Medical research. For fighters.
Fight Medicine Research Institute advances medical research to improve the care, health and future of fighters across all combat sports. Our work begins with the fighter and follows the medical questions that matter before competition, inside the ropes and the cage, through recovery and throughout life.
Our mission
Fight Medicine Research Institute exists to advance the best medicine possible for fighters through rigorous, independent medical research.
Crossing the ropes, entering the cage or stepping onto the mat demands a medical commitment equal to the fighter’s own. Fighters deserve research that understands the demands they accept, examines the risks they carry and pursues better care with the same seriousness they bring to their preparation and competition.
Our mission encompasses the full medical needs of fighters: their health before a bout, the decisions made during it, the care that follows injury, and the physical and psychological consequences that can endure beyond a career. We produce and critically evaluate evidence, develop and test approaches to assessment and care, and advance the medical standards fighters deserve.
The fighter’s health, experience and future guide every research question. Our work must withstand independent scrutiny and lead toward more effective medicine, better informed decisions and lasting improvements in the care of fighters.
The fighter is the purpose of the research.
Fight medicine is concerned with the whole fighter. Training, repeated exposure, making weight, acute injury, recovery, psychological health and the years after a career all present medical questions that deserve careful investigation. The Fight Medicine Research Institute’s responsibility is to strengthen the evidence serving those needs.
Individual studies ask defined questions. The mission remains medical research for fighters across all combat sports.
Research connected to medical questions
Each source in the Research Library is filed under the medical question it informs. These six are external studies and one consensus statement, credited to their own authors. The Fight Medicine Research Institute selected them, summarized them and maintains their records.
How should research measure and protect a fighter’s neurological health over time?
Longitudinal Changes in Cognitive Functioning and Brain Structure in Professional Boxers and Mixed Martial Artists After They Stop Fighting
Xiaowei Zhuang, Lauren Bennett, Rajesh Nandy, et al. (2022). Neurology. External source.
- Design
- Longitudinal matched cohort analysis
- Studied
- 45 fighters who stopped fighting and sparring; 45 matched active fighters.
Researchers compared repeated cognitive, MRI and biomarker measurements in fighters who stopped fighting and sparring and matched fighters who remained active. The groups showed different trajectories.
How should research measure and protect a fighter’s neurological health over time?
Repeated head trauma is associated with smaller thalamic volumes and slower processing speed: the Professional Fighters' Brain Health Study
Charles Bernick, Sarah J Banks, Wanyong Shin, et al. (2015). British Journal of Sports Medicine. External source.
- Design
- Cross-sectional baseline analysis
- Studied
- 224 professional fighters and 22 controls.
Professional-fighter exposure histories, MRI measurements and cognitive tests were compared. Greater cumulative fight exposure was associated with smaller regional brain volumes and slower processing.
Which injuries occur in fighters, and where does medical care need stronger evidence?
Epidemiology of professional bare-knuckle fighting injuries
Don Muzzi, Anna M Blaeser, John Neidecker, et al. (2022). The Physician and Sportsmedicine. External source.
- Design
- Observational injury surveillance
- Studied
- 141 sanctioned bare-knuckle bouts; 282 fighter exposures.
Investigators recorded injuries across sanctioned professional bare-knuckle events, including lacerations, fractures, concussion diagnoses and hospital transfers.
Which mental-health needs require better recognition and support for fighters?
A preliminary study on the prevalence of mental health symptoms in current and former elite kickboxers and their possible association with severe musculoskeletal injuries and concussions
Sharaisha Bilgoe, Gino M M J Kerkhoffs, Vincent Gouttebarge (2025). Discover Mental Health. External source.
- Design
- Cross-sectional survey
- Studied
- 45 current and 29 former elite kickboxers.
Current and former elite kickboxers completed mental-health screening questionnaires covering distress, anxiety, depression, sleep, substance use and eating concerns.
How do preparation and weight-management practices affect a fighter’s health?
Rapid weight loss and combat athletes: a study on psychological resilience and mechanical hyperalgesia
Esin Çağla Çağlar, Levent Ceylan, Sermin Ağralı Ermiş, et al. (2025). Frontiers in Psychology. External source.
- Design
- Before-and-after observational study
- Studied
- 37 elite male kickboxers.
The study measured psychological-resilience scores and pressure-pain thresholds before and after a precompetition weight-loss period in elite male kickboxers.
What evidence should inform the medical decisions made around a bout?
Concussion management in combat sports: consensus statement from the Association of Ringside Physicians
John Neidecker, Nitin K Sethi, Randolph Taylor, et al. (2019). British Journal of Sports Medicine. External source.
- Design
- Professional-society consensus statement
- Studied
- Combat-sport concussion management; no new participant cohort.
The Association of Ringside Physicians presents recommendations addressing recognition, management and return to competition after concussion in combat sports.
Current work
Current workplans address standardized ringside head-trauma assessment and long-term neurological health, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy research. These workplans describe current activity within the Fight Medicine Research Institute’s wider mission.
Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito during their second professional boxing bout.Photo: “Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito II, during the fight” by Bryan Horowitz. CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized. Full credit. Standardized ringside head-trauma assessment
Research on standardized ringside head-trauma assessment in combat sports.
