By Mike Russell

(Nothing like a shady promoter profiting off of the blood, sweat and tears of fighters.)

Last year when a video began circulating of a pair of eight year olds competing in a three-round grappling exhibition in a cage during the intermission of a UK-based MMA event, the Internet exploded with outrage from pundits and fans of the sport.

Widespread worldwide media coverage of the match prompted the police in Lancashire, England where the event took place to launch an investigation into whether or not any laws were broken by the promoter. They ruled that the event was not illegal and that the boys were never in any harm and as unsettling as seeing two pre-pubescent youths competing in a cage meant for men was, since they were only basically having a no-gi grappling match no charges were ever laid.

It’s too bad that Alabama authorities aren’t as thorough.

On July 30, 2011 in Priceville, Alabama a local karate school owner by the name of Robert Clairday held an underground event in which two 12-year-olds actually fought inside a ramshackle homemade cage.

One of the kids, Christian Echols, is the son of Ray Echols – Clairday’s business partner in his gym, Fear None MMA, who also helped promote the rogue event that was held at Morgan County Celebration Arena — a dirt floor horse arena.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/EcholsRazorRay)

During the bout Echols, who is also the CEO of American Xtreme Combat (AXC), can be heard shouting instructions to Christian. After an accidental clash of heads cuts his son on the crown and leaves him staggering around the cage, Echols tells him he’s okay and persuades the official to let the fight continue. No doctors were on hand so the boy was never checked by one and the bout went on for two more rounds.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/EcholsRazorRay)

After the bout both kids went to the hospital. Christian got eight staples to close the gash on his head. His opponent got several stitches on his cheek.

Here’s a photo of Echols’ injury:

(Video courtesy of YouTube/EcholsRazorRay)

It’s bad enough that anyone would allow a 12-year-old to fight, let alone under such unsafe conditions, but at the time the event was held, MMA in Alabama was illegal and anyone in attendance in any capacity could be charged with a misdemeanor while the promoter and fighters could be charged with a  class C felony and could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

In February of 2010 legislation was passed that turned the Alabama Boxing Commission into the Alabama Athletic Commission.  The change allowed the AAC to govern MMA as well as boxing.  After years of tournament-style fights with participants fighting as many as five times in a night in home made cages with no blood work, MMA was going to be forced to go legit.

The commission told promoters and fighters to stop putting on shows and stop fighting until they could establish the rules and issue licenses and warned that if they continued to promote illegal events they would be denied a promoter’s license when they began doling them out. Most stopped promoting events to comply with the AAC’s request.  Others, like Echols and Clairday continued to promote events with no doctors present, no blood work and no regard for the safety of their fighters, who were not paid as they were classified as amateurs in spite of the fact that the promoters were cashing in at the door.

In April of 2011 Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed legislation making it a Class C felony to promote or to fight in the state Alabama without a license, yet many promoters like Echols and Clairday continued to thumb their noses at the law and continued to hold unsanctioned shows in spite of the law.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/EcholsRazorRay)

Echols held AXC 10 and AXC 11 at the Cullman Civic Center in Cullman, Alabama on April 2 and June 4, respectively, and was in the process of booking his next event in August when he was informed that the county would not rent him the venue and that if he held the show elsewhere, he would be charged by police.

Fast forward to January and now Echols, in spite of his past history and blatant disregard for fighter’s safety, has been granted the first official promoter’s license by the state to hold an event at the same venue he held numerous “unofficial” ones at tomorrow night.

In a recent article in the Cullman Times, Echols pretended like he never held an illegal event when describing how some fighters have competed in unlawful shows like the one he put on in June.

“I personally wouldn’t have [fought on one of those unsanctioned cards] because I’m not willing to take that chance,” he said, ignoring the fact that he allowed his underage son to compete at one such event. “I’m not playing Russian roulette.”

(Video courtesy of YouTube/AlabamaMMA)

Calls and emails to the Alabama Athletic Commission for comment on their promoter application requirements and restrictions were not returned.

Unfortunately it’s people like these that are holding back the sport we love, but if commissions don’t take them seriously, someone is going to be gravely injured or die at one of these underground shows. Hopefully this story, and ones like it being brought to the masses can help prevent that.