What Do You Think of Combat Sports?

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I watch MMA fights and boxing and know people who compete in them. I can appreciate the nuances of competition, the skill-sets involved, the tactical skills necessary to do well in them. Someone has to be really smart to be able to do that since it demands a lot of strategy and quick adjustments. Still, I can't come to terms with the objective of inflicting such trauma to someone's brain, making it bang against the walls of the skull, that they fall unconscious. I guess the main argument for making it legal is like the ones for prostitution and drug distribution -- that it is better to be subject to legal standards and sets of rules, with quick access to medical care if needed, than to be driven underground, chaotically and violently controlled by competing organized crime gangs.
#off topic forum
  • Banned
    While I can appreciate all of the rationale that you so intelligently stated, my personal opinion is that all sports of this type are participated in by Neanderthals, for the enjoyment of Neanderthals. And that would be Neanderthals with a particular type of psychotic blood lust.

    Now that I have made myself even more popular than usual - my work here is done. :-)

    Cheers. - Frank

    P.S. Aren't you glad you asked? :-)
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  • Or, they could be like a guy that went to my high school . . . dumb as a rock with an extremely high pain tolerance. He never lost a fight because you couldn't hurt him.
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    • That can only get a person so far in skilled competition. Anyway, if rock is so dumb, how come they still play it on the radio? The MMA fighters I personally know are highly intelligent and well-educated and actually friendlier than most people I cross paths with. It is a weird duality, considering what they do in the ring.
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    • Banned
      You mean like Kimbo Slice?
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  • I have similar issues. I like MMA and boxing, as well as football. But I have mixed feeling as it feels I'm getting my entertainment at the expense of someone else's well-being.


    In MMA, I don't like when they hit someone on the ground after they knocked them down. And in both MMA and boxing, I actually wish they had to wear head gear like amateur boxers do, even though I know the majority of fans and fighters disagree with me.
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    • Kurt, I grew up in a Boxing family.....

      I had two uncles who were Golden Gloves Champions back in the day... One uncle was a "true" Boxer... The other was a straight up "barroom" brawler... He would go to bars to fight and drink... in that order. :-)

      Personally, I am a firm believer in the head gear... I like to see both skill and power...

      For those who question what permanent damage is done to the human brain...... check out


      PBS's League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis


      The segment that REALLY stuck out was the 18 boy from North Allegheny High School (Pittsburgh, PA) that died after his forth concussion...... He had advanced CTE at 18!
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  • Banned
    I think they probably foster and reinforce an aggressive, adversarial, violent culture in society.

    It may be that if they didn't exist/weren't tolerated, then other, perhaps worse things would do that instead.

    I'm not quite convinced that those are necessarily the main reasons for making prostitution and drug distribution legal, T-bird; but I do see that the argument applies to combat sports; yes. Boxing with readily available medical facilities, undesirable and regrettable though some of us think it is, is preferable to boxing without readily available medical facilities?

    .
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  • I tried to watch it but for some reason I can't watch it more than a few minutes at a time.

    Now with HD, the three top American sports look better than ever on the tube.
  • It used to be called underground fighting.
    Unfortunately it is extremely sad people have to make a living that way, and whether they are good or not when they pass their usefulness like all others they will be tossed away. So many people walking around with such amazing damage they sustained for their 'sport" Hockey was no different either though.
    It is just too much and my idea of a fight is when the other person goes down that is the end of it.These fellows jump on top and that cannot be good for anyone no matter how tough you are.

    Best,
    -WD
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    • Banned
      You're kidding, right?

      F.
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  • I'm ashamed you're even discussing the subject of barbarian games masquerading as sport. Is your son, age 4, aware of this?

    You should be thinking of sedate pursuits and hobbies, rather more in line with a doting dad of a son, age 4 (soon to be 5).

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    • YI LOL! I don't expose him to UFC, Bellator matches, cage-fights and suchlike. Do as I say, not as I secretly do...
  • LOL
    Brutal.
  • I have tried watching UFC but really can't get into it as I can see the same thing on any Friday night at my local pub.

