Section 41-9-1029
Promoter license; match permit; performance bond; certification of results.
(a)(1) No person shall promote or hold a match, contest, or exhibition of professional boxing, professional bare knuckle boxing, tough man contests, professional wrestling, amateur mixed martial arts, or professional mixed martial arts within this state without first applying for and obtaining a promoter's license from the commission.
(2) Licenses shall be issued annually and shall expire on December 31 of each calendar year.
(b) Promoters shall apply to the commission for a license required by subsection (a) on a form provided by the commission. The application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The application shall also be accompanied by a performance bond in an amount and under any conditions required by the commission.
(c)(1) In addition to the license required by subsection (a), a match, contest, or exhibition of professional boxing, professional bare knuckle boxing, tough man contests, professional wrestling, amateur mixed martial arts, or professional mixed martial arts within this state shall not be staged unless a match permit has been issued by the commission for the match, contest, or exhibition.
(2) Each application for a match permit shall be on a form provided by the commission and shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The commission may charge an additional match fee in accordance with rules adopted by the commission.
(d) The commission, prior to issuing any match permit, may require a performance bond in addition to that required in subsection (b).
(e) The commission may refund any portion of the match permit fee in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) to any person who paid the excess fee if the match, contest, or exhibition of professional boxing, professional bare knuckle boxing, tough man contests, professional wrestling, amateur mixed martial arts, or professional mixed martial arts for which the fees were paid is not held.
(f) The commission shall have the sole authority to certify the results of each amateur mixed martial arts match, contest, or exhibition held within the state.
(Act 2009-622, p. 1872, §10; Act 2010-222, p. 392, §1; Act 2011-164, p. 297, §3; Act 2013-285, p. 961, §1; Act 2019-491, §1.)