Tag: Marc Ratner

According to Zuffa, All UFC 129 Drug Tests Came Back Clean


(If the OAC wants to be taken seriously, it can’t expect promotions to self-regulate.)

If you recall, we reported after UFC 129 that the Ontario Athletic Commission had passed the buck in terms of post-fight drug testing to Zuffa for the April 30 event held in Toronto and that the UFC had hired an unnamed independent laboratory to look after testing the fighters on the historic card.

According to UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, who responded to a request from CagePotato.com today for test results from the event, all of the samples came back clean two weeks ago “for both [performance enhancing drugs] and illegal street drugs.”


(If the OAC wants to be taken seriously, it can’t expect promotions to self-regulate.)

If you recall, we reported after UFC 129 that the Ontario Athletic Commission had passed the buck in terms of post-fight drug testing to Zuffa for the April 30 event held in Toronto and that the UFC had hired an unnamed independent laboratory to look after testing the fighters on the historic card.

According to UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, who responded to a request from CagePotato.com today for test results from the event, all of the samples came back clean two weeks ago “for both [performance enhancing drugs] and illegal street drugs.”

This isn’t the first time that the UFC has administered its own tests. An independent lab discovered that Chris Leben had the anabolic steroid Stanazolol in his system for his UFC 89 loss to Michael Bisping October 18, 2008. He was handed a nine-month suspension from Zuffa for his indiscretion.

What’s of note is that the results of the UFC 129 tests were not made public by the Ontario Athletic Commission, which begs the question: Is the OAC properly regulating the sport in the province, or are they depending on promotions to self regulate?

Part of the OAC’s mandate in sanctioning MMA in the province was that it would provide drug testing for promotions that require it of its fighters. Right off the bat they dropped the ball with the first promotion that required testing.

What other rules are being overlooked by the established commission that many feel is ill-equipped to handle regulating MMA as it stands today due to deficiencies in manpower, experience and knowledge of the sport?

Judges to Use Personal Video Monitors at UFC 131 in Vancouver

(MMA Judging: So easy you can do it with your back turned.)

In a move designed to improve judging by giving officials a better view of the in-Octagon action, the Vancouver Athletic Commission has approved the use of cageside video monitors by its appointed judges at UFC 131.

According to VAC chairman Jonathan Tweedale, the decision to allow judges to utilize close circuit television screens to better observe what’s going on in the cage while their views are obstructed was made to help eliminate questionable judging disparities.

“Hopefully this small step, along with mandatory education for all officials, will enhance the fairness and consistency of judges’ decisions if other jurisdictions follow suit,” Tweedale told MMAJunkie today. “The fighters deserve as much.”

(MMA Judging: So easy you can do it with your back turned.)

In a move designed to improve judging by giving officials a better view of the in-Octagon action, the Vancouver Athletic Commission has approved the use of cageside video monitors by its appointed judges at UFC 131.

According to VAC chairman Jonathan Tweedale, the decision to allow judges to utilize close circuit television screens to better observe what’s going on in the cage while their views are obstructed was made to help eliminate questionable judging disparities.

“Hopefully this small step, along with mandatory education for all officials, will enhance the fairness and consistency of judges’ decisions if other jurisdictions follow suit,” Tweedale told MMAJunkie today. “The fighters deserve as much.”

The Vancouver, BC show will mark the fourth time monitors have been used as an aid in judging UFC events. They were utilized at UFC on Versus 1, UFC 117 and UFC 121.

UFC vice president of regulatory affairs, Marc Ratner, who indicated that the promotion will put in a request with the Nevada State Athletic Commission that monitors be used at UFC 130 in Las Vegas downplayed the screens as being, “just another tool for the judges.”

According to California State Athletic Commission executive director, George Dodd, he specifically requested the use of monitors shortly after he took the helm of the governing body February 2010.

“There are no regulations that say we can’t have monitors in that area,” Dodd said. “Sometimes we don’t get the best look because those big bars are in the way. It just gives the judges another angle to score fights.”

