Promoters, Contest (Event), Matchmaker

Category: Unarmed Combat Sports.

License Type: Promoter.

Application Method: New Licensure.

Supporting Documents you will be asked for:

1. A list of names and addresses of all officers and directors of the promotion and all persons having an ownership interest in the promotion and the percentage of ownership must be entered into your application. 

2. A bond or irrevocable letter of credit for a minmum of $10,000 is required. 

How to Request an Event:

• Check the Unarmed Combat Sports Calendar for available dates. 

• Contact DSPS to confirm the availability of the date by emailing mary.murphyedwards@wisconsin.gov or calling (608) 261-8503.

  • Do not book an event without confirming the date!

• Provide confirmation of venue reservation or contest (event) license. 

• Please see the Accordion below titled "Promoting an Unarmed Combat Sporting Event in Wisconsin."

Post Event Report

1. A post event report must be submitted within 2 business days after a promoter or club holds a professional contest or unarmed combat sports contest. 

Category: Unarmed Combat Sports.

License Type: Contest (Event)

Application Method: New Licensure.

Supporting Documents you will be asked for:

Details in each category below:

1. Application Information

   • Name of Professional Club or Promoter.

   • Professional Club or Promoter WI license number.

   • Professional Club or Promoter Full Address (include country if not U.S.).

   • Phone number.

   • Email Address (required).

   • Matchmaker WI License Number.

2. Event (Contest) Information - Unarmed Combat Sports Contest (UCS).

   • Name of Event.

   • Fighter Arrival Time.

   • Event Start Time.

   • Event Location (full address).

3. Weigh-In/ Pre-Bout Physical Information.

   • Weigh-in Date.

   • Fighter Arrival Time.

   • Weigh-in Start Time.

   • Weigh-in Location (full address).

4. Contest Details (Bout Information - Must have a minimum of 24 rounds scheduled).

   • Number of scheduled Bouts.

   • Number of scheduled Rounds.

   • Type of Bouts (Amateur MMA, Amateur KB, Amateur Muay Thai) or (Professional MMA, Professional KB, Professional Muay Thai). If other be prepared to specify in your LicensE application. 

   • Email the WI UCS Commissioner (dspscombativesports@wisconsin.gov) the preliminary fight card with all contestants indicating bout type and amateur or professional. 

5. Venue Information.

   • Seating Capacity

   • Number of Locker Rooms.

   • Venue Contact Name.

   • Venue Contact Phone Number.

   • Venue Floor Plan - indicating the location of emergency exits and the locker rooms. Upload into your LicensE application. 

6. Evacuation Plan.

   • Ambulance Company Contracted.

   • Ambulance Contact Name.

   • Contact Phone Number.

   • Hospital to be Used.

   • Hospital Distance from Venue.

7.  Cage or Ring Information (MMA must be conducted in a cage.)

   • Provider Name.

   • Provider Phone Number.

   • Provider full address.

8. Additional Required Documentation - Must be received no later tan 4 business days prior to an event.

   1. List of Seconds / Corners for each contestant

   2. WI license numbers, medicals, (including eye exams), and lab reports for all contestants.

   3. Register the event  at ABC Combat Registry or Boxing/Kickboxing at Box Rec.

   4. Event insurance policy: $25,000 life and $25,000 medical for each contestant.

   5. Final card that lists the bout order, type of bout, blue/red corner designation, contracted weights, and contracted rounds.

   6. Signed contracts/agreements for all professional contestants. 

Items you must provide at the Event

• Security - At least 4 cageside/ringside police or private security personnel are required. May have less security if a Department-approved divider is placed between the cage/ring and the spectators.

• Red and Blue Duct Tape.

• Glove for each Contestant.

• Clean Towels for Contestants.

• Buckets and Stools Cageside/Ringside.

• Cage Door Personnel (with menas to clean up blood and/or debris between rounds).

• Pregnancy tests for female contestants. 

Permit Required

Permit required: The Department shall have the sole direction, management, and control of, and jurisdiction over, all
professional contests and all amateur unarmed combat sports contests conducted within the state by any promoter or club.
No club or promoter may conduct professional contests or amateur unarmed combat sports contests within the state except
under authority granted by the Department and in accordance with this Wis. Stat. ch. 444 and Wis. Admin. Rules of the Department. 

