(a) No mixed martial arts event shall be held unless the director issues a permit for the event. To obtain a permit to conduct, hold, or give a mixed martial arts event, a promoter shall:

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-7

  • contest: means a contest or exhibition in a mixed martial arts event in which a mixed martial arts contestant competes with another mixed martial arts contestant, using mixed martial arts, and includes an amateur mixed martial arts contest. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1
  • contestant: means a person who is trained in mixed martial arts and competes in a mixed martial arts contest. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1
  • Director: means the director of commerce and consumer affairs. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1
  • event: means one or more mixed martial arts contests held at the same location on the same date. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Manager: means any person who:

    (1) Undertakes or has undertaken to represent in any way the interests of any mixed martial arts contestant in procuring, arranging, or conducting any contest in which the mixed martial arts contestant is to participate; provided that "manager" shall not include an attorney licensed to practice in this State in the attorney's legal representation of a mixed martial arts contestant; or

    (2) Directs or controls the mixed martial arts activities of the mixed martial arts contestant. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1

  • Mixed martial arts: means unarmed combat involving the use, subject to any applicable limits set forth in this chapter and any rules adopted to implement these limits, of a combination of techniques, including grappling, kicking, and striking, from different disciplines of martial arts. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1
  • Promoter: means an individual, corporation, joint venture, partnership, limited liability corporation, limited liability partnership, or any other type of business entity that promotes, conducts, holds, or gives a mixed martial arts contest. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 440E-1
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
(1) Provide proof of medical insurance for mixed martial arts contestants in accordance with rules adopted by the director. All promoters shall be responsible for paying the medical insurance policy premiums and any deductible or copay amount of the medical insurance policy;
(2) Submit all contracts with managers, mixed martial arts contestants, and venues, including any agreement of pre-contest training funds advanced to any contestant either by the promoter or manager or any party of interest, to the director for the director’s review and approval;
(3) Submit to the director, for the director’s review and approval, all ring records of all mixed martial arts contestants scheduled to participate in the event;
(4) Provide cash or cashier’s or certified checks made payable to each mixed martial arts contestant for the amount due the contestant or the contestant’s manager, as the case may be, in accordance with the contracts approved by the director;
(5) Provide to the director written confirmation that an ambulance with paramedics and appropriate security have been obtained and will be present at all times at the venue of the mixed martial arts event;
(6) Provide evidence to the director that security personnel and resources will be present in sufficient number and force to exercise crowd control and to protect spectators at the mixed martial arts event;
(7) Provide to the director evidence that the mixed martial arts event will be conducted in compliance with municipal fire codes; and
(8) Maintain sanitary conditions at the site of the mixed martial arts event.
(b) Failure, refusal, or neglect of any licensed promoter to comply with this section shall result in the automatic denial of a permit to hold the mixed martial arts event.
(c) Licensed promoters may engage in promotions with other licensed promoters as long as each promoter holds a valid, unexpired license and has received the written approval of the director prior to the promotion.
(d) In addition to the payment of other fees and moneys due under this chapter, a licensed promoter shall pay:

(1) An event fee of two per cent of the total gross receipts from admission fees to an event, exclusive of federal, state, and local taxes; and
(2) The lesser of $50,000 or two per cent of the gross receipts from fees charged for viewing a simultaneous or pay per view telecast of a contest or event, exclusive of federal, state, and local taxes.

Payments under this subsection shall be deposited into a separate account in the compliance resolution fund and shall be used to cover the costs of administering this chapter.

(e) Within seven calendar days following a mixed martial arts contest, the promoter shall provide the director with an unedited video record of the contest in a format prescribed by the director.
(f) No mixed martial arts event shall be commenced without a permit from the director pursuant to this section.