In the 90s, it became clear that boxing had a problem. The largely unregulated sport featured regular exploitation of the boxers, as well as scandals involving rigged matches and rankings. Congress stepped in and passed the Ali Act in order to combat the worst of these problems.

Today, MMA fighters are largely in the same place as boxers were decades ago. The sport has quickly gained national prominence, but many of the problems that plagued the pre-Ali Act boxing industry have repeated themselves in mixed martial arts.

In addition, MMA fighters are treated as independent contractors even though their behavior and attire are tightly controlled. And any attempt to unionize has been met with retaliation and firing.

Because of the lack of a strong private sector organization to establish uniform and appropriate business practices and ethical standards, it’s necessary for Congress to step in to ensure that the fighters are protected from exploitative situations while also ensuring that fights and rankings are fair. Also, fighters should be empowered to organize an association or union and should be treated as athletes and employees instead of independent contractors.