As used in this chapter, 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 that does not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), except those involved in Olympic organizations recognized by the Tennessee Athletic Commission as a sanctioning organization. Section 68-115-208 shall apply to any Olympic organizations that are recognized as a sanctioning organization by the Tennessee Athletic Commission;
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-115-102

  • 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 that does not exceed fifty dollars ($50. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Boxing: means unarmed combat to compete with the fists. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • 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
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Department: means the department of commerce and insurance. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Event: means an amateur event in which amateurs, as defined in this section, compete in an unarmed combat sport competition in accordance with this chapter. 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.
  • 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. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Manager: means a person who:
    (i) Undertakes to represent the interests of another person by contract, agreement or other arrangement, in procuring, arranging or conducting a professional contest in which the person will participate as a combatant. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • 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 this chapter and rules promulgated by the commission. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Person: means and includes individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships or associations, domestic and foreign. 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
  • 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 rights. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • 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 professional contests of unarmed combat. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Sanctioning organization: means an organization recognized by the Tennessee athletic commission that sanctions amateur events of unarmed combat, and is required to comply with all provisions of this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Unarmed combat: means and includes boxing, mixed martial arts and kickboxing as defined and regulated under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-115-102
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
(2) “Application fee” means the fee due at the time an application for a license is submitted to the commission;
(3) “Association of Boxing Commissions” means the association recognized by state athletic commissions that affiliate with the association regarding rules 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” mean substances defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency as banned substances, in addition to any illegal substance;
(5) “Boxing” means unarmed combat to compete with the fists;
(6) “Combatant” means any person eighteen (18) years of age or older who engages in a professional unarmed combat contest;
(7) “Commission” means the Tennessee athletic commission;
(8) “Commissioner” means any member of the Tennessee athletic commission;
(9) “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;
(10) “Department” means the department of commerce and insurance;
(11) “Event” means an amateur event in which amateurs, as defined in this section, compete in an unarmed combat sport competition in accordance with this chapter;
(12) “Immediate family member” means a spouse, parent, sibling or child;
(13) “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;
(14)

(A) “Manager” means a person who:

(i) Undertakes to represent the interests of another person by contract, agreement or other arrangement, in procuring, arranging or conducting a professional contest in which the person will participate as a combatant;
(ii) Directs or controls the activities of an unarmed combatant relating to the participation of the unarmed combatant in a professional contest;
(iii) 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
(iv) Receives compensation for services as an agent or representative of an unarmed combatant;
(B) “Manager” 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 (14)(A)(i) is limited solely to the attorney’s legal representation of a client who is an unarmed combatant;
(15) “Matchmaker” means a person who brings together professional boxers, kickboxers or mixed martial art combatants or arranges professional contests of unarmed combat;
(16) “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 this chapter and rules promulgated by the commission;
(17) “Permit” means a certification of approval for a contest or event, issued upon receipt of an application and fee that shall be established and collected pursuant to the rulemaking authority of the commission for professional and amateur events;
(18) “Person” means and includes individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships or associations, domestic and foreign;
(19) “Physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine in this state;
(20) “Pro-am competition” means a competition that features a combination of professional contests and amateur events;
(21) “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;
(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 rights;
(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 professional contests of unarmed combat;
(B) “Judge” means a person who is responsible for scoring the performances of the combatants in a professional contest of unarmed combat;
(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 this state and licensed by the commission as a ring official; and
(E) “Timekeeper” means a person who is the official timer of the length of the rounds and the intervals of the rounds in a professional contest of unarmed combat;
(25) “Sanctioning organization” means an organization recognized by the Tennessee athletic commission that sanctions amateur events of unarmed combat, and is required to comply with all provisions of this chapter. “Sanctioning organization” may also mean an organization recognized by the Tennessee athletic commission that adopts rules pursuant to § 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 executive director shall meet with venue personnel and the contest promoter to review ticket sales and collect fees due if paid immediately following the professional contest; and
(28) “Unarmed combat” means and includes boxing, mixed martial arts and kickboxing as defined and regulated under this chapter.
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