Rhode Island Legalizes MMA

The State of Rhode Island has passed a bill legalizing the sport of mixed martial arts:

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The House Corporations Committee has passed a bill that would prohibit driving while text-messaging.

 

The bill, which already has passed the Senate, now goes to the full House for a vote.

 

Supporters of the measure say drivers who were text-messaging have been responsible for several accidents, including some fatal crashes. Some committee members had concerns about how the police will be able to determine whether drivers were texting before a crash, but voted for the bill nonetheless.

 

Text-messaging while driving is already banned in at least 10 states — including Connecticut — and the District of Columbia.

 

The committee also passed a controversial bill that would allow mixed martial arts fighting in the state. The form of hand-to-hand competition combines wrestling, boxing and other fighting forms.

Payout Perspective:

The bill passed and word has finally made its way through MMA channels in the last day or so.

Here’s a rather interesting take from Bloodyelbow forum member, Cyke:

A cursory reading of the bill shows it to be surprisingly well written. One aspect that I loved is that even though there’s a 10 point must system, it allows for rounds to be scored as draws.

 

The bill’s passage is monumental because of Rhode Island’s strategic location as a halfway point between New York and Boston and it’s proximity to Connecticut. Add Providence’s reputation as a fight town (see Pazienza, Manfredo and more recently Andrade) as well as the fact that its a fun place to be in to it’s locational advantages , and there is serious potential for Rhode Island to be a major MMA staging ground.