Former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton is seemingly getting the leap on an eventual dialog concerning the new Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act being adopted in Nevada after a gathering on the matter in California ended with the fee voting unanimously to help the measure.
On Tuesday through the Nevada State Athletic Fee’s month-to-month listening to, Newton supplied public remark the place he spoke straight about enterprise practices allowed in MMA, that are banned in different sports activities like boxing underneath protections from the unique Ali Act voted into regulation again in 2000. Whereas he by no means straight talked about the brand new Ali Revival Act, which seeks to permit UFC model promotion within the sport of boxing, Newton was fairly clearly addressing issues raised by athletes in a number of antitrust lawsuits filed in opposition to the UFC lately after he additionally spoke through the California Athletic Fee listening to on Oct. 16.
“I used to be instrumental within the present UFC lawsuit,” Newton instructed the fee. “Quite a lot of the belongings you guys spoke about pertains to sport and the governance of sport. At present, athletes usually are not allowed to compete for different promotional titles in MMA, freely, brazenly and unfettered. MMA is the one sport on this planet, skilled sport, the place the promoters are allowed to regulate rank and title whereas having athletes underneath unique contracts.
“I’d wish to see one thing executed so as to introduce impartial titles or a sanctioning physique or promoters not being allowed to make use of unique contracts with the athletes if the athletes are competing for that promoter’s title. It creates a monopoly by default as a result of athletes inherently all need to compete in opposition to each other. If a promoter’s simply prepared to spend the cash to take action or buying different promotions, they may inevitably, undoubtedly by default have a monopoly over these athletes of notoriety.”
The present model of the Ali Act successfully serves as a barrier to stop conflicts of curiosity and extra transparency with regards to contracts and salaries. Whereas many argue that the present regulation isn’t enforced, there’s nonetheless a regulation in place that units sure limits, particularly with regards to how promoters are allowed to conduct enterprise in boxing.
The brand new Ali Revival Act doesn’t change that regulation however as a substitute provides a brand new provision to permit United Boxing Organizations (UBO) to convey UFC-style promotion to boxing, which might doubtlessly embody unique contracts in addition to titles and rankings being supplied by the promoter.
The brand new regulation was launched in a bipartisan invoice forward of Zuffa Boxing formally launching in 2026.
“Managers work for the promoter,” Newton mentioned throughout his public remark. “They’re now simply brokers. Nobody has any bargaining energy. The final time boxing was executed this fashion was in 1825 when New York state then took over and issued an impartial title. Within the early 1900’s you guys created impartial sanctioning our bodies as a result of New York state additionally inevitably ended up having simply too many championship fights as a result of it was the most well-liked state.
“Now quick ahead to current day, we have now a promoter the UFC simply prepared to all the time spend cash at a loss so as to monopolize the sport and tie up athletes. There’s over 50 athletes underneath unique contract in every weight division on the high of their sport. There’s no sport on this planet that does this.”
Newton acknowledged that MMA athletes have been by no means supplied the identical rights as boxers and it allowed the UFC to keep up a stranglehold on the game.
“This has been litigated time and time once more in different sports activities however for some purpose Nevada within the early days allowed the UFC to run its course and no person used impartial sanctioning our bodies,” Newton mentioned. “Why? As a result of promoters had the selection however the sport is right here to be ruled and controlled on behalf of the athletes. For the athletes to have the ability to compete freely, brazenly and unfettered for titles, so as to get what the market will yield pretty for his or her providers.
“Proper now in blended martial arts, athletes compete for the promoter. That’s unfair. It isn’t a sport.”
Proponents for the brand new Ali Revival Act being adopted for boxing have argued that permitting UFC-style promotion not solely permits athletes to have extra choices however the brand new mannequin may truly enable for extra development in a sport determined for some stability.
After asserting the launch of Zuffa Boxing, which is being funded totally by the Saudi Arabia Common Leisure Authority, the promotion inked a long-term broadcast rights cope with Paramount to air occasions starting in 2026.
In the meantime different boxing promoters like Prime Rank and Premier Boxing Champions have misplaced TV offers lately with most main fights working on an event-by-event foundation. Boxing doesn’t technically have a relentless presence on any main community or streaming service presently till the brand new Zuffa Boxing promotion launches subsequent yr.
That mentioned, Newton believes fighters competing in MMA want higher protections like boxers presently obtain and something lower than that isn’t getting the job executed.
“This simply placing lipstick on a pig,” Newton mentioned. “That’s precisely what that is. Lipstick on a pig to make this appear to be an actual sport. It isn’t.
“When a promoter just like the UFC can put an interim champion in at any time when they really feel prefer it, as a result of they don’t wish to signal or negotiate with the athletes, it’s unfair. It’s patented exploitation of the athletes and it’s a sham and a fraud on the general public.”
