(a) In making round and foul determinations, the referee shall be the sole arbiter of the professional contest; however, the ringside physician shall advise the referee to terminate or continue the contest based on the physician’s observation of the combatant‘s physical condition.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-115-404

  • Combatant: means any person eighteen (18) years of age or older who engages in a professional unarmed combat contest. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Commission: means the Tennessee athletic commission. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Contest: means an unarmed combat sport competition or exhibition in which at least one (1) of the combatants is a professional or has previously competed as a professional in this state or any other state or in which licensed combatants compete for a purse or item of value greater than that amount authorized pursuant to subdivision (1) for an amateur event. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Department: means the department of commerce and insurance. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Physician: means a person licensed to practice medicine in this state. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Professional: means a person who competes or has competed in an unarmed combat sport contest for the purpose of a purse or item of value greater than that amount authorized for an amateur event, or any person who has been previously licensed in any other jurisdiction as a professional. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Promoter: means any person who produces, stages or sponsors any professional contest of unarmed combat. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Referee: means a person who is present in the ring during the professional contest and exercises general supervision. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Ringside physician: means a person licensed to practice medicine in this state and licensed by the commission as a ring official. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
(b) Immediately following the professional contest, the ringside physician shall examine both combatants.
(c) After examining each professional combatant who has lost as a result of a technical knockout (TKO) or knockout (KO), the ringside physician may require the combatant to undergo a neurological examination.
(d) If a loss of consciousness has occurred, the professional combatant may undergo neurological testing at the determination of the commission and may not be permitted to participate in any professional contest until the test has been conducted and the combatant has been determined to be medically fit to compete by a neurologist. All neurological reports shall be submitted to the commission by the neurologist for its review before the combatant may be permitted to compete in a subsequent professional contest.
(e) The commission may require a drug screen or any other examination to be performed or requested immediately following a contest.
(f)

(1) An ambulance or other emergency vehicle shall remain on the premises at all times during a professional contest.
(2) A two-member licensed emergency medical team consisting of one (1) paramedic shall remain on the premises at all times during a professional contest.
(3) The most direct and unobstructed route to the ambulance or other emergency medical vehicle shall be made available for medical officials.
(4) Emergency medical services shall be approved by the chief or the director of the local fire department or emergency medical service department or bureau of the city or county having jurisdiction over the professional contest.
(g)All expenses incurred pursuant to this section shall be paid by the promoter.
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