World class martial artists Tom Breese, Molly McCann and Mason Jones receive P-1 visa
World class martial artists Tom Breese, Molly McCann and Mason Jones receive P-1 visa
We are thrilled to announce three successful petitions. World class martial artists Tom Breese, Molly McCann, and Mason Jones were awarded P-1 visas.
Managing Member of the firm, Sherrod Seward successfully presented the petitions proving eligibility for the P-1 visa as World Class Martial Artists, to USCIS. He provided as many documents as possible for each of the criteria satisfied by the athletes.
The Athletes
Mr. Tom Breese is a world-class athlete who began training at the age of 16 and skipped college to train full time. A successful wrestler and jiu-jitsu competitor, he won a junior national freestyle wrestling championship, as well as a second-place finish at the IBJJF world championships when he was a purple belt. He has been competing professionally since 2010 and has garnered a great amount of regional and international acclaim. He won the 2012 Welterweight Championship at the BAMMA, the UK’s ultimate Mixed Martial Arts fight promotion. He moved to the UFC in 2015.
Ms. Molly McCann is a world-class martial artist. In 2009, she won a national-level champion of the Amateur Boxing Association. She has been competing professionally as a Martial Artist since 2015 and has garnered a great amount of regional and international acclaim. She has prestigious MMA titles like the Shock N’ Awe Flyweight Championship and Cage Warriors Flyweight Championship to her credit. Post her celebrated wins in these promotions, Ms. McCann joined the UFC and won laurels. She holds the distinction of being the first English female MMA fighter to win in the UFC. She also has a level 1 coaching badge in Boxing and a degree in Sports Development and Physical Education.
Mr. Mason Jones is a world-class athlete who has been competing professionally since 2017 and has garnered a great amount of regional and international acclaim. He is skilled in Judo, BJJ and Kickboxing and was a student of Taekwondo. He competed in Judo at the national and international levels before moving on to specializing in his MMA career. Mr. Jones is a two-time world champion of the Cage Warriors promotion. Post this, he has now moved to the UFC.
The Petitioner
Zuffa, LLC is an American sports promotion company specializing in mixed martial arts. It was founded in January 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Station Casinos executives Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta to be the parent entity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after they purchased it from the Semaphore Entertainment Group. The word "Zuffa" is an Italian word meaning "fight".
Starting in 1993 as a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, UFC has revolutionized the fight business and today stands as a premium global sports brand, media content company and the largest Pay-Per-View (PPV) event provider in the world.
In January 2001, under the new ownership of Zuffa, LLC and guided by the leadership of owners Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Dana White, the UFC brand restructured MMA into a highly organized, sanctioned and controlled combat sport. Headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe.
On July 11, 2016, Zuffa announced that it would be purchased by a group led by WME-IMG including Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and MSD Capital for the price of $4.025 billion.
The P-1 Petition
We demonstrated that Zuffa LLC, the petitioner, would like to extend the P-1A status upon Mr. Tom Breese, Ms. Molly McCann, and Mr. Mason Jones, whom they consider to be world class athletes.
In each of the petitions, we presented Mr. Breese, Ms. McCann, and Mr. Jones respectively as the world-class athletes they are, by revealing their participation and excellence in international fights. We were able to give details and competition itinerary for the athletes. We also confirmed that they would be taking part in international athletic exhibitions with athletes befitting their global rankings and skill levels.
To add weight to our case, we also revealed that the beneficiaries’ skill levels and ranks were far beyond that of most American martial artists. Therefore, they would have to participate in international athletic exhibitions and competitions competing with other international athletes of their class and skill level.
We informed the USCIS that highly ranked American fighters require other highly rated athletes to compete against. Competing against internationally renowned athletes would allow them to move up in global rankings.
We provided the following evidence for the various P-1 requirements:
International rankings
We provided evidence that the athletes are highly ranked internationally to demonstrate that they have a reputation beyond a single country. We presented international rankings for the athletes in the following ranking systems:
Tapology is a distinguished mixed martial arts fighter ranking system. It differs from other sources publishing MMA rankings, because instead of reflecting the opinions of a single observer, the site automatically takes into account all of its members rankings. This creates consensus MMA rankings that are more democratic and encompass a broader range of views.
Fight Matrix is an independent, comprehensive, MMA fighter ranking system portal. It is one of the sport's most recognized ranking websites. The system is a hybrid of popular thought and prediction analysis. Only up to 650 fighters per weight division who have fought in the previous 450 days are considered for this ranking system which compares results, strength of competition, championships, and other factors.
Following were the rankings presented for each of the athletes:
Tom Breese
Mr. Breese is currently ranked #31 worldwide in the Middleweight category in Tapology.
On Fight Matrix, he is ranked #43 in the world in the Middleweight category.
