For the first time ever, the California State Athletic Commission is promoting an event called Napa Knockout with all of the proceeds benefitting the commission’s Fighter Pension Fund and the Association of Boxing Commissions Retired Fighters Charity.
Back in 2024, California officially launched a first of its kind retirement fund for MMA fighters after the state had a boxing fund first established all the way back in 1982. The pension fund has reportedly paid out $4 million to boxers over the years
and now the commission is hoping to benefit MMA fighters in a similar way.
California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster has worked tirelessly to find new and creative ways to add money to the pension fund, which includes customized license plate and a bill he wanted to see passed that would allow the commission to sell sponsors with placement on referees, judges and other officials during events held in the state. Now comes the Napa Knockout event being held at Raymond Vineyards on Saturday.
“This came from Commissioner Ronald Fiore, who is friends with the owner of Raymond Winery … Commissioner Fiore thought ‘hey, let’s do a charity event and let’s have some fights and let’s see if we can raise some money for the Association of Boxing Commissions Retired Fighters Charity and the retired boxers and the retired MMA fighters’ retirement benefits,” Foster told MMA Fighting. “This is unique. I’ve been around a long time, too, and I’ve never heard of anything like this either.
“But it’s again, and I know I run it and all that, but I can’t take credit for this. I’m helping now but this is Commissioner Fiore’s idea and yet again, California being innovating trying to find ways to help fighters.”
The event features MMA fights, boxing matches and kickboxing matches with proceeds from the card all going to charity for the pension fund.
While this is the first time the commission has promoted an event like this, Foster hopes it’s just a stepping stone to do even more shows down the road.
“I think everybody’s been supportive,” Foster said. “We’ve never done this before so I think some people are going to see how we do but we sure did get a lot of sponsors for the [event] so hopefully that’s good.”
“If you’re a combat sports fan, we’ll have something for everybody. To my knowledge and I guess there’s been a few but Scott Coker’s the only one I can think of that has done all three of the disciplines, certainly in northern California.”
Numerous high profile fighters are scheduled to attend the event to show support for the effort to raise money for the fighter’s pension fund. Among those expected to show include Andre Ward, Vergil Ortiz Jr., Arnold Barboza, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Randy Couture, Nate Diaz, Gilbert Melendez, Josh Thomson, Chris Leben, and John McCarthy.
Rousey in particular has continued to throw her support behind the pension fund after she previously spoke out about the need to support fighters after fighting is over.
“This is the first fight card I’m going to attend in god knows how long,” Rousey wrote on Twitter. “It’s a charity event in Napa to raise money for the California fighter pensions so if you care about supporting retired fighters and can make it you should consider going.”
Foster says it’s fighters like Rousey, who remains one of the biggest stars in UFC history, showing support that really makes a difference for the effort to raise money for the pension fund.
“I think it’s going to take the leaders like Ronda, who have done well, and on the boxing side we’ve Vergil Ortiz coming and we’ve got some other high level boxers as well and I think that these champions level type fighters, it’s not their responsibility but I want to give a lot of credit to those fighters for stepping up to help fighters that maybe didn’t do as well,” Foster said. “Let’s be honest, these fighters whether Vergil or Ronda Rousey or Nate Diaz or any of these people, they probably wouldn’t be the name that they are without people have been along the way that they competed against that maybe didn’t do as well as them.
“This is an entire industry in the leaders of combat sports, the fighters, are leading the way to help the others.”
With the pension fund for MMA fighters just over two years old now, Foster knows it’s going to remain a constant battle to find ways to add more money to support retired athletes but he knows it’s something worth fighting for.
“That’s the goal is we have to set up something so these fighters have something after this is over,” Foster said. “These are independent contractors and I’m not confused about what that means. I believe they are independent contractors. I believe they should have the right to fight who they want, when they want to fight, turn down fights as they choose and have a lot of management over their career. At the same time, the promoters are not and it’s not their responsibility to provide for them except through what can be collected through assessments like our retirement benefits have and maybe public/private partnerships like this one that can contribute to it.
“What’s good about this is it’s not costing the taxpayers any money. Our entire regulatory scheme for retirement benefits costs the taxpayers no money. This is a voluntary event that’s not receiving general fund money. This is money that people are sponsoring or people are buying tickets at.”
