This Cage Wrestling m'larky....

[Ali]

I can see the point on the side of Doctor, and Wrestler. I have no problem with the sport what so ever, but everytime someone gets seriously hurt, they're claiming on the nhs surely? Even if they're insured? Which is a bit out of order. What are your thoughts?

[Ellie]

Should be private healthcare provided by the organisers.

I believe that's what they do in the US for wrestling etc

[Mitchell]

You mean mixed martial arts? It should be no more or less legal than boxing. People in boxing try to slate it but that's mostly because MMA is destroying boxing in America right now. The two sports are no more or less safe than each other, although there is an argument that boxing has led to more injuries in a set timespan.

My only wish in this country is that it would get the same coverage it gets over there, in a mainstream controlled environment. I absolutely love UFC, and this is from a pro-wrestling fan who is used to those pre-determined "fake fights".

[Console]

Surely that's the same with any sport that involves physical contact. Eventually someone is going to get hurt, and then some of them are bound to end up in an NHS hospital. Should boxing be banned for the same reason? What about rugby, or football? Hell, even cricket and basketball. Essentially, I don't think because they may get free treatments, that they need because of this sport, under the NHS is enough of a reason to ban it.

Aside from that though, as long as the fighters are are entering of their own free will then I can't see anything wrong with it.

[Ellie]

I used to like wrestling. I grew out of it though. I know this is different from WWE etc but I can't understand these grown adults who still believe the likes of those in the WWE aren't faking it. Jeez, I know it hurts and they go get hurt but dramatised.... hell yeah and some people just refuse to believe it.

[John]

I used to like wrestling. I grew out of it though. I know this is different from WWE etc but I can't understand these grown adults who still believe the likes of those in the WWE aren't faking it. Jeez, I know it hurts and they go get hurt but dramatised.... hell yeah and some people just refuse to believe it.

Haha WWE!... Men in leotards prancing about really doesn't cut it for me... well, just makes me feel a bit sick actually.

As for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It has come a long way from the no holds barred era with more rules and regulations in place, but I see what you mean Ali - such a physical sport shouldn't be 'funded' by the NHS (we, tax payers). Although saying that, I've been in hospital twice due to sporting accidents, sooo hmm, maybe I shouldn't be the proverbial pot calling the kettle black when it comes to UFC. Other than that, I totally approve of the sport. If people want to damage them selves physically/mentally for our 'entertainment', then crack on I say!

[Mitchell]

I haven't seen a wrestler in a leotard since the days of Big Daddy.

S'all about being BAAAALLIN~! these days.

http://www.wwe.com/superstars/smackdown/mvp/photos/smackphotos/mvp0615.jpg

[John]

I haven't seen a wrestler in a leotard since the days of Big Daddy.

S'all about being BAAAALLIN~! these days.
Haha, I stand corrected! WWF days (not that I use to watch it!). However, imho, trash is trash. They are just better actors these days. :eusa_wall:

[sinister]

If I want to see eegits knocking seven shades out of each other it's far easier to go up to a local night club and wait for kicking out time. Free too!:042:

[Terrier]

I follow and train in MMA so I feel qualified to answer this.

sinisters comments are uneducated and silly. The training involved with being in MMA at the level of the UFC is unreal, some drunken/untrained moron would be submitted within 20 seconds. If you like watching bar fights that’s your deal, but it’s no more relevant to MMA than the local Chavs in their supped up Corsas are to Formula 1 racing.

MMA is a combat sport so of course it carries an element of risk, however it is regulated in the states (it’s not here although that should come soon I hope) currently the UFC uses the same regulations that are in place in Nevada when in the UK. All fighters are given a thorough medical before being allowed to compete and if they are KO’d or TKO’d (ref stoppage) during a fight they are given a precautionary CAT scan within 12 hours to be safe (and to answer something brought up before obviously none of this uses the NHS)

The BMA based their report purely on opinion with no facts to back it up, they claimed there had been only one death in the UFC since 1993, however the only contracted UFC fighter to die did so in a boating accident (maybe they should attack the yacht club next?) . MMA is as safe as a combat sport can be, and yes it is safer than boxing due to the fact there’s much less repeated blunt force trauma to the head during an MMA bout.

The people who claim there is no skill involved simply do not understand what they are talking about, the current UFC heavyweight Champion was an Olympic alternate for Greco Roman Wrestling, there are also several Olympians involved in the sport as well as ex pro boxers, Muay Thai fighters and many others, do you think you can get into the Olympics with no skill? Just rolling around on the floor or hugging each other (one of the more common things said by people who don’t understand what’s happening) doesn’t cut it I’m afraid.

If the BMA want to be morally outraged about something, why don’t they start with the arse backward union that made sure peoples lives would be extremely difficult by forcing them to miss work/school because their already overpaid GPs don’t like working weekends? - oh wait, that was them.

