The California MMA bill, supported by Ronda Rousey and others, has passed.
Fighter pay and benefits for MMA athletes have been a topic of debate for several years. The ongoing antitrust lawsuit threatens the UFC itself, and is expected to begin next year. The lawsuit, led by Nate Quarry and Kung Li, could potentially win billions of dollars in damages from the company.
Additionally, Jake Paul and Anderson Silva are also reportedly still committed to the Fighters Union. All are laudable efforts, but the Ronda Rousey-led California bill is one of the first major improvements for combatants. As previously reported, “Rowdy” helped bring this bill forward earlier this year.
Additionally, Ronda Rousey reached out to Cat Zingano, who spoke in favor of the bill earlier this summer. The bill itself guarantees funding to fighters who fight at least 39 rounds in the state. Payments begin when athletes reach the age of 50, with money generated from a portion of ticket sales.
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The bill easily passed the state because California already has a pension fund for professional boxing. Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law. Thanks to the efforts of Ronda Rousey, “Alpha Cat” and others, there is now a pension for mixed martial artists in the state.
Obviously, that’s just one state. But as mentioned above, there are many other ongoing efforts to improve pay for combatants and benefits for athletes. On the national level, Oklahoma State Sen. Markwayne Mullin also revealed plans to potentially bring the Ali Expansion Act to MMA.
What do you think about this news? Do you think California’s pension bill is beneficial?
