Martial arts event now legal
California State Athletic Commission director Armando Garcia said mixed martial arts events technically became legal as of Wednesday, but the commission won't start accepting applications until around Jan. 9 and he expects the first events to be held sometime after March 1.

He has heard unofficially of plans for at least a dozen bouts next year. He expects California to quickly become the most popular state for the sport, as it already is for boxing, and he believes that a large percentage of the current MMA fighters competing in other states hail from California.

Mixed martial arts events have been held throughout the state in recent years, illegally or on Indian reservations beyond the commission's reach. By legalizing and regulating it, Garcia said, the commission hopes to enforce a greater level of safety for the fighters, such as reviewing whether two fighters are fairly matched in terms of abilities and weight.

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