Additionally, we presented the profiles of Mr. Breese in major martial artist databases and portals, like Sherdog, ESPN, UFC (Record Book), and MMA Junkie.
Molly McCann
Ms. McCann is currently ranked #18 worldwide in the Flyweight category in Tapology.
She is ranked #99 worldwide in the Best Pound-for-Pound Female MMA Fighters in Tapology. The pound-for-pound fighter ranking features only the cream of the crop from every weight class.
On Fight Matrix, she is ranked #35 in the world in the Flyweight category.
We also presented the profiles of Ms. McCann in major martial artist databases and portals, like Sherdog, ESPN, and UFC.
Mason Jones
Mr. Jones is ranked #4th of 226 active United Kingdom/Ireland Pro Welterweights on Tapology.
He is ranked #2nd of 276 active United Kingdom/Ireland Pro Lightweights on Tapology.
On Fight Matrix, he is ranked #104 in the world.
Along with the above rankings, we presented the profiles of Mr. Jones in major martial artist databases and portals, like Sherdog, ESPN, and MMA Junkie.
For each of the above, we showcased the significance of the ranking systems and martial artists databases.
Media coverage
The firm established that the athletes were featured in numerous publications of international repute, testifying to their exceptional talent. We provided the title, date, and author of the title. We also submitted an abstract of the articles to give a preview of the contents of the articles.
The articles included in the petition were:
Tom Breese
1.“UFC Fight Island 5 Results: Tom Breese Finishes KB Bhullar With Jab” – by Shawn Bitter in Cageside Press, October 10, 2020
2. “WATCH: Tom Breese Finishes KB Bhullar With a Superb TKO” – in Essentially Sports, by Darryl Pinto on October 11, 2020
3. “Tom Breese feels like a ‘cardio machine’ without ‘ridiculous’ cuts to 170” – by Peter Carroll in MMA Fighting, March 16, 2019
4. “A 29-year-old floored his UFC opponent with a jab, then hit his skull with hammer fists until the referee waved the bout for good” – by Alan Dawson in Insider, October 12, 2020
5. “Tom Breese unfazed by yet another opponent change | UFC on ESPN+ 37 pre-fight interview”, on MMA Junkie YouTube Channel, October 7, 2019
6. “Tom Breese brings in Anthony Joshua's striking coach ahead of UFC return at Fight” in talkSPORT, March 13, 2019
7. “Tom Breese MMA Highlight” in Hello Japan, June 27, 2018
Molly McCann
1. “UFC Fight Night 154: Molly McCann beats Ariane Lipski in South Carolina ” – in BBC Sport, June 23, 2019
2. “Molly McCann ready to show her adaptability at UFC’s ‘Fight Island’” – in BT Sport, on July 14, 2020
3. “I Worked in a Nightclub With Chris Fishgold” – Molly McCann Reveals Incredible Journey to UFC” – by Raj Sarkar in Essentially Sports, on July 16, 2020
4. “From the streets of Liverpool to the UFC: Molly McCann was always a fighter” – by Coral Barry in Metro, on April 11, 2020
5. “Molly McCann makes UFC debut against Gillian Robertson at UFC Liverpool”, on MMA DNA Channel, on April 3, 2018
6. “Molly McCann encourages women to get into combat sports: ‘It will change your life forever’ ” by Alexander K Lee in MMA Fighting, on April 18, 2020
7. “Molly McCann signs new four-fight deal with UFC” by Farah Hannoun in MMA Junkie, on July 5, 2019
8. “Molly McCann Set to Face Lara Procopio in February” by Frazer Krohn in MMA Sucka on October 19, 2020
9. “"I landed the third most strikes in the UFC!" Molly McCann on winning three fights in a row” on BT Sports YouTube Channel on March 13, 2020
10. “Molly McCann fights to make MMA history at CW90” on Cage Warriors TV on YouTube on February 9, 2018
Mason Jones
1. “Mason Jones graduates to UFC ranks” – BBC Sport, October 19, 2020
2. “Report: UFC Signs Cage Warriors Champion Mason Jones” – in Fightful, October 19, 2020
3. “UFC Signs Cage Warriors Champ-Champ Mason Jones” – by Derek Hall in Middle Easy, October 19, 2020
4. “Two-division Cage Warriors champion Mason Jones signs with UFC” – by Simon Head in MMA Junkie, October 18, 2020
5. “Two-Division CAGE WARRIORS Champion Mason Jones Signs With The UFC”, in The Ring Report, October 20, 2020
6. “Welsh MMA star Mason Jones asks Dana White to find him a UFC ‘monster’ after matching McGregor’s Cage Warriors record” by Jack Figg in The Sun, September 26, 2020
7. “Newly crowned champion Mason Jones wants UFC veteran for first Cage Warriors title defense” by Peter Carroll in MMA Fighting, April 11, 2020
8. “Mason Jones hyped for lightweight title shot at Cage Warriors 113: 'I'm more than ready for it” by Simon Head in MMA Junkie, March 17, 2020
9. “Cage Warriors: Mason Jones to fight for second World title” – by Lewis Stephens in BBC Sport, August 10, 2020
10. “Mason Jones: Chasing Legacy” – on Cage Warriors Facebook page, September 17, 2020
Internationally-recognised Awards
We demonstrated that the athletes had phenomenal accomplishments in the field of martial arts that make them celebrated in more than one country. We listed honors won by each of them, while delineating their importance.