NSAC executive director Keith Kizer told MMAJunkie earlier in the week that the use of monitors in Nevada would have to be approved by way of a vote at the next regulatory hearing and that, although he wasn’t necessarily opposed to the use of monitors, he didn’t feel they are necessary as judges may become dependent on them.

Come on, Keith. We’re talking about TV monitors here, not crack. He should be all for using whatever it takes to ensure judges get it right for once. Maybe he should start by getting Cecil Peoples on a plan for free prescription eyeglasses.

UFC Requests Monitors for Judges at UFC 130

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, NewsIf the UFC has its way, there will be monitors present beside each judge at next month’s UFC 130 in Las Vegas.

Marc Ratner, the UFC’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, informed MMA Fighting that the organi…

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If the UFC has its way, there will be monitors present beside each judge at next month’s UFC 130 in Las Vegas.

Marc Ratner, the UFC’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, informed MMA Fighting that the organization has formally submitted a request to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to install monitors as a backup viewing option for the judges assigned to score the bouts at UFC 130.

“I’ve emailed [NSAC Executive Director] Keith [Kizer] and asked him to put the request on the next agenda. We believe these monitors will be another look to help with the judges,” Ratner wrote via e-mail.

The MMA Hour With Overeem, ‘Shaolin,’ Quadros, Ratner, Fowlkes

Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, VideosMonday’s live edition of The MMA Hour will feature five guests from around the mixed martial arts world.

* We will first be joined in studio by lightweight Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, w…

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Monday’s live edition of The MMA Hour will feature five guests from around the mixed martial arts world.

* We will first be joined in studio by lightweight Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, who faces Justin Wilcox in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers this Friday night on Showtime.

* Then, we will talk to Alistair Overeem about his run in the K-1 Grand Prix and when he expects to compete in MMA again.

* Showtime commentator Stephen Quadros will stop by to preview Friday night’s show and talk about other Strikeforce-related news.

* Marc Ratner, the UFC’s VP of regulatory affairs, will discuss the organization’s second trip to Germany for UFC 122 and other UFC-related news.

* And MMA Fighting’s own Ben Fowlkes will help look back at UFC 122 and preview this weekend’s UFC 123 event.

And of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.

Watch the show live below beginning at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes here.

Marc Ratner Reveals Why UFC Decided to Return to Germany for UFC 122

Filed under: UFCMany people questioned the UFC’s decision to return to Germany, where the public sentiment towards MMA isn’t overwhelmingly positive. UFC 122 might have been held in Oberhausen this past weekend, but the fights weren’t even available on…

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Many people questioned the UFC’s decision to return to Germany, where the public sentiment towards MMA isn’t overwhelmingly positive. UFC 122 might have been held in Oberhausen this past weekend, but the fights weren’t even available on TV in the host country.

But as UFC VP of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, the mixed feelings about MMA from politicians and local media are precisely why the UFC decided to go back to Germany.

“To grow the sport, you have to keep educating,” Ratner said. “We want to do business in Germany. We want to show the people and the newspaper people…that’s the only way to do it. If you just walk away and say, ‘Gee, they won’t let us be on TV,’ it doesn’t make sense. So we’re just going to keep pushing. It was the right decision and I’m glad we did it.”

New York MMA Sanctioning Nearing Decision Time for Possible 2010 Event

Filed under: Fighting, UFC, NewsThe budget battle currently enveloping New York state is stalling the passage of MMA sanctioning, but turmoil in the state capital is not quite as likely to swallow it as it did last year. That is because unlike past yea…

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Madison Square GardenThe budget battle currently enveloping New York state is stalling the passage of MMA sanctioning, but turmoil in the state capital is not quite as likely to swallow it as it did last year. That is because unlike past years, MMA has two chances at the legalization process in 2010.

As a result, there is still hope that a bill to legalize and regulate the sport will be passed soon, meaning that the chance of MMA – and even a UFC show – in New York is still alive for 2010. But time is running low.

“Hopefully things go good. We want to be there,” UFC vice president of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner told MMA Fighting in regards to regulation. “I’m cautiously optimistic, but I don’t want to say overly optimistic because it’s been a real tough time in New York and things can change every hour.”