The Contest (Event) Permit is for 2 days ony and is applied for by the Promoter. To complete the application, a valid Promoter License and Matchmaker license are required.

Category: Unarmed Combat Sports.

License Type: Matchmaker

Application Method: New Licensure.

Supporting Documents you will be asked for

1. Complete your application on LicensE
2. Include your SSN or form 1051
3. You must be 18 years of age or older. 
4. The Department may request additional information necessary to determine an applicant's eligibility for a license. 

PROMOTER BUSINESS LICENSE

1. Create a BUSINESS ACCOUNT if you are new or log into your existing business account using your business email as USERNAME.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select Unarmed Combat Sports.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method (Always choose NEW license, never renew), then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application.

8. Submit any requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

9. Respond to the Attestation questions.

10. Provide Payment Information for the $500/year fee Please DO NOT use ACH if your event is sooner than 2 weeks.

11. Submit your application.  

CONTEST (EVENT) BUSINESS PERMIT

This Event Permit requires a valid Promoter License and Matchmaker license to complete. The Permit is for the 2 days comprising the weigh-in and event.

Below are some general instructions for applying for a Matchmaker credential in LicensE. This is an INDIVIDUAL  license that is used to apply for a Promoter License and Contest (Event) license

1. Create an INDIVIDUAL acccount if you are new or log into your existing account using your email as USERNAME.( If you are a promoter AND matchmaker, you will have an business account for promotion and an individual account for matchmaker.)

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select Unarmed Combat Sports.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method (Always choose NEW license, never renew), then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application.

8. Submit any requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

9. Respond to the Attestation questions.

10. Provide Payment Information for fee.  Please DO NOT use ACH if your event is sooner than 2 weeks.

11. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Licensing Requirements" section.

1. Apply for and obtain a Promoter License.

   • Review the "Business Application-Promoter" section above and apply online in LicensE.

   • Pay the $500.00 license fee in LicensE. The license is valid for one year from the date it is issued.

   • You must upload either a $10,000 Secure Surety Bond or Irrevocable Letter of Credit into your LicensE application. You can find both documents in the "Forms" section below.

2. Apply for and obtain a Contest (Event) Permit.

   • View the Event Calendars linked on the Unarmed Combat Sports main page.

   • Contact DSPS Unarmed Combat Sports (UCS) Commissioner at (608) 261-8503 or

     mary.murphyedwards@wisconsin.gov to confirm date availability.

   • Review the "Business Application-Contest (Event) Permit" section above. Apply online in LicensE.

   • Pay the $300.00 permit fee in LicensE. The permit is valid for a single event. It is non-refundable and non-

     transferable and must be received between 30-90 days before the date of the event.

   • Upload proof of insurance for each Fighter into your LicensE application no later than 4 days prior

     to the event (Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 192.17(9)); minimum of $25,000 in medical coverage and

     minimum of $25,000 in life insurance (Wis. Stat. § 444.18).

   • Upload proof of ambulance service/EMTs and security personnel onsite during the entire event.

   • Upload floor plan of venue into your LicensE application. Clearly indicate all emergency exits

     and the number of locker rooms on plan.

   • Enter the Matchmaker name and license number into your LicensE application. (Matchmakers apply

     online in LicensE. See the "Individual Application-Matchmaker" section above, if needed.)

   • Upload Fight Card, if available.

   • Events scheduled for less than 24 rounds require DSPS (UCS) approval.

3. After confirmation of the event date is received from DSPS, register the event on the ABC Combat Registry (MMA) or BoxRec (Boxing & Kickboxing).

4. DSPS will assign officials after Promoter and Matchmaker Licenses and Contest (Event) Permits are issued. Officials required at each event include:

   • 1 Referee at minimum fee of $300.00

   • 3 Judges at minimum fee of $150.00 each.

   • 1 Timekeeper at minimum fee of $130.00

   • 1 Primary Ringside Physician at minimum fee of $750.00. A secondary Ringside Physician is not required for all events but will be paid a minimum fee of $300.00. Physicians bringing an assistant will be paid $1,000.00. 

   • 3 Inspectors at minimum fee of $150.00 each.

   • These are minimum fees and do not reflect travel costs. The total costs for officials will be communicated to the Promoter Prior to event and Promoter will pay officials (verifiable by DSPS representative) at the event. Payment for the event fee is defined in the Post Event Report Form and must be paid to DSPS within 2 business days after the event. 

