Why is Ontario holding out when Quebec, B.C. and the vast majority of U.S. states have given the green light to mixed-martial-arts fights? In previous media reports, Ontario Athletic Commissioner Ken Hayashi cited Section 81.3 of the Criminal Code, which bans "prize fights," but not sanctioned boxing matches. However, the Criminal Code only bars the sport if it is not regulated by a government body, according to Douglas Tindal, spokesman for Sophia Aggelonitis, the Minister of Consumer Services who is managing the decision of whether the province will sanction the sport. "If the government were to consider regulating the sport, safety would be of primary concern. However, regulating MMA is not a government priority. The government will continue to watch and follow MMA, and will continue to focus on issues that matter to Ontarians," he said. !