Mixed martial arts grow larger everyday with more fighters, promoters and venues emerging like weeds following a winter storm.

With rapid growth come the flood of questions from fans eager to see if Russia’s Fedor Emelianenko can beat Randy Couture? Or if Japan’s Takanori Gomi can out-fight America’s BJ Penn? Some even wonder if Ultimate Fighting Championship has the best fighters in the world?

You might even call it a fine mess.

But one new sanctioning organization called World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) claims it can solve all of those questions by overseeing the whole world of MMA.

If UFC allows it.

During a November press conference held in New York City, WAMMA unveiled its plan for a world federation under its firm umbrella that boasts the support of several known MMA fighters, promoters and a former federal government man.

One of the participants is Bill Goldberg, a former pro wrestler and pro football player now giving analysis for Showtime’s EliteXC, who says an organization like WAMMA could refine MMA with “a unified rules system” and other guidelines to allow for the “best to fight the best.”

“Unlike boxing, we want to present a unified system where the No. 1 (ranked fighter) fights No. 2,” Goldberg told the Kristal Hart Show during the press conference held November.

The new organization has established a ratings system for MMA fighters that is compiled and voted by a WAMMA committee comprised of writers and experts of the sport.

Newly elected WAMMA president David Szady, a former FBI investigator, says most of the ingredients for success are intact, except for one crucial element and it’s not sugar.

“Most important is getting the promoters on board,” Szady said. “No. 1 is dialogue and cooperation with UFC.”

It’s not an easy sell.

With UFC raking in money with both fists and last year purchasing Japan’s rival Pride FC, the need for an outside sanctioning organization falls flat.

Based in Las Vegas, UFC is considered the goliath of MMA organizations and the so-called parent of the sport. It also has many of the best athletes under its umbrella. Its parent company, Zuffa LLC, also owns other MMA organizations like World Extreme Cagefighting.

Dana White, the president of UFC, vehemently shakes his head at the idea of a sanctioning organization for MMA.

“Sanctioning organizations are the biggest problems with boxing,” said White, who formerly promoted boxing before changing to MMA. “They’re corrupt.”

He’s not alone.

Kevin Iole, considered one of the top MMA and boxing writers in the country, foresees problems for the sport if sanctioning bodies are picked up.

“All it does is take money out of the fighter’s pockets,” said Iole, who writes for Yahoo! Sports.com. “To me it’s just a money grab.”

Boxing woes
For three decades sanctioning organizations have sprouted up in boxing and have caused problems with ratings, mandatory fight requirements and capricious rulings that usually benefit the organizations monetarily.

“If something like the World Boxing Council came to MMA it wouldn’t mean anything to the fighters,” said Iole, who has covered boxing for two decades. “All the fighters want is just that UFC belt.”

Carlos Arias, an MMA writer for the Orange County Register, agrees with Iole.

“If the UFC doesn’t participate, then who really cares?” asks Arias, who also covers both boxing and MMA. “I think any MMA organization that doesn’t have the UFC and WEC on board is pointless.”

White says WAMMA’s claim that it could lead to better fights are just words.

“We make all the best fights we can make,” said White following a press conference in Las Vegas in early February. “We make the fights the people want to see.”

Those who have experienced the sanctioning woes in boxing do not see any benefit of establishing one in MMA.

“It’s a big problem with boxing,” Iole said of the various sanctioning organizations in boxing. 

Gary Shaw, who promotes both professional boxing and MMA, knows both worlds and can see the benefits and pitfalls. But he views WAMMA as something that could help his organization and others.

“I think it’s a good idea, they’re (WAMMA) well-intentioned,” said Shaw, who heads EliteXC, a rival of UFC. “But if one sanctioning organization is successful then what’s to stop others?”

WAMMA’s Szady realizes that other sanctioning organizations may follow but in doing it first and doing it right, he feels the other sanctioning groups that follow will not succeed.