekeeper fees.

(d) Arrange for a physician to attend the event for purposes of subsection (2)(k), and arrange for an alternate physician to attend the event if the original physician is unable to attend the event. The promoter shall include the name of the physician and the alternate physician described in this subdivision in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(e) Arrange for an ambulance that is staffed by emergency medical technicians to be on the premises to attend the event for purposes of subsection (2)(j), and arrange for an alternate ambulance that is staffed by emergency medical technicians to be on the premises to attend the event if the original ambulance and emergency medical technicians are unable to attend the event. The promoter shall include the name of the ambulance provider and the alternate ambulance provider described in this subdivision in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(f) Arrange for a referee, judges, and a timekeeper to attend the event for purposes of subsection (2)(l). The promoter shall include the names of the referee, judges, and timekeeper described in this subdivision in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(g) Arrange for an inspector who meets the requirements of section 33(11) to attend the event for purposes of subsection(2)(l). The promoter shall include the name of the inspector, and any other information about the inspector that is required by the department, in the request submitted under subdivision (a).

(h) Maintain records of the event for at least 1 year after the date of the scheduled event and make those records available to the department or law enforcement officials on request.

(2) A licensed promoter that is presenting an amateur mixed martial arts, professional mixed martial arts, or professional boxing event in this state shall ensure that all of the following are met in the conduct of the event:

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), each individual mixed martial arts contest consists of not more than 3 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round; and the length of each individual boxing contest is determined by the department but does not exceed 10 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round.

(b) Each individual national or international championship mixed martial arts contest consists of not more than 5 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round; and the length of each individual national or international championship boxing contest is determined by the department but does not exceed 12 rounds, of not more than 5 minutes' duration, with at least a 1-minute rest period between each round.

(c) Each mixed martial arts contestant wears gloves, supplied by the promoter, that weigh at least 4 ounces and not more than 8 ounces; and each boxing contestant wears gloves that each weigh at least 8 ounces and not more than 16 ounces.

(d) The referee examines the gloves worn by each contestant before and during a contest. If the referee finds that a glove is misplaced, lumpy, broken, roughed, or otherwise unfit, the contestant must change the glove before the start of the contest.

(e) Before a contestant participates in a contest, he or she is weighed and placed in the appropriate weight class. The department by rule shall establish weight classes for contestants.

(f) An individual does not compete as a contestant unless he or she submits to the department a medical certification of negative results for hepatitis B and C and HIV tests that were performed on the contestant in the 180-day period that precedes the scheduled contest or event.

(g) An individual does not compete as a contestant unless he or she submits to the department the results of an ophthalmologic exam that was performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist within the 12-month period that precedes the contest or event that indicate that the contestant is medically cleared to fight. The individual shall submit the results on a form prescribed by the department.

(h) A female individual does not compete as a contestant unless she submits to the department the results of a pregnancy test that was performed on her in the 7-day period that precedes the contest or event and the results of the pregnancy test are negative.

(i) An individual is not allowed to compete as a contestant without proper medical clearance.

(j) The event does not take place or continue without an ambulance that is staffed by at least 2 emergency medical technicians on the premises of the event.

(k) The event does not take place or continue without a physician at the event.

(l) The event does not take place or continue without an inspector and a trained and competent referee, judge, and timekeeper.

(m) An individual is not allowed to compete as a contestant if there is any reason to suspect that he or she is impaired or has used or uses performance enhancing drugs.

(n) A professional is not allowed to compete as a contestant in an amateur contest.

(o) If an individual lost a contest by a technical knockout in the 30-day period preceding the event, he or she is not allowed to compete as a contestant unless he or she submits the results of a physical examination to the department that indicate that he or she is fit to compete.

(p) The physician at the event determines the status of a contestant who is knocked out or whose contest is stopped by the referee. The physician may make recommendations concerning either of the following:

(i) The contestant's status, including, but not limited to, a recommendation to the department that the contestant not compete for a period of time specified by the physician.

(ii) The need for additional testing or examination of the contestant, including, but not limited to, a postfight neurological examination, which may include performing computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the contestant immediately after the contestant leaves the event venue.

(q) If a physician recommended that the contestant not compete for a period of time under subdivision (p)(i), that contestant does not compete in another contest during that time period.

