City weighs rules for cage fighting.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

The Eugene City Council's first action of the year may be to impose rules on amateur cage fights.

Councilors on Monday are scheduled to vote on an ordinance regulating such fights, where contestants punch, kick and wrestle during battles inside a cage.

The proposed ordinance came about last year after former Councilor David Kelly brought the subject to the council's attention. He said he happened by cage fighting matches at the Lane Events Center, and found them to be "the most brutal and dehumanizing" events he had ever witnessed. Some other councilors agreed that the matches are repugnant and barbaric.

Instead of moving to ban cage fighting, councilors directed city attorneys to write an ordinance to allow the fights if certain rules are followed.

Most councilors thought regulations would reduce the risk of fighters getting seriously injured, while a ban would simply cause promoters to take the fights to Springfield and other cities.

Under Eugene's proposed law, amateur fighters would have to be matched with others of comparable skill, experience and weight. Certain blows or maneuvers that could cause serious injury would be prohibited. Fighters or promoters would need to have medical insurance to cover injuries caused in the bouts.

Jason Georgianna, Eugene's main promoter of amateur cage fights, said he hasn't read the proposed ordinance. But he said he doesn't object to regulation "because it's the right thing to do."

Georgianna said he plans to tighten up fights that he runs. He said he will begin requiring fighters to take blood tests for HIV and hepatitis, and he will buy medical coverage of up to $10,000 for uninsured fighters. He said he plans to bar inexperienced fighters from using their knees to strike an opponent's head. Georgianna also said he plans to prevent fighters from using a "submission hold that goes quickly from painless to hospitalization with knee tears" that most beginners don't know how to defend against.

The city ordinance would not cover professional cage fighting, which is regulated by the Oregon Boxing and Wrestling Commission.

City attorney Jerry Lidz told councilors in a report that the state commission wants the Legislature to give it the authority to regulate amateur mixed martial arts. If that happens, state law could pre-empt Eugene's ordinance, he said.

Georgianna, through his company, Pacific Coast Cage Fights, last year promoted four Eugene matches on his own, plus another one with a former partner.

Most matches drew from 500 to 2,000 people, he said.

When the council discussed the subject in November, Councilor Bonny Bettman suggested preventing minors from attending cage fights or participating in them.

"I would agree that minors should not participate," Georgianna said. "I don't allow that anyway. But I strongly disagree with preventing minors from watching."

Cage fighting is televised, as are football, hockey, bull riding and other violent sports where injuries occur, Georgianna said.

Young people practice mixed martial arts so "they should have a right to see the competition," he said.

Georgianna said some councilors may be uncomfortable with minors in the audience because the events include scantily clad "ring girls" who move around the cages in suggestive poses, and a public address announcer who used "crude language" to whip the crowd into a frenzy.

He said he plans to have the female employees dress less provocatively, and the announcer will not say "anything crude to unnecessarily incite the crowd."

Regulation ordinance The Eugene City Council tonight is scheduled to vote on an ordinance to regulate cage fighting. When: 7:30 p.m. Where: City Council Chamber, City Hall, 777 Pearl St.