Tom Breese
We presented Mr. Breese’s stellar track record of 12 wins and 2 losses in his MMA career, followed by a few of the celebrated honors amongst the championships won by him:
Performance of the Night, UFC Fight Night 179, 2020
Mr. Breese won the Performance of the Night at the UFC Fight Night 179 in October, 2020. The Performance of the Night is a UFC Bonus Award where cash bonuses are awarded to the athletes who put on the best and most exciting individual performance. He won a bonus of USD 50,000.
2. Performance of the Night, UFC Fight Night 130, 2018
In May 2018, Mr, Breese won his debut fight in the Middleweight category at the UFC Fight Night event 130. He took home top honors as a winner of the Performance of the Night award, winning $50,000. The fight was attended by an audience of 8,520 MMA fans.
3. Performance of the Night, UFC Fight Night 76, 2015
Mr. Breese won his first Performance of the Night cash bonus of $50,000 at the UFC Fight Night 76, where he competed in the Welterweight category. The fight was attended by an audience of 9,500 MMA fans.
4. Winner, BAMMA Welterweight Championship, 2012
Mr. Breese won the BAMMA 11 in December 2012, in the Welterweight category. BAMMA, the UK’s ultimate Mixed Martial Arts fight promotion, has attained unprecedented TV viewing figures for its arena events in the UK.
Molly McCann
We showcased Ms. McCann’s phenomenal track record of 10 wins and 3 losses in her MMA career. We chose the following honors amongst the championships won by her:
Cage Warriors Women’s Flyweight Championship, 2018
Ms. McCann created history when she won the Cage Warriors Women’s Flyweight Championship at the Cage Warriors 90 event, in Liverpool, England. She became the first ever World Champion of the Women’s Flyweight category in this promotion. Cage Warriors is Europe’s leading and longest-running mixed martial arts promotion. Having staged 100+ events in 12 countries across three different continents since its establishment in 2002, Cage Warriors is the sport’s fastest-growing organization and has been home to some of biggest stars of MMA’s past and present.
2. SNA Women’s Flyweight Championship, 2016
Ms. McCann won the SNA Women’s Flyweight Championship at the Shock N' Awe 22 fight. In October 2016, she defended her title at Shock N' Awe 23. Shock N’ Awe is a celebrated MMA promotion headquartered in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
Mason Jones
We demonstrated Mr. Jones’ excellence through his exceptional track record of 10 wins and no loss in his MMA career. We also showcased his silver and bronze medals from his wins at international Judo championships and gold and silver medals from national Judo championships. From all his celebrated accomplishments, we highlighted his two MMA world championships:
Cage Warriors Lightweight Championship, 2020
Mr. Jones was crowned the World Champion, at the Cage Warriors 113 event in England, when he won the Cage Warriors Lightweight Championship.
2. Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship, 2020
Mr. Jones achieved the rare distinction of being a two-time World Champion when he won the Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship at the Cage Warriors 116 event, in England, in September 2020.
Cage Warriors is a mixed martial arts promotion, based in London. It is Europe’s leading and longest-running mixed martial arts promotion. The promotion was established in 2001 and staged its first MMA event in London in July, 2002. Many big MMA stars have made their names under the Cage Warriors banner, including Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping, Gegard Mousasi, Bigfoot Silva, Jeff Monson, Martin Kampmann, Dan Hardy, Joe Duffy, Cathal Pendred, Neil Seery, Dennis Siver etc. Cage Warriors is one of the few top promotions to take their events abroad, travelling throughout countries in Europe, North America and the Middle East. It is watched globally via a host of television partners such as BT Sport, FreeSports and Viasat, and is one of the few featured promotions on UFC’s digital streaming service UFC Fight Pass.
For all the three athletes, we provided ample evidence that they meet at least three of the P-1 criteria and qualify for the non-immigrant P-1 visa. We, therefore, successfully demonstrated that Mr. Breese, Ms. McCann, and Mr. Jones are unambiguously qualified to be classified as P-1 athletes of extraordinary ability.
For more information on how we help support professional athletes and coaches with O-1 and P-1 visas, please contact our offices at 310-209-8545.