5. Ensure Contestant (Fighter) and Seconds (Corners) licensing is complete. 

   • The promoter is responsible for ensuring that all fighters become licensed in Wisconsin on LicensE.

   • Bouts or Events may be cancelled if licensure is not complete at least 4 days prior to the event.

   • Fight cards must be listed on ABC Combat Registry (MMA) or BoxRec (Boxing & Kickboxing).

   • DSPS will review license status of each Fighter to determine what requirements are needed to fulfill licensure and notify the Promoter of outstanding requirements. 

   • All seconds must be licensed to be in the locker room or cage/ringside. Seconds apply online in LicensE. See the Seconds/Corners page.

   • Fighters are allowed 3 licensed seconds ringside and 2 in cage between rounds. 

   • Promoter determines the number of complimentary tickets that will be given to Fighters for their Seconds. This number is required on the Post Event Report Form, which you can find below.

6. Set Location and time of Weigh-in

   • Promoter is responsible for setting location and time of weigh-in. 

   • DSPS and Promoter will determine the time that Fighters need to arrive. 

   • Promoter is responsible for information all Fighters of weigh-in time of arrival. Fighters arriving late or not making contracted weight may be suspended or assessed fines. 

   • Promoters must supply the scale to be used at weigh-in.

   • Fighters' meeting with DSPS representative and Referee will be conducted to review rules. 

   • Promoter must supply pregnancy tests if females are competing in the event. 

7.  Set location and time of Event

   • Promoter is responsible for setting location and time of event.

   • DSPS and Promoter will determine the time that Fighters need to arrive. 

   • Promoter is responsible for informing all fighters of time of arrival. Fighters arriving late may be suspended or assessed fines. 

   • DSPS will communicate with all officials to provide the time of arrival at venue. 

   • All fighters on the card must receive a pre-fight physical.

   •  Event must start at advertised time. Any potential delay must be discussed with DSPS UCS Commissioner IMMEDIATELY.

   • Cage/ring must be set up prior to the official's arrival for inspection. 

   • Number of locker rooms and location must be set up as indicated on Contest Permit application. 

   • Ambulance and crew must be staged in venue and ready for immediate response. 

   • Security personnel must be in place and ready at the time that doors open to public. Security personnel's primary responsibility is crowd control and preventing the crowd from approaching the cage/ring. 

   • Promoter must supply the following:

     1. DJ service and ring announcer.

     2. Blue and red duct tape for Fighter's gloves.

     3. Gloves for each fighter. They must be the same brand and weight for each bout and follow the guidelines below. Fighters are NOT allowed to bring in and use their own gloves. 

        • Pro Boxing - Minimum of 8 oz for Fighters under 140 pounds; minimum of 10 oz for Fighters over 140 pounds. 

        • Pro MMA - Minimum of 4 oz to maximum of 8 oz. 

        • Amateur MMA - Minimum of 6 oz to maximum of 8 oz. 

     4. Water for officials and Fighters. 

8. Provide Post-Event information to DSPS

   1. Promoter must upload a Post Event Report to their Event application in LicensE, including ticket sales and proceed information, within 2 business days of conducting an event. 

   2. Event Fees will be assessed as follows:

   1 to 1,999 tickets	$450.00
   2,000-4,999 tickets	$2,200 plus gate fee equal to lesser of 5% of total gross ticket sales or $4,000.
   5,000 tickets or more	$4,700 plus gate fee equal to lesser of: 5% of total gross ticket sales or $12,500.

What to Expect After Submitting Your Application

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

• Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application

  • A trusted 3rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

• Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 3 days by a member of the credentialing team.

  • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see here on our LicensE dashboard to see what date we are on review of for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

• After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.” You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence"

1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

3. Log in to your LicensE account.

4. Click on "Check Application Status"

5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

   • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.

9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

2. Log into your LicensE account.

3. Click on "Check Application Status"

4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

6. The document must be an allowable document type.

7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer.

6. If you have any questions, please contact the Unarmed Combat Program directly (below) .

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Mary Murphy Edwards, Commissioner 608-261-8503/608-228-2125

mary.murphyedwards@wisconsin.gov 

Rob Angileri, Deputy Assistant Commissioner 608-888-5759

rob.angileri@wisconsin.gov 

DSPScombativesports@wisconsin.gov

Or see our Frequently Asked Questions