The sport of mixed martial arts will be discussed at a Congressional committee hearing Thursday in Washington, D.C., and the UFC almost declined to participate.
U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) confirmed with MMA Fighting on Tuesday morning that the UFC threatened to pull its participation in the hearing in front of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce committee if Randy Couture was the witness representing fighters. Bloody Elbow's Amy Dardashtian was the first to report the news Monday night.
Mullin, a former MMA fighter himself, serves on the committee and is the congressman who sponsored the bill proposing an extension of boxing's Ali Act to MMA earlier this year.