(r) If a physician recommended further neurological examination of a contestant under subdivision (p)(ii), that contestant does not compete in another contest until those examinations are conducted, the promoter and department receive copies of the examination reports, and the reports demonstrate that the contestant is fit to compete.

(s) A contestant who sustains a severe injury or knockout in a contest is examined by a physician and is not permitted to compete in another contest until a physician certifies that the contestant is fully recovered.

(t) An individual who meets all of the following does not compete as a contestant:

(i) He or she participated in multiple contests before the event.

(ii) In any 90-day period, he or she was knocked out in 2 contests or 2 of his or her contests were stopped and a physician recommended neurological testing under subdivision (p) after any of those contests.

(iii) The second knockout or stoppage described in subparagraph (ii) occurred in the 120-day period preceding the event.

(u) An individual who meets all of the following does not compete as a contestant:

(i) He or she participated in multiple contests before the event.

(ii) In any 12-month period, he or she was knocked out in 3 consecutive contests or 3 consecutive contests were stopped and a physician recommended neurological testing under subdivision (p) after any of those contests.

(iii) The third knockout or stoppage described in subparagraph (ii) occurred in the 1-year period preceding the event.

(v) If an individual was not allowed to compete as a contestant in an earlier event because he or she met the requirement of subdivision (s), (t), or (u) at the time of that earlier event, he or she does not compete as a contestant unless he or she provides the promoter with proper medical clearance.

(w) Each contestant is at least 18 years of age.

(x) A contestant does not compete in more than 1 contest at an event.

(y) All of the contestants in a contest are the same gender.

(z) An individual does not participate as a contestant if he or she participated in another contest in the 7-day period preceding the event.

(aa) The results of each contest are reported to the department, on a form prescribed by the department, within 48 hours after the conclusion of the event. The report shall include any physician recommendations under subdivision (p). Within 2 business days after it receives those results, the department shall enter those results in each national contest results database selected by the department.

(bb) In a professional event, that tickets sold by contestants are not a factor in determining the amount of the purse.

(cc) If a mixed martial arts contest is a cage fight, the referee conducts a safety inspection of the cage before the contest.

History: Add. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 146, Eff. Jan. 31, 2018

338.3655 Medical and hospital expenses.

Sec. 55.

(1) A promoter shall insure each contestant who competes in a contest for at least $50,000.00 for medical and hospital expenses related to injuries sustained in the contest or event, payable to the contestant, and for at least $50,000.00 if the contestant dies as a result of injuries received in a contest or event, with the proceeds payable to the contestant's estate.

(2) A promoter shall pay the policy premium and deductible regarding any medical or hospital expenses for a contestant's injuries.

History: 2004, Act 403, Eff. Feb. 20, 2005 ;-- Am. 2007, Act 196, Eff. Mar. 27, 2008 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016

338.3656 Repealed. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016.

Compiler's Notes: The repealed section pertained to number of rounds, weight of gloves, and certification of physical condition.

338.3657 Duties of physician.

Sec. 57.

(1) A licensed physician shall attend each contest. The physician shall observe the physical condition of the contestants and advise the referee or judges with regard to the health of those contestants. The physician shall examine each contestant before he or she enters the ring.

(2) The physician described in subsection (1) shall file with the commission the report of the physical examination of each contestant within 24 hours after the contest or event ends.

(3) If, in the opinion of a physician described in subsection (1), the health or safety of a contestant requires the termination of the contest in which he or she is competing, the physician shall notify the referee and the referee shall terminate the contest.

History: 2004, Act 403, Eff. Feb. 20, 2005 ;-- Am. 2007, Act 196, Eff. Mar. 27, 2008 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016

338.3658 Loss of consciousness; physical examination required; cost.

Sec. 58.

(1) If a contestant loses consciousness during or as a result of a contest in which he or she competes, he or she is not eligible to participate in another contest in this state until he or she is examined by a physician appointed by the commission and that physician certifies the contestant's fitness to participate in that contest.

(2) The contestant shall pay the cost of the examination conducted under subsection (1).

History: 2004, Act 403, Eff. Feb. 20, 2005 ;-- Am. 2007, Act 196, Eff. Mar. 27, 2008 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 183, Eff. Feb. 10, 2016

Rendered 8/15/2025 1:13 PM
Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 5 of 2025
Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov