NOW that Gov. Cayetano has kept his word and signed the bill banning X-treme and Ultimate fighting and similar arena combat, the trick will be enforcing it. Can they really
stop these fights?Hawaii joins a number of other states and municipalities that have taken action to restrict or totally prohibit the bloody mix of martial arts, boxing, wrestling and street-brawling. It has often wound up with one fighter kicking or pummeling the other fighter in the head while he is on the floor.
The ban, which goes into effect July 1, calls for a $10,000 fine and a prohibition against promoters doing business here for three years.
Gussie L'amour's, which has held monthly prize-purse bare-knuckle brawls, is holding its last one tonight.
But keep an eye on tireless bloodsport promoter T.J. Thompson, who staged Super Brawls I through IV at the Blaisdell Arena.
Thompson, who has displayed a touch of eloquence and strategy in pleading the cause of his events, said he's decided to pull Super Brawl V from its July 5 Blaisdell booking, and stage it in Guam on Aug. 23.
At first glance, that looks like what Ultimate Fighting promoters did when they took their show to Alabama after a federal judge in New York upheld state athletic commission rules.
But there's a big difference.
THOMPSON is not really moving operations out of town.
"With the law going into effect on July 1, having an event on July 5 here would look as if we're flipping the Legislature off or something -- even though I had the date for several months," said Thompson.
Instead, he said he'll do his thing on Guam this summer and stage Super Brawl VI at the Blaisdell on Oct. 11.
Thompson said the Blaisdell administration sympathizes with him.
My past conversations with Alvin Au, director of the Department of Auditoriums for the City and County of Honolulu, indicated to me that Super Brawls and similar events were welcome at the Blaisdell.
After the bill was passed in late April, Au said, "I don't think it applies to the activities at the Blaisdell."
That makes me wonder if anyone has bothered to clearly define for state and city facilities what events are banned under the law.
Thompson insists the new law has absolutely nothing to do with his fights anyway.
But I can tell you that legislators clearly referred to the Blaisdell-based Super Brawls during a state Senate hearing earlier this year.
IF Thompson has convinced a city facility to book Super Brawl VI in October, I really wonder what good is the new law.
Should the promoter have to appear before the ban's enforcement agency, the Department of Commerce, Consumer Protection and Information Technology, he'll argue that Super Brawl, a form of X-treme fighting, is a lot safer since new rules were implemented.
Changes outlaw throwing an opponent on his head or neck or out of the ring, kicking or stomping the head of a downed opponent, as well as closed fist or straight palm strikes to a downed opponent's head. Head butts are also now illegal.
Problem is, the old rules were often ignored, at the discretion of the referee.
So, there's a need for early aggressive enforcement of the new ban, and there is also a need to get all state and city sports venues on the same page.
Otherwise, smart bloodsport event promoters like Thompson will make the law obsolete.