SCREENSHOT VIA DUEL: ARENA YOUTUBE
State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando, has sent a letter to the Florida Athletic Commission requesting that it revoke the license of Duel Arena (Website), the promoter of the combat sports card held at Orlando’s Kia Center on August 29.
The letter, dated this week and addressed to Commission Chair Pike and Director Shipman, asks the state to revoke the license held by the promoter of record, reported to be Ryan Toole Inc., doing business as Duel Arena, and to suspend or revoke licenses for any affiliated persons or entities. It also asks the commission to deny any future permit in Florida to the promotion, its principals, or a successor entity.
Eskamani’s letter comes after video from the August 29 event showed a Nazi flag raised in the arena’s seating bowl, Hitler salutes from a competitor and audience members, and antisemitic remarks made over a live broadcast. Eskamani wrote that she opposes those displays, but that her letter focuses specifically on separate violations of state law that she says warrant license action on their own.
The letter cites several alleged violations of Chapter 548 of the Florida Statutes, which governs professional boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts in the state. It says a costumed performer billed as “FreakBob” fought an opponent identified as Daniel Cao in a bout that was not included on the commission’s approved card, a violation that state law classifies as a third-degree felony. The letter states that bout was overseen by an individual identified as an online streamer with no record of Florida licensure, even though four state-assigned, licensed referees were in the building at the time. The bout was also guest refereed by controversial “looks maxxer” Braden Peters, who goes by Clavicular.
Eskamani’s letter also says the commission’s official results sheet lists 10 bouts from the night, while 11 contests actually took place, leaving the eleventh with no approval, no listed result, and no assigned officials on record. Separately, the letter raises questions about an announced exhibition bout between the promotion’s founder and a named opponent, stating that neither participant appeared on the official weigh-in sheet and that the promotion’s own accounts publicly disputed whether the person who entered the ring was actually the founder. That same bout was billed at 202 pounds against 90 pounds, a difference of more than 110 pounds, exceeding the state’s 12-pound cap for boxing matches outside of designated weight classes or exhibitions.
“Revocation is the only response that matches this conduct,” Eskamani wrote, arguing it is the only outcome that protects both fighters and the public from further harm.
Beyond revocation, the letter asks the commission to issue an emergency suspension order, determine whether any licensee failed a legal duty to report a prohibited contest, refer possible criminal violations to prosecutors, and refer questions about the promotion’s financing by an offshore gaming operator to the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Eskamani also filed a public records request under Florida’s public records law, seeking the event’s permit file, bout sheets, licensing records, weigh-in documents, and correspondence between the commission and the promoter.
The letter notes that the commission’s executive director testified before a U.S. Senate committee in April, describing Florida as a national model for regulating combat sports. Eskamani asked the commission to prove that reputation by acting quickly on her request.
Eskamani asked for a written response by Monday, September 14. The letter was copied to Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Melanie Griffin, State Attorney Monique Worrell, members of the Florida Athletic Commission, and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
