Still, Neil isn't pushing for regulations because "people in Iowa don't want state tax dollars used'' for mixed-martial arts. He doesn't believe it is a sport.

"If people are convinced it's a sport we ought to regulate it...if they don't think it's a sport, ban it.''

"That's a horrible argument,'' Lueckenhoff said. "It's a sport and we need to regulate it.''

States that don't regulate are targeted by out-of-state promoters who often skirt the rules to keep the amateur status, said Josef Mason, director of the Colorado State Boxing Commission.

A common ploy is to pay fighters, but under the guise of covering their expenses so they can keep the amateur, regulation-free status, he said.

One trick is to pay fighters a "travel fee'' of several hundred dollars even though a fighter maybe just had to walk across the street to fight, he said.

Before Nebraska's regulations took effect in September, "fly-by-night'' promoters from Wyoming and other states swooped into Nebraska and used Nebraska fighters to make a quick buck in virtually unregulated events, said Wally Jernigan, director of the Nebraska Athletic Commission.

During that rule-free period in Nebraska this summer, Mel Griggs, police chief in Gering, attended a mixed-martial arts event in town.

Griggs said a man was kicked in the face at the event and began to slip into unconsciousness while standing. Griggs, who has refereed boxing matches, said he was shocked at what happened next.

"Any referee would have stopped the bout, but he was going to let it continue.''

Griggs got out of his seat and stopped the fight himself. The city later banned mixed-martial arts altogether.

Bazer, the Omaha fighter and fight-club owner, says he plans on taking his events back to Nebraska. But for now, the new state regulations make the decision to go to a state where there are none easy.

"It's kind of hard to follow through with what they want,'' Bazer said of the Nebraska rules. "It's a headache for all the fighters.''