I see several events in my area and I assumed they were all the same thing. But then I noticed that some of the events advertise themselves as an amateur event while others a professional event. So what is the difference?

That’s a good question Michael and most fans probably don’t realize that while they look to be the same thing, they are in fact vastly different. We will look at it from four different perspectives: a fighters, a promoters, the state athletic commission and of course you the fan.

Fighters need a way to test the skills they learn in the gym against opponents. Since it is foolish to try to knock your training partner out, amateur events provide an opportunity to do test one’s skill set.

As an amateur fighter you are still very new in your career as a mixed martial artist. It is typically not a full time job at this point, mainly due to the fact that you cannot get paid as an amateur fighter.

The rules are different for amateurs than they are professionals due to the fact that as an amateur it is considered you are still learning. Elbows are typically not allowed in amateur contests and the rules can even be more strict with what is allowed.

Some amateur bouts will be held under Pancration rules in which strikes to the head are not allowed. Other times you will see amateur fighters wearing shin guards and head gear.

One other difference is that amateur fighters typically aren’t regulated by the state and thus don’t need to undergo any medical testing to ensure they are fit to fight. The responsibility is on the promoter to ensure that a fighter has been cleared to fight, though there are promotions that don’t even bother to check.

This is done for the safety of the fighter and something that is done from the promoters stand point. The two big differences as a fighter between an amateur and professional are the rules and pay.

As a promoter it is different to host an amateur event and a professional event. From a cost perspective an amateur event is cheaper as it is illegal for a promoter to pay an amateur fighter. A promoter could lose his license from the state if he is caught paying an amateur fighter for any reason what so ever.

The athletic commission is also another big expense for the promoter. Amateur events in Illinois at least, are not regulated and the positions can be filled by cheap labor. For a professional bout, the athletic commission tells the promoter how many officials will be there for each position. These include time keepers, referees, judges, doctors, and more.

By having a state run commission in charge of these things, it can also deter any bias that one might get an amateur event. If an amateur event is put on by a specific gym and the judges and referees all train at that gym, even if they are acting completely professional, there will still be scrutiny about the decisions made.

Professionals are also more likely to bring extra help with them for their fight and this in turn produces more costs for a promoter. Pros will bring in their coach, their corner, and sometimes a cut man in case they get cut in their fight.

So with the extra cost of professionals, why would a promoter even bother putting on a professional show? For the simple fact that a professional is well more professional.

Professional fighters are required to sign contracts. These contracts will detail the whens and hows a fighter will get paid. If the fighter fails to do a single thing that is required of them, a promoter can chose to not pay them.

This helps ensure that a fighter actually shows up to fight on fight night. Several amateur only events will advertise that they are going to have upwards of fifteen fights and then come fight night there’s only six. I’ve been to an amateur event where a fighter saw his opponent for the first time an hour before the fight and then left the building as he was honestly scared of his opponent.

The state is entirely different being when it comes to amateurs versus professionals. Amateurs in most states are either not regulated or are regulated very poorly. In Illinois, the state has very little power over amateur fighters or promoters who promote amateur events.

Records for amateur fights are not well kept which plays a factor into poor match ups.

Additionally because an amateur is not regulated by an athletic commission, they can typically fight several weekends in a row or even back to back nights. This is very dangerous for the fighter and is not in the best interest of a fighter.

The state however does hold a lot of power over the professional fighters. Being that they have to get licensed a state can put a fighter on suspension for any number of reasons including medical.

These measures are in there to protect the fighter, even if it is from himself and is for the better.

As a fan is there isn’t much of a difference between a professional and an amateur that one will notice right away. The professionals will have the better skill set, be in better condition, and typically are a lot more strategic in their fights. Additionally due to the regulation that is involved, there are more safety measures in place for a fan.

The best analogy I have ever heard for comparing amateur and professional mma events is as follows. Amateur events are like high school football; they have their place and a very loyal following. A lot of trick plays and fancy formations can fool the opposition and engage the crowd. Professionals are like collage football. A bigger following, more rules and more regulation. There is less tomfoolery type plays, but the skill set is clearly improving. And the guys that make it to the UFC? Well they are the equivalent of an NFL player. The best of the best. Even when a trick play is put in place, the opponent is ready for it and is able to counter.

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