Their statement was uneducated dribble, by people who do not understand the rules (of which there are over 30, not 2 as they claimed) or the skill involved to compete at a high level in this sport .

I’ll be getting train down to London this weekend to see the UFC at the 02 and I can’t wait.

[postie]

If I want to see eegits knocking seven shades out of each other it's far easier to go up to a local night club and wait for kicking out time. Free too!:042:

haha yeah just goto the bigg market in newcastle and you will see a live fight there every week and they end up in N.H.S. hospitals oh and police cells :punch:

[Terrier]

haha yeah just goto the bigg market in newcastle and you will see a live fight there every week and they end up in N.H.S. hospitals oh and police cells :punch:

see the post above *shakes fist*

PS the Bigg Market sucks and frankly so does the Quayside these days, I'm happy in the gate and surrounding places now.

[sinister]

I just don't get the wanting to see two individuals fight each other thing, be it boxing mma closing time brawls or whatever. All I'm saying is I just don't understand the need to watch it or participate.

Having said that, I don't see the point of golf either:bomb:

[Console]

I don't understand why people watch Big Brother, at least in fighting sports there's skill involved (and usually a lot of skill and training at that).

[Terrier]

At it's best MMA (and boxing for that matter) can be technical masterpieces where two elite athletes at their peak try to outwit each other in fast and furious combat. Like any sport it's driven by competition and that's what makes it interesting and often exciting.

If it's not your cup of tea fair enough, but don't make false comparisons or statements about it, you or the BMA.

[bbb]

i have to stay i donr like the cage stuff tho i like wwe tho i know its acting but were els do u get to see half naked fit men and for staigt guys half naked women leagaly and on the odd momment full naked if they have a warddorbe malfuction has happned a few times but also ild like to say that is fun to watch and there is a lot of wrok that goes on behind the seens its like most spots tho with a bit of acting involed the cage stull is more like haveing judo/ jujustsu compains but with with more vilonce

[Terrier]

Were you drunk when you typed that?

WWE has nothing to do with MMA.

As for violence I'd say beating people with chairs, men attacking women and various other acts portrayed on pro wrestling make for much more violent viewing.

[bbb]

yes i was a bit drunk but there was a metion off wwf now called wwe and mostly i was syaing that mma is like u said more of a hard hiting side of the sport i myself done jujustsui amoung marshal arts and like u said it is peoples attude to be the best that drives them

[Blinkie]

i love the men in tight lycra suits... maybe i should watch some wrestling! When i was a kid i loved Shaun Michaels and Brett the Hitman Hart - i know it's off the subject but i just had to share that!!!!

[bbb]

wwe was metoin if u go to near the top of the page so its not off topic and was jst treying to stae the few diffences and that tpye of sport

[Terrier]

yes i was a bit drunk but there was a metion off wwf now called wwe and mostly i was syaing that mma is like u said more of a hard hiting side of the sport i myself done jujustsui amoung marshal arts and like u said it is peoples attude to be the best that drives them

It's not any side of the sport, they are unrelated.

[bbb]

k no worries tho someone did metion wwe and posted a pic of mvp i must have misraed the rest

[Mitchell]

It's not any side of the sport, they are unrelated.
Except for the audience, which is more similar than most would probably suspect. A lot of former wrestling fans have turned to MMA now, especially with the explosion of UFC and Pride (before they became one and the same).

Anyhoo, sorry to bring up an old topic, but the first recorded fatality of MMA in the US was recorded this past weekend.

Sam Vazquez, who never recovered from a knockout at the hands of Vince Libardi on 10/20 in Houston, became the first documented MMA fatality in North American history. He was 35.

Vazquez passed away Friday night in Houston. No cause of death has been released. Vazquez, a few weeks after his knockout, suffered a major stroke which he was unable to recover from.
I think now is probably the starting point for governments to start getting a little hesitant about the dangers of MMA.

[Terrier]

There are so many Pro wrestling fans that they follow just about every sport, but in reality that doesn't matter, what matters is what's happening in the ring, and that's where the two are totally different.

I'm well aware of the Sam Vazquez death, and while it's very sad that it happened, It's a fact that people die every year in just about every sport. This was inevitable unfortunately. Few people called for the government to ban F1 when Aerton Serner tragically died on the track, they didn't try to end the NFL when Korey Stringer died in training, they didn't try to ban football when Marc-Vivien Foe or Miklos Feher died on the pitch and let's not even get started on boxing.

I know the anti MMA crowd will use this as fuel for years to come but it's just reality that MMA like almost all sports carries an element of risk. What happened to Sam Vazques is sad and I feel bad for his family and am in no way trying to take anything away from that, but on the flipside to avoid an over-reaction one death in over 14 years of MMA in the West is not a reason to get the torches and pitchforks out.