CAMO and CSAC to Lower Amateur MMA License Fee

The Rashguards Come Off—Shinguards On

LOS ANGELES, September 9, 2013 – The California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization, Inc. (“CAMO”) in conjunction with the California State Athletic Commission (“CSAC”) announced today that it will be  reducing the price of an amateur MMA CAMO license to $75 from the current $115 price. In addition to the price reduction, CAMO and CSAC have agreed to remove the rashguard and official CAMO glove requirements as well. CAMO will move to an approved group of 6 oz. amateur MMA glove options and shall also require shinguards in all CAMO contests to better reflect the unified amateur rules of MMA. The aforementioned changes are currently scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2013.

 

As part of the changes and in connection with the lower athlete license fee, starting October 1, 2013, CAMO will no longer provide athletes with rashguards and gloves with their license. Each fighter or camp will be responsible for bringing their own gloves and shinguards that meet CAMO’s required specifications to each competition where such gloves and rashguards shall be subject to the inspection and approval of the CAMO inspectors. The glove and shinguard specifications will be made available on the CAMO website (www.camo-mma.org).

 

CSAC and Executive Officer Andy Foster have worked closely with CAMO through this regulatory change. “We are excited to offer a reduced license fee and new equipment standards,” Foster stated. “We embrace the unification of amateur MMA rules and hope these changes are welcomed and embraced by our community.”

 

CAMO debuted the unique rashguard and glove requirement when the first legal amateur MMA events in California started in 2009 after the establishment of the CAMO program. The rashguards and glove requirement was mandated by CSAC in order to differentiate amateur competition from professional competition. “Amateur MMA was a new concept and CSAC took a very prudent and careful approach in protecting its consumers by requiring MMA athletes to wear a red or blue rashguard,” said CAMO President JT Steele. “Now that amateur MMA is established and organized, CSAC has adjusted accordingly to better reflect national standards.”