"I commend the work of the State Athletic Commission on the regulations, which were crafted to ensure participant and spectator safety," Cortés said. "These efforts will assure licensure and testing of participants for communicable diseases, as well as require emergency medical care and insurance for participants. Regulation of the sport also will help ensure that events are orderly and crowd control is maintained."

Cortés noted that MMA has actively sought regulation. Pennsylvania joins a growing number of states, including New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, California, Nevada and Florida that permit Mixed Martial Arts.

The State Athletic Commission anticipates regulating four to five MMA events per month, which may generate as much as $80,000 per year in revenue for the commission. As a self-supporting entity, the State Athletic Commission receives no taxpayer dollars from the state's General Fund.

The commission and staff worked for more than a year to prepare the final regulations, which are commensurate with current boxing rules. Health and safety of the fighters and public protection are key themes of the regulations. Many facets of the sport were addressed, including age and medical requirements, fees, promoter activity, and ring requirements.

The regulations require that all professional ($22 fee) and amateur ($10 fee) MMA fighters must be licensed and take a pre-fight physical exam by a commission-approved doctor. All fighters must be at least 18 years old. Other exams may also be required, particularly for boxers over the age of 36. All female fighters will be required to take a pregnancy test before each event. All fighters also must provide an annual physical (on a commission form) as well as a negative HIV, Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B exam at the time of licensing, and exams cannot be more than six months old. Insurance is required for all fighters and referees, and an ambulance and emergency personnel with emergency equipment must be at ringside at all times.

Highlights of the promoter regulations require that all promoters must have a valid promoter's license from the commission, which costs $100 per year. All promoters must also complete a criminal background check on a form supplied by the commission (fee is $10). A surety bond of not less than $15,000 must be on file with the commission before an MMA event takes place.