Randy Couture ‘offended’ by New Jersey’s ‘misinformed’ presentation against two ABC rule changes

LAS VEGAS — Randy Couture took part of New Jersey’s dissent to proposed rule changes personally.

The UFC Hall of Famer spoke out at the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) Conference on Tuesday after New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) deputy commissioner Rhonda Uttley-Herring presented the state’s case against two proposed MMA Unified Rules amendments.

Couture, a member of the ABC’s MMA rules and regulations committee that recommended the new rules, took particular umbrage with Uttley-Herring’s comments about some fighters not wanting regulation.

“Obviously, I fought in New Jersey, I fought in your great state,” Couture said at the podium after Uttley-Herring’s presentation. “As an athlete that’s been involved in this sport for over 15 years, I’m a little offended that you would assume that all us athletes and fighters don’t want to be regulated, that we have not done everything we can, in fact go to every single state meeting in the 50 states that have it improved and try to be regulated.

“You include us all in the same pool and I’m spending my time and energy over the last 17 years and frankly found the presentation to be a bit condescending. Just my opinion.”

The NJSACB was against two rule changes voted on Tuesday due to medical reasons: one that redefined the definition of a grounded fighter and another that would remove the heel kicks to the kidney foul. Uttley-Herring read the official dissent written by NJSACB counsel Nick Lembo on Tuesday in front of the body.

The entire new rules package recommended by the committee was approved by the ABC body, 42-1 with two abstentions. New Jersey was the only nay vote. Tennessee and Mississippi abstained.

“I’m very happy to see that fighters are addressing this group and asking to amend rules,” Uttley-Herring said to begin her presentation. “And one thing I can say about that is thank God for commissions. Because many fighters would rather they didn’t have a commission, would rather we didn’t have rules and regulations, would rather that we didn’t put them on suspension. Some fighters would rather be able to fight with bullets in their brains, with early CTE symptoms. And again, thank God for commissions. As regulators, I am asking all of you to dig way down deep inside and ask yourselves, are you doing the right thing when you vote for these amendments? As regulators. Because what I saw here today and what I saw yesterday was not regulators.”

The remarks …

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