DES MOINES - In a flurry of activity Saturday night, Iowa lawmakers trashed a proposal to remove mixed martial arts fighting from state regulation.

The Senate and House were unable to agree on the measure, so it was removed from a larger budget bill. This was one of dozens of ideas that were discarded in the closing moments of the session.

The main backer of the plan, Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said he is disappointed that the state will continue to regulate mixed martial arts fighting, which he thinks invites a lawsuit in the event of a serious injury or death,

"It's unfortunate because it leaves the state in a position of liability," he said.

Dotzler said the proposal died in the House because there was no way to bridge the gap between people who want to de-regulate the sport and those who want to strengthen existing rules.

Mixed martial arts fighting is regulated by the same office that oversees boxing and wrestling.

Leaders in the mixed martial arts industry opposed Dotzler's plan. They said a lack of regulations would encourage promoters to hold fights in dangerous conditions and increase the chances of injuries.

But Dotzler contends that the fighting is so dangerous that there is no way for regulators to make it safe without fundamentally changing the sport.

Contact Dan Gearino at (515) 243-0138 or dan.gearino@lee.net.