    There's also the thought that eventually seeing two guys pound the snot out of each other won't be enough to satisfy the "bloodlust of the neanderthals" (thanks Frank) that watch it.

    Where do we go from there? Actual gladiators out to kill each other?

    The beginning of a very slippery slope.
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    • I will concede many points in relation to mma. There are several valid arguments against the sport. However,

      1) you absolutely can not see the same thing on any Friday night at your local pub. That comment is misleading and inaccurate.

      2) the sport has become progressively safer in recent years, and has been mainstream for over 20. How is the slope slippery? If anything, it's becoming inclined.

      You have a wealth of legitimate arguments to use against mma. Use them.
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    • My most favorite MMA fights, ever!


      P.O.D. - (Here comes the) Boom (Kevin James) - YouTube

      They were for a good cause!!


      Terra
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  • Banned
    Comparing high level mixed martial artists fighting in the UFC to bar room brawlers at a local pub is a bit like comparing a 3 year old kid playing nerf golf in his parents livingroom for the first time to Jack Nicklaus or Greg Norman playing in the Masters.

    I used to play 54 holes of golf a day at my local links, and yes, a civilized person can enjoy both sports. That said, I don't plan on jumping in the cage with an All-American wrestler that has a black belt in one or more of the martial arts anytime soon.

    Cheers

    -don
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  • So you said all of that when I said Hockey also is responsible for people having lasting damage,
    I then show you statistically these things occur and often a whole lot more than 4
    Like I said Frank, more power to you. but ya know what, you are still wrong
    Telling me you lost your virginity in Jail is rather terrible. Shame on you.

    Cya
    -WD

    Edit: Please don't use Jesus name in vain. It is quite uncalled for, you have a vocabulary, use it.
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    • Banned
      We're discussing fighting. Stay on point or surrender if you can't keep up.

      I actually wasn't a virgin when I went to jail, but acting like one had its benefits. I'm sorry you don't have a sense of humor.

      I may be an opinionated little SOB, but at least I can laugh.

      Bedtime. - Frank
  • Sorry Frank I can't see your message I have blocked you. I don't deal with rude people. so carry on
    -WD
  • Banned
    Like Frank, I have also been a lifelong hockey fan. I started rooting for the Montreal Canadians back in about 1970, and my favorite player of all time is the great Guy Lefleuer, one of the "no helmet" guys.

    That said, concussions are an issue in the NHL, however far fewer are diagnosed in the NHL than are in the NFL.

    NHL Rule Banning Hits To The Head Hasn't Reduced Number Of Concussions | ThinkProgress

    And they are still an issue even though we recently saw a decline...

    NHL says concussions have decreased, but protocol remains imperfect - ESPN

    While tons of injuries do occur in hockey at all levels, it's quite apparent that youth hockey does see to a good number of brain injuries...

    Most sports-related brain injuries occur in hockey, study finds - The Globe and Mail

    Of course many sports are quite dangerous by nature, and football and hockey are not much different than high level MMA in that regard. While it's a bit difficult to directly compare sports because of participation levels, every year kids collapse and die during football practice here in the U.S.

    Anyway, as more and more is learned about head injuries, we are starting to see that guys in the NFL trenches that take blow after blow after blow, may be the guys that are taking the most long term brain damage.

    Harvard study says concussive hits in the trenches are being ignored | The MMQB with Peter King

    As far as NFL football goes I have been rooting for the Steel Curtain since 1969, and according to recent reports, at least three Steeler lineman may have sustained brain damage due to a career of repeated blows to the head at practice and during the games. Justin Strzelczyk, Terry Long and Mike Webster are the three players.

    Here is what the NFL concussion count looks like...

    And finally the admission and the first payoff.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/sp...-released.html

    How many football related deaths occur you may ask? An average of 12 per year here in the U.S. is your answer.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/life-styl...icle-1.1309671

    Cheers

    -don
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    • Banned
      Don,

      I'm extremely disappointed in you.

      1. We were discussing injuries due to fighting. At least I was.

      2. Not a single chart or graph. You're slipping.

      3. Please keep in mind that hockey players have an 82 game season and an average career twice as long as an NFL player.

      Very pertinent points if you're going to compare injury statistics. Additionally, hockey players do go out on the ice looking to end a rival player's career. Nothing is more glorified in the NFL that taking another player out of the game.

