Lift the Ban Watch: Could South Carolina Be Next?

From WCIV in Charleston:

Looking to hit the jackpot with mixed martial arts, South Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill to legalize the sport. It’s become a proven money maker with new safety regulations in place other states are cashing in. South Carolina wants to join that list.
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"Many people laugh when they hear it but it's a chess match more than anything, you have to know so many different elements to try and do this," said Jerry Brewer of Precision Fight Sports.

Jerry Brewer runs Precision Fight Sports, a training center for future fighters. He's forced to take his competitors out of state to showcase their skills. Both Georgia and North Carolina legalized mixed martial arts.

"It’s been proven to be nothing but a success from the start, it has come a long ways from the early days," said Brewer.
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That dream is closer to a reality. A house committee passed the bill without any debate. The Chairman and House Representative Bill Sandifer said so far, there has been no opposition. 37 states already signed off on the billion dollar sport, and Brewer hopes South Carolina is next.

If the bill is approved the state athletic commission will regulate the sport. The mixed martial arts debate will hit the house floor next week.

Real integration into the mainstream means over time this sport is woven into the fabric of every community in America and beyond. Piece by piece, state by state, this is the slow grind of Justice's wheels that will make the real difference in MMA's status as a sport of note. For this sport to grow in such a way to make meaningful inroads, it cannot be a sport "for them" that takes places "over there"; it must be for us, here. Stay tuned.