With the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in full stride, rumblings have been surfacing of trying to lobby the International Olympic Committee to make mixed martial arts a trial sport at a future Olympic Games.

Given the global expansion of the sport, I fully endorse the idea.  Nothing would be better for the sports legitimacy than allowing it to run side-by-side with wrestling, judo, boxing, and the other combat sports now a part of the games.  Allowing the athletes to compete for and represent their countries would be nothing short of spectacular for them.

Initially, I do see some logistical problems.  To qualify for the Olympics would require a number of qualifing tournaments, meaning professional fighters would have to train for and fight amateur fights outside of their respective organizations.  This would not allow the organization that they are signed with to use them as much.

For example, most professional fighters fight three times a year, with an eight week training camp.  After each fight, they generally take a couple of weeks off.  For them to cycle into another training camp for the Olympic Trials, right after a fight, may be tight.  They may be forced to fight only twice a year for the organization that they are contracted to.

The other factor would be insurance.  The fighters, or their contracted organization, would have to purchase insurance in case they were injured during the Olympics or the trials leading up to them.  If the fighters are not fighting due to injury then the company that they work for is not making any money off of them.

Another factor that has both positive and negative implications is that it would also allow us to see fights that we would normally not be able to see.  Perhaps Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor Emilianenko?  Jake Shields vs. Georges St. Pierre?  Shogun vs. Mousasi?  As I fan, I would salivate over the potential.  As a businessman, I would never want to give these fights away for free.

The good news is that Dana White, president of the UFC, is all for it.  They have many top tier fighters and seem to be willing to make the necessary adjustments should the sport be granted an Olympic trial.  Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC and WEC, sees this as another sport-building opportunity.  It would allow for instant world wide recognition of the sport.