      Cheers. - Frank
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  • Banned
    Best way to release all that pent-up aggression and all that testosterone.
    Something Joe would have no idea of.
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    • Thanks Don,

      That was very kind to look those up, yeah football is the worse for sure. something like 74 or something per 100,000 players.

      It is just to be expected when people are totally engulfed in their games,
      I appreciate the part about the checks being responsible. for a lot.

      I am sorry to everyone I got a little miffed with Frank. we went off topic which is not so great. So I apologize


      Best,
      -WD
  • The late love of my life was a golden glove champ. He's dead. Brain aneurism. No. I do not like the fighting arts. At all. Not for anything but self defense anyway.

    Paint ball - now, that's a fun sport.
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  • Banned
    Uh? Tyson boring?

    I like long drawn out tactical fights as much as anyone else, but the basis of Mike Tyson's appeal is that he destroyed his opponents fast.

    Mike Tyson Highlights - Destroyer In Prime - YouTube
    Also this:

    But seriously though, scientists would go to unknown tribes in Africa, and the tribes would know about Mike Tyson which makes Mike Tyson a true and most recognizable American hero.
  • I find Tyson to be maybe the most interesting pop culture person of my life time. One minute he's exposing his bizarre "culinary tastes", wanting to eat Lennox Lewis' children and chomping on Hollyfield's ear. The next minute he's like a big innocent 8 year old child.

    I really think Tyson needed Cus D'Amato to have lived longer. Cus seemed to be the one person that Tyson could trust and respect and was the father figure Tyson needed.
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    • Banned
      At least most of the weird stuff occurred after 1995. Prior to that though, the parties were often quite short. To this day I vividly remember the party we had the night Buster beat Mike. While I was a huge Mike fan, I had a couple of chips on big ol' Buster on that night. I about hit my head on the ceiling when the end came.

      Damn right, and thats exactly why he is one of the greatest fighters of all time, and one of my favorites. Tyson was one of the best finishers ever and I never liked missing any of his fights.

      Yeah, the baddest man on the planet was certainly well known around the world. It's too bad after his relationship with Cus ended he couldn't keep it together. I am always left thinking "what could have been" with Mike even though he became legendary even with his missteps.

      Mike was diagnosed with Dysthymic Disorder and Cognitive Impairment, and since he was not always medicated I think we have witnessed some of his seriously large mood swings.

      Mike Tyson's Assessment

      Mike Tyson Psychiatric Reports | The Smoking Gun

      Yeah, most everyone that has followed Mike's career believes this. That's one of the reasons I linked the Feeding The Fire episode of Being Mike Tyson. That said, even with Cus in his life he may have still ran into a few of the mental issues that he did in later life. I would like to think that he may not have became quite as unpredictable as he did though. Obviously his early career was much smoother than the latter part of his career --> the failed marriage, the rape conviction, the super-crazy talk, the ear bites etc.

      Being: Mike Tyson Full Episode (Feeding the Fire) - IMDb

      During that Feeding the Fire episode Mike takes a journey back in time and he returns to Cus D'Amato's boxing gym in the Catskills. He talks quite a bit about his relationship with Cus, and during that episode you will see some cool home video footage of a very young Mike Tyson eating dinner at the table with Cus and a few other fighters at the D'Amato home.

      Cheers

      -don
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    What Do You Think of Combat Sports?

    I watch MMA fights and boxing and know people who compete in them. I can appreciate the nuances of competition, the skill-sets involved, the tactical skills necessary to do well in them. Someone has to be really smart to be able to do that since it demands a lot of strategy and quick adjustments. Still, I can't come to terms with the objective of inflicting such trauma to someone's brain, making it bang against the walls of the skull, that they fall unconscious. I guess the main argument for making it legal is like the ones for prostitution and drug distribution -- that it is better to be subject to legal standards and sets of rules, with quick access to medical care if needed, than to be driven underground, chaotically and violently controlled by competing organized crime gangs.