Discover the future of MMA in Ontario as the province breaks the monopoly and expands amateur events. Learn about the Combative Sports Act and the establishment of the Combat Sports Advisory Council. Find out the next steps in developing amateur MMA and attracting more events to Ontario.
| Key Points |
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| Professional MMA became legal in Ontario in 2010, leading to the first UFC event in Toronto in 2011. |
| Existing legislative frameworks in Ontario have limited amateur MMA competitions. |
| The Combative Sports Act (CSA) was passed in 2019 to break the monopoly of provincial sports organizations (PSO) and allow anyone to apply for a permit to hold an amateur event. |
| Amateur MMA is currently illegal but is expected to be legalized in the future. |
| The Combat Sports Advisory Council advises the Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport on updated regulations for combative sports. |
| The Council aims to develop amateur MMA and create a culture for smaller regional shows to flourish. |
| Safety in sport is crucial for the growth of MMA, and the Council is seeking support from established figures in the MMA community. |
| The CSA’s regulations have the potential to expand the definition of combat sports. |
| The Council’s next steps involve finalizing rule sets for amateur MMA and attracting more MMA events to Ontario. |
The Future of MMA in Ontario
Professional mixed martial arts (MMA) became legal in Ontario in 2010, marking a monumental moment for combat sports fans. This allowed for the province’s first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event, UFC 129, to be held in Toronto on April 30, 2011. Since then, the UFC has returned to Ontario for nine events — seven in Toronto and two in Ottawa.
Despite efforts to increase MMA’s popularity, existing legislative frameworks for combat sports in Ontario have been limited, restricting amateur MMA competitions and granting provincial sports organizations (PSO) a monopoly over amateur combat sports .
The Combative Sports Act
In 2019, the Ontario provincial government passed the Combative Sports Act (CSA) into law, overhauling the regulations relating to combat sports . The law sought to establish a new framework that would break the monopoly PSOs currently hold on hosting combat sports events, allowing anyone to apply for a permit to hold an amateur event.
Currently, the list of amateur combative sports that are legal as long as a PSO regulates them includes boxing, grappling, kickboxing, karate, pankration, taekwondo, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, kudo, muay thai, and wushu. Amateur MMA is currently illegal. Yet, that appears set to change.
The Future of Amateur MMA
In 2023, the CSA has yet to come into force. However, the establishment of the Combat Sports Advisory Council is a step in the right direction. The Council will provide Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Neil Lumsden with advice about creating updated regulations for combative sports.
Refining combat sports at all levels and developing MMA in Ontario from the ground up are a focus of the Council. It has begun with creating ways to develop amateur MMA, something “that’ll happen very very shortly,” according to Ned Kuruc, the chair of the advisory council.
Creating a viable environment for smaller regional shows to operate means making licenses more affordable for smaller events. The future of the development of MMA depends on whether young people get involved, and the perception of safety is key. The Council is also seeking out established figures within the MMA community to help support its goal of growing the sport.
Expanding the Definition of Combat Sports
The CSA details the defining characteristics of combat sports , but its regulations paint a broad picture of what might be allowed in combat sports moving forward. These wide-ranging requirements could define a slew of sports as combat sports that are not considered as such currently.
When asked about the potential inclusion of slap-fighting promotion Powerslap, Kuruc stated that it may be permitted under the regulations, but it is not an immediate focus for the Council. The Council’s primary focus remains on refining already established combat sports .
Next Steps
The Council’s next steps revolve around amateur MMA. The rule sets are almost finalized, and the Council is working towards making amateur MMA legal in Ontario. The demand for MMA in Ontario was evident during UFC 297 in Toronto, and the Council aims to attract more events to the province.
The goal is to have the CSA formally in force by January 2025.
