Which government bodies regulate mixed martial arts in the United States?

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Two mixed martial arts fighters face off inside a caged ring, viewed through the chain-link fence with a referee and audience in the background. — mixed martial arts Two fighters competing in a mixed martial arts contest.

In the United States, mixed martial arts (MMA) is regulated by the same government bodies that govern boxing, which are state athletic commissions. These commissions are responsible for assigning referees and judges for bouts, as well as conducting medical and drug testing on fighters to ensure athlete safety and fair competition.12

While specific oversight is handled at the state level—such as by the Nevada State Athletic Commission or the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board—MMA events are now sanctioned in all 50 U.S. states. To maintain consistency, these regulatory bodies generally adhere to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, a standardized set of regulations adopted by 2009 to govern conduct, fouls, and scoring across the sport.132