Jameel McCline and Samuel Peter during their professional boxing bout.Photo: “Jameel McCline vs. Samuel Peter” by Charlie. CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized. Full credit. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
Research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and fighter health.
- 3 selected-paper appraisalsWritten at the Fight Medicine Research Institute, with author, version and review record.
- Research Library35 catalogued sources with original summaries and citation files.
- Fighter Health9 evidence guides on medical questions affecting fighters.
- Research at the Fight Medicine Research InstituteThe approach, the two workplans and how a project is authorized.
Injury is where the questions start
Assessment in the corner, emergency response, transfer and the care that follows are medical decisions. They deserve evidence built for the fighter in front of the clinician.
Research Governance Board
The Fight Medicine Research Institute brings together expertise in ringside medicine, emergency care, sports medicine, coaching, fighter experience, officiating, regulation and data security. Its seven-member Research Governance Board oversees research strategy, policy and institutional accountability. John Parris serves as Institute Director. Casey C. Sears is Founder. Paul W. Kirby, MD, is Board Chair.
Walter Bailey Price II, BA, NRP, CCP, serves the Board as a non-voting advisory member.
Paul W. Kirby, MD
Board Chair. Clinical Research Adviser — Emergency and Prehospital Care.
Emergency medicine; Prehospital education; Cardiac arrest care; Clinical guidelines and quality improvement.
John Parris
Institute Director. Board member.
Regulatory administration; Business operations; Licensing and compliance.
Casey C. Sears
Founder. Ringside Assessment Research Lead. Board member.
Combat-sports regulation; Ringside clinical operations; Emergency care; Refereeing and judging.
Jay Deas
Board member. Research Adviser — Training and Event Operations.
Boxing event operations; Coaching and athlete development; Training and management.
Lou Lombardy
Board member. Research Governance and Data Security Adviser.
Cybersecurity; Data protection; Boxing experience; Inspection experience.
James B. “Jimmy” Robinson, MD
Board member. Senior Clinical Research Adviser — Sports Medicine.
Sports medicine; Athlete health and safety; Clinical education.
Jeff Dodson
Board member. Fighter Research Adviser — Officiating and Fight Safety.
Professional boxing officiating; Fight stoppage and ring safety; Fighter experience; Event integrity.
Walter Bailey Price II, BA, NRP, CCP
EMS Section Chief, Alabama Fire College; Chief Inspector, Alabama Athletic Commission.
Advisory Board member (non-voting). Adviser — Clinical Operational Oversight and Pre-Hospital Protocol Integration.
Prehospital and critical care paramedicine; EMS education and program leadership; Ringside venue compliance; Emergency action planning.
Biographies and responsibilities Read the Governance Charter
Governance and ethics
Research serving fighters requires clear authority, independent scrutiny and practical protection. Our governance and ethics rules explain who makes decisions, what must happen before research starts, how a fighter’s choice and information are protected, how findings remain independent, and how concerns receive a fair hearing.
The complete rules are published here. Each section explains the requirement, the responsible people, the records that must be kept and the procedure used when something goes wrong.
The Research Governance Board oversees the research. John Parris, Institute Director, carries out its decisions. Scientific reviewers examine the methods. An external ethics body makes the required human-research determinations. Journals decide what is published.
- Read the full consent and fighter protection policyA fighter’s decision is voluntary. Clinical care comes before research.
- Read how studies are reviewed and authorizedTwo independent scientific reviewers and a written ethics determination before work begins.
- Read the conflicts, funding and editorial independence policyInterests are disclosed. Funders cannot veto findings.
- Read the research integrity and publication ethics policyAuthorship, review, AI use, corrections and misconduct, stated in full.
- Read how complaints are handledAcknowledged within five business days. Appeals are heard independently.
Fighter Safety News
Brief records of published reporting and official statements, each linked to its source. They are news, not scientific studies.
Isaac Johnson: Collapse during a Thai-boxing bout in Cicero
Reporting describes Johnson’s collapse during a Thai-boxing bout at Cicero Stadium in November 2025.
Sources: Black Enterprise; FOX 32 Chicago.
Shigetoshi Kotari: Death following a 2 August 2025 Tokyo bout
The World Boxing Council announced Kotari’s death in August 2025 following his Tokyo bout.
Sources: World Boxing Council; CBS News.
Hiromasa Urakawa: Death following a separate bout on the same Tokyo card
Urakawa died after a separate 2 August 2025 bout at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
Sources: World Boxing Council; RTÉ.
Trokon Dousuah: Death following a charity MMA event near Edmonton
CBC reporting described Dousuah’s death following a November 2024 charity MMA event near Edmonton.
Sources: CBC News, syndicated by Yahoo; CityNews, investigation update.
Research Resources
Explore established research cohorts, brain banks, ringside-medicine organizations and neurological research foundations. These external resources help visitors find original research, professional guidance, research-participation information and funding programs.
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center — Professional Fighters Brain Health Study / Professional Athletes Brain Health Study
- Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank
- Concussion & CTE Foundation — formerly Concussion Legacy Foundation
- Association of Ringside Physicians
- Brain Trauma Foundation
- American Brain Foundation