If a commission is not generating any revenue, then it cannot justify its existence.

The Tennessee Athletic Commission, established in 2008 to accommodate mixed martial arts (MMA) events from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the now-defunct Strikeforce promotion, is dying on the vine as the world's largest combat sports promotion concentrates on international territories.

Nashville Sports Mix breaks it down:

In 2009 and 2010 the Commission reaped the rewards of having two UFC events and a Strikeforce show on CBS in primetime. The Athletic Commission is set up to get a percentage of the gate and television revenue and with two strong years early on it really set the bar for what was expected by lawmakers. But since then, the UFC has only done one show in the Volunteer State. Jim Miller vs Melvin Guillard headlined UFC on FX 1 in Nashville on January 20, 2012. The show took place in the middle of the week and had a poor fight card, drawing a disappointing 7,700 fans as opposed to the 10,200 that showed up the first time the UFC came to the Music City.

The regional MMA and boxing cards, which require the governing body to be on hand, do not generate enough income to support the cost of maintaining the commission.

What's more troubling, is the fact that flags were being waved as far back as last June. UFC made regulation in New York a top priority and expanded its global footprint in new locales across the world, but early supporters like Tennessee are getting left out in the cold.

And unless new legislation is established within the next two weeks, the days of MMA in "Music City" will be over.

Sigh ... such fond memories.