Knocking down MMA misconceptions
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HUGE news came out of New York for the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) earlier this week. The sport was given a huge boost, passing through the first stages towards becoming legalized in one of the biggest fight capitals in the world.
Yes, you read that correctly. At the moment, MMA is not legal in New York, home to Madison Square Garden and some of the biggest boxing matches of all time.
That is all about to change, as a bill lifting the state’s long-standing ban on MMA has just passed through the New York State Assembly, despite stiff opposite from several members.
During the assembly, the notion that MMA is a barbaric sport popped up once again. To set the record straight, here is a look at five of the top misconceptions about MMA.
1. “MMA is nothing more than human cock-fighting”
This could not be more false. Some cannot get the “old days” out of their minds when they hear MMA mentioned. This is not a bar fight where two men enter and only one man leaves.
These are highly-trained, highly-skilled athletes doing battle in wrestling, jiu jitsu, karate and numerous other disciplines that take years to perfect.
There are also rules and regulations in place to ensure the sport is kept as safe as possible. Whole organizations and commissions have been set up all around the world for just this purpose.
2. “People die in a cage, not a boxing ring”
This could not be further from the truth. Boxing has had almost five times as many deaths over the years as MMA. Plus, the side-effects that come with years of taking straight punishment to the head in boxing cannot even compare to MMA, where fighters have so many options at their disposal.
Ellen Jaffee, a democrat who spoke during the New York hearing, said that the sport “harms the fighters, who risk their lives and are often maimed, or sometimes killed.” Had she done research, Jaffee would know this not to be true.
Thanks to the rules and regulations mentioned earlier, the referee has full discretion on when to end the fight once they feel a fighter is in no condition to continue. There are also cageside doctors to give on-the-spot medical advice.
Fighting in a cage is also safer than fighting in a ring, as the cage actually prevents fighters from falling out of the fight area. That is as opposed to a regular boxing ring, where fighters have fallen between the ropes several times.
3. “Everyone in MMA is on performance-enhancing drugs”
Thanks to organizations developing relationships with professional drug-testing facilities such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, and promotions like ONE Championship placing new weight-cutting procedures into play, the sport of MMA is getting healthier by the day.
Fighters can no longer take performance-enhancing drugs and get away with it. There are also stiff penalties, such as extensive suspensions, in place for those who get caught.
For a professional fighter, not being able to fight is a huge blow to their career and livelihoods.
What’s more, athletes like Shinya Aoki, Ben Askren and countless others have showcased skills that allow them to overcome physically larger fighters based on ability alone.
4. “Grappling and ground fighting is boring”
Unfortunately for MMA fans, this is a comment that will likely be heard until the end of time by those who are passionate about boxing or kickboxing.
You could almost compare it to American football versus regular football in terms of followers not understanding why you use your hands in one and not the other.
Regardless, MMA is maybe even more about what happens on the canvas thanks to its connections with Brazilian jiu jitsu and wrestling, as it is about standing and out-striking your opponent.
Once you see a high-level grappling exchange leading to a spectacular submission, you’ll realize ground fighting can be just as exciting as seeing two fighters trading blows in the center of the cage.
5. “MMA is nothing but gay pornography”
An actual member of the assembly, the Honorable Daniel J. O’Donnell, remarked that MMA is similar to “gay porn” during the hearing. O’Donnell is the brother of actress Rosie O’Donnell, who is actually a supporter of the sport and friends with prominent fighter Urijah Faber.
This is an actual quote made by O’Donnell during the hearing:
“I thought I should learn a little bit (about MMA). I should really like it,” said O’Donnell, who is gay himself. “You have two nearly naked, hot men trying to dominate each other. That’s gay porn with a different ending.”
To say that O’Donnell has no clue what he is talking about would be an understatement.
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