by John Gessner
Thisweek Newspapers

Gary Brintnall became a fan of mixed martial arts in 1993, watching on pay-per-view as Brazilian Royce Gracie won the Ultimate Fighting Championship title.

"It was so amazing to watch a young guy, 180 pounds, beat guys that are 260 just by knowing the physiology of the human body," said Brintnall, of Burnsville. "That just amazed me."

Brintnall loved the sport so much he now regulates it. He's one of seven new members Gov. Tim Pawlenty appointed to the Minnesota Boxing Commission on Dec. 7. Brintnall is one of four appointees with knowledge of the mixed martial arts industry, as required by state law.

"I've never been in the ring myself," said Brintnall, 58. "I'm kind of an old man for that."

But he has trained in jujitsu and submission grappling, both components of the rapidly growing sport of mixed martial arts.

"It has the strikes of boxing, the throws of judo, the grappling on the ground of jujitsu and submission grappling," Brintnall said admiringly. "However more well-rounded the fighter is, the better chance he has of winning the match."

Brintnall was essentially a regulator-in-training when he applied for the commissioner post. A frequent spectator at mixed martial arts matches from St. Cloud to Rochester to Maplewood's Myth nightclub, he began volunteering for Scott LeDoux, the Boxing Commission's executive director.

"I was encouraged to apply by Scott LeDoux because I had been working for him at some of these shows, and he kind of liked what I was doing," Brintnall said.

He has a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and is assistant director of taxes for Canadian Pacific Railway. Brintnall was once a tax examiner for the state Department of Revenue.

The Boxing Commission was revived by the Legislature in 2006, five years after its funding was discontinued. In 2007 regulation of mixed martial arts was added to its duties.

"The first thing I think we have to do is start writing some regulations that define the safety requirements, the equipment, making sure everybody has equipment, making sure there's no dangerous maneuvers," Brintnall said. "And actually inspecting on the night of the fight, making sure people have their hands wrapped properly and they're all wearing uniform types of gloves so nobody has an advantage. The sport hasn't been regulated before. It's probably time for it to be regulated."

Are there problems in the sport, which Brintnall said is staged in Minnesota by a handful of promoters?

"It's nothing that I'm aware of right now," he said. "It may be that some of the other commissioners are, or maybe Mr. LeDoux has some ideas as to what he wants to clean up. But I think the primary thing that people are looking at is the safety of the participants.

"I don't think there's ever been a serious injury in the sport in Minnesota. I've seen people with broken hands. I've seen a lot of bruises and black eyes, and maybe a cut over the eye once in a while. It's a lot of small things, and it doesn't happen that often."

Mixed martial arts may look brutal to some, but to Brintnall it's a study in physiology.

He has trained in submission grappling, whose competitors try to neutralize each other with strategic holds, and in jujitsu, which led to a knee injury.

"That took me out for about six months, and I never got back into it," Brintnall said. "I got pretty busy."

Also appointed to the commission was Matthew Henderson of Eagan, employee-relations manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises in Eagan. He is also a mixed martial arts appointee.

John Gessner is at burnsville.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.