FREDERICTON -- The New Brunswick government has introduced legislation to create a commission to regulate combat sports such as mixed martial arts.

Dorothy Shephard, the province's healthy and inclusive communities minister, says the Combat Sports Act would govern professional and amateur combat sport events.

The legislation would establish a commission that would be responsible for making sure fighters are licensed and officials are qualified.

The act would include exceptions for amateur judo, boxing, wrestling, taekwondo and karate, as those sports are already governed by provincial organizations.

The commission would be composed of four members, one of whom would be a medical practitioner.

Those members would be appointed through the province's process to appoint members to various agencies, boards and commissions.