Illegal Fight Clubs

[GeneChing]

So busted.

Martial arts teacher charged with illegal fighting
By SARAH PROHASKA
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

PORT ST. LUCIE — A nationally renowned mixed martial arts fighter, who made a name for himself while competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, was arrested on a felony charge Tuesday after investigators said he organized "illegal cage fighting" matches in St. Lucie West that drew more than 150 spectators, some from out of town.

Din Thomas, 31, of Port St. Lucie allegedly violated a Florida statute that governs "prohibited competitions" - a third-degree felony that carries a possible maximum punishment of five years in prison. Police said he organized and promoted an unsanctioned and unlicensed match out of a warehouse at 494 N.W. Lake Whitney Place, near Pea**** Boulevard, in St. Lucie West on Oct. 19.

Spectators paid $10 to watch the event that included several fights with multiple amateur competitors, whose estimated ages ranged from their 20s to their 40s, officials said.

Sgt. Frank Sabol said police were tipped off to the event while he was conducting an off-duty detail and a citizen asked about it.

"I was approached by a citizen, and he asked, 'What are the police doing about the fight club out in St. Lucie West?''" Sabol said.

Investigators found out the time and place of the event, and four officers showed up to watch, according to a police report. They saw a large number of cars in the parking lot of the warehouse that also doubled as a gymnastics facility. About 150 were cheering and sitting on makeshift stands and chairs facing the fenced octagonal cage where two men were fighting, the report states.

Thomas, who teaches mixed-martial arts and ultimate fighting at a facility on South U.S. 1 near Port St. Lucie Boulevard, told an officer he put the event together as a way for his students to gain experience fighting in front of crowds.

Mixed martial arts is "an intense and evolving combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others to their strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match," according to the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Web site.

Thomas, who graduated from Port St. Lucie High in 1994, became known while competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship with its televised matches. In September, he competed in a match live on Spike TV.

Thomas was released from the St. Lucie County Jail on Tuesday after posting $10,000 bond. He could not be reached for comment at either his home or gym.

Thomas told the officer "they were only sparring like they do in class except in front of a crowd," according to the report.

Officials, however, say this was a planned event, which Thomas promoted and was not sanctioned by a state-approved board.

"Without a doubt this was for entertainment," Sgt. Paul Grohowski said. "It's an intense sport, they use kicks, punches, chokes. We witnessed one gentleman get knocked unconscious."

Thomas reportedly told an officer that no hired medical staff was at the event, but all fighters signed a waiver.

The statute says "no match involving amateurs which utilizes, but is not necessarily limited to, strikes or blows to the head may be held in this state unless it is sanctioned and supervised by an amateur sanctioning organization."

Anyone promoting or sponsoring a prohibited match could be charged with a felony, and those who participate could be charged with a misdemeanor, the law says. It also says "no amateur mixed martial arts match may be held in this state."

"If there's evidence that a promoter knew about a fight and promoted it as such, it needs to be a licensed fight," said Sam Farkas, a spokesman with the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation. "Clearly, this was planned. He knew about it and he promoted it as such."

Making sure the event is licensed, he said, ensures that the proper referees, doctors and promoters participate. While he did not know exactly how many times someone in the state has been prosecuted under this statute, Farkas said, "It's not very frequent."

[Takuan]

"We witnessed one gentleman get knocked unconscious."

SAY IT AINT SO!

Once again, the American Government needs to decide what your activities can and can't include, and where your money needs to go.

I mean, I understand them not wanting a profit organisation making major bank off of unregistered fights, but still...

[MasterKiller]

This wasn't a fight club. Shame on Gene for sensationalizing...

Din was holding a sparring session for ATT fighters.

[lkfmdc]

Originally Posted by MasterKiller

This wasn't a fight club. Shame on Gene for sensationalizing...

Din was holding a sparring session for ATT fighters.

Uh, he was charging ADMISSION to spectators to watch "sparring" between members of ATT and other gyms. The "sparring" included knockouts and decisions And there was no medical personel present in case of accidents

[Dale Dugas]

Seems that there are more and more Donkeys out there doing silly things.

Glad he got shut down.

Nice to know he cared not a bit about the people being knocked out by not having trained medical personal on hand. Being an trained EMT and nursing student, this kind of thing makes me nauseous...

[BlueTravesty]

Originally Posted by Takuan

"We witnessed one gentleman get knocked unconscious."

SAY IT AINT SO!

Once again, the American Government needs to decide what your activities can and can't include, and where your money needs to go.

I mean, I understand them not wanting a profit organisation making major bank off of unregistered fights, but still...

Unfortunately amateur MMA competitions are unkown here in Flaw-ida. There's just something about people who DON'T do it for a living competing just for the heck of it. In any case, the only thing that rubs me wrong about this is the lack of medical personnel/fight doctors, and the fact that the crowds were charged for watching. If it was some peoples just watching a guy's students sparring in the park, with at least someone on hand to tend to anyone who got knocked out/seriously injured then I'd feel differently (though I'm sure there is probably some sort of technicality prohibiting that as well.)

Port St. Lucie sure has changed, it sounds like... when I was coming up over there it was kinda run-down.

[doug maverick]

people gonna learn to just rent a big yacht and sail out to international waters and hold fights there, like......wait i've said to much already continue you on. i was never hear this message does not exist.::waves hands in front of face and slowly backs away::

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by doug maverick

people gonna learn to just rent a big yacht and sail out to international waters and hold fights there, like......wait i've said to much already continue you on. i was never hear this message does not exist.::waves hands in front of face and slowly backs away::

Or on Indian land like they do up here, or should I say DID, past tense, these things don't happen here anymore, oh no and the HA are NOT behind them at all, nope.
Go on with your lives people, nothing to see here.

[Anthony_ATT]

Smoker matches happen everywhere across the country.

I'm surprised there wasn't medical there though. I don't think the whole story is out.

I've fought in smokers before, it's a good way to get experience.

My support and loyalty go out to my ATT Team mate, Din Thomas.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by Anthony_ATT

Smoker matches happen everywhere across the country.

I'm surprised there wasn't medical there though. I don't think the whole story is out.

I've fought in smokers before, it's a good way to get experience.

My support and loyalty go out to my ATT Team mate, Din Thomas.

Are they sanctioned events ?

[Anthony_ATT]

Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin

Are they sanctioned events ?

No, they were sparring events, WITH medical staff on hand.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by Anthony_ATT

No, they were sparring events, WITH medical staff on hand.

"Sparring events" eh?
Is that what they're called nowadays?

At least there were medical staff.

[Anthony_ATT]

Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin

"Sparring events" eh?
Is that what they're called nowadays?

At least there were medical staff.

Yeppers.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by Anthony_ATT

Yeppers.

You know that, since its not sanctioned and there are no video clips, this never happened.

[GeneChing]

Shame on Gene for sensationalizing...

Hey, I'm a publisher. I make my living on the newsstands with a niche magazine. If sensationalizing is the only way I can keep this mag and site going, it's a necessary evil. Remember, I brought you the iron crotch (as if anyone here could ever forget). That was good for a couple of years of sensationalism - it paid for lots of other less popular things.

Truth be told, I'm hoping to start a new thread about illegal fights here. I suspect that, just like the MMA & Steroids thread, we'll be seeing more of these. I'm just finding a tidy place to put them.