Definitions

As used in the rules of the Tennessee Athletic Commission, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) “Amateur” means a person who has never competed in an unarmed combat sport competition or contest for any purse or item of value, other than for a prize or item of value which does not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), including reasonable expenses, except those involved in Olympic organizations recognized by the Tennessee Athletic Commission as a sanctioning organization. (2) “Application fee” means the fee due at the time an application for a license is submitted to the Commission. (3) “Association of Boxing Commission” means the association recognized by state athletic commissions, which affiliate with such association regarding rules and regulations of unarmed combat sports. The association may also mean and be referred to as the “ABC Association for Professional Unarmed Combat Contests”. (4) “Banned substances” means substances defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency, in addition to any illegal substance. (5) “Bare-knuckle boxing” means boxing where unarmed combatants do not wear gloves or any form of padding on their hands. (6) “Boxing” means unarmed combat to compete with the fists. Boxing may include bare-knuckle boxing, unless the application to bare-knuckle boxing would result in conflict with the requirements for bare-knuckle boxing in Chapter 0145-06 of these rules. (7) “Combatant” means any person eighteen (18) years of age or older who engages in a professional unarmed combat contest. (8) “Commission” means the Tennessee Athletic Commission. GENERAL PROVISIONS CHAPTER 0145-01 (9) “Commissioner” means any member of the Tennessee Athletic Commission. (10) “Contest” means an unarmed combat sport competition in which licensed combatants compete for a purse or item of value greater than that amount authorized for an amateur event. (11) “Department” means the Department of Commerce and Insurance. (12) “Event” means an amateur event in which amateurs compete in an unarmed combat sport competition in accordance with Title 68, Chapter 115. “Event” does not include sparring wherein amateurs engage in unarmed combat for practice and not competition and is not promoted or organized by a promoter. (13) “Immediate family member” means a spouse, parent, sibling or child. (14) “Kickboxing” means unarmed combat involving the use of striking techniques delivered with the upper and lower body, and in which the combatants remain standing while striking. (15) “Manager” means a person who: (a) Undertakes to represent the interests of another person by contract, agreement or other arrangement, in procuring arranging or conducting a professional contest in which such person will participate as a combatant; (b) Directs or controls the activities of an unarmed combatant relating to the participation of the unarmed combatant in a professional contest; (c) Receives or is entitled to receive at least ten percent (10%) of the gross purse of any professional unarmed combatant for services relating to the participation of the unarmed combatant in a professional contest; or (d) Receives compensation for services as an agent or representative of an unarmed combatant. The term does not include an attorney who is licensed to practice law in this state if the attorney’s participation in any of the activities described in subdivision (a) is limited solely to the attorney’s legal representation of a client who is an unarmed combatant. (16) “Matchmaker” means a person who brings together professional boxers, kickboxers or mixed martial art combatants or arranges professional contests of unarmed combat. (17) “Mixed martial arts” means unarmed combat using a combination of techniques from different disciplines of the martial arts, including kicking, wrestling, and striking, subject to applicable limitations set forth in the Tennessee Athletic Commission Act of 2008 and rules promulgated by the Commission. (18) “Permit” means a certification of approval for a contest, issued upon receipt of an application and fee that shall be established and collected, pursuant to the rulemaking authority of the Commission for professional contests. (19) “Person” means and includes individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships or associations, domestic and foreign. (20) “Physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine in the state of Tennessee. GENERAL PROVISIONS CHAPTER 0145-01 (21) “Professional” means a person who competes in an unarmed combat sport contest in this state for the purpose of a purse or item of value greater than that amount authorized for an amateur event. (22) “Promoter” means any person who produces, stages, or sponsors any professional contest of unarmed combat. (23) “Purse” means the financial guarantee or any other remuneration for which combatants are participating in a professional contest and includes the combatant’s share of any payment received for radio broadcasting, television or motion picture right. (24) “Ring official” means any person who performs any one (1) or more of the following official functions during the progress of a professional contest of unarmed combat: (a) “Announcer” means a person authorized to act as an announcer at unarmed combat contests or amateur events. (b) “Judge” means a person who is responsible for scoring the performances of the combatants in a professional contest; (c) “Referee” means a person who is present in the ring during the professional contest and exercises general supervision; (d) “Ringside physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine in the state of Tennessee and licensed by the Commission as a ring official; (e) “Timekeeper” means a person who is the official timer of the length of the rounds and the intervals thereof in a professional contest of unarmed combat. (25) “Sanctioning organization” means an organization recognized by the Tennessee Athletic Commission that sanctions professional contests of unarmed combat and is required to comply with all provisions of this act. “Sanctioning organization” may also mean an organization recognized by the Tennessee Athletic Commission that adopts rules and regulations pursuant to the provisions of T.C.A. § 68-115-213. (26) “Second” means a person, including a manager, who is present at any professional unarmed combat contest to provide assistance or advice to combatants during a professional contest of unarmed combat. (27) “Show settlement” means the period of time immediately following the professional contest in which a Commission member or the Commission’s administrator or his or her designee shall meet with venue personnel and the contest promoter to review ticket sales and collect fees due if paid immediately following the professional contest. (28) “Unarmed combat” means and shall include boxing, mixed martial arts, and kickboxing as defined and regulated under the provisions of the Tennessee Athletic Commission Act of 2008.