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MMA Is Brutal and Dangerous, But That Doesn't Justify Banning It

This description from Fight Report was so vivid and compelling I just had to share:

Matt Lindland TraumaBelfort fucked Lindland up BAD in this fight. He landed a short left that dropped Matt then followed up with five more blows until he was totally out. The last blow caused Lindland’s left leg to quiver uncontrollably as he lay in complete unconsciousness… 45 seconds after the KO, Lindland began drifting in and out of consciousness. His eyes opened halfway but they were still totally out of focus… 1 minute and 25 seconds after the KO, paramedics finally revived Lindland but he thought the fight was still going on so he tried a single on a nearby medic… 1 minute and 55 seconds after the KO, Lindland appeared to realize he got knocked out but he was trying to stand anyway. The doctors struggled to keep him down and the former Olympian remained in an uncomfortable half standing position as he battled with the doctors…. 3 minutes and five seconds after the KO Lindland resigned himself to a sitting position as the doctors kept a brace secured tightly around his neck. It looked like a dog collar and was obviously humiliating to Matt. I was glad to see him finally get up and walk out of the ring under his own power. He was able to do this less than five minutes after Belfort knocked him out. As disturbing as the knockout was, Matt recovered fairly quickly.

This was a vivid and compelling reminder of the nervousness I felt watching as Lindland recovered last night. It is obvious why the UFC has a policy of not focusing on injured fighters. However, I think I prefer Affliction's honest approach.

Let's not kid ourselves. MMA is a VERY dangerous game. Fighters are risking their health each and every time they enter the cage/ring.

That's only one reason why I strongly believe the sport needs to be treated with the highest degree of seriousness. It is also the chief weapon used against the sport by our enemies.

Earlier this week the influential New York Times editorial board blogged against legalizing MMA in the Empire State. They recycled all of the most uninformed arguments against our sport. Luke is promising to give them their come uppance. Please harass him until he does so.

In the meantime, Zak Woods has blown up the British Medical Association study that the NYT based its argument on. He does this by drawing on a superior American study of MMA (pdf.):

Of the 171 fights observed over a three year period only 11 ended via knock out, or 6.4%. Approximately 40% ended due to technical knock out, and 30% ended due to tapout. According to these number the knockout rate is lower in MMA than boxing. 

Now let's recap quickly. The BMA study uses physics, in force studies, comparing 'probable' movements in MMA and found that only two of the four held 'serious risk', and were 'comprable to motor accidents'. Their study was not based on actual fight data, but rather biomechanical models. 

The U.S. study looked at available data from an Athletic Commission over a three year period and found that the risk of knock out was lower than boxing. Also the injury data does not indicate permanent damage, or traumatic brain injury that the BMA cites in their position paper. 

Now which study appears to be better science? The BMA study, dealing with force models based upon 'commonly performed manuvers' (which were not described in the overview), or the U.S. study which analyzes over 170 fights over a three yaer period? The answer is clear the U.S. study.

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I am a boxing, let me just say that but it is beyond stupid to ban MMA in certain states. I personally think that boxing is significantly more dangerous, esp at the sub lightweight weights.

Boxing has had a long history and sadly deaths are a part of the sport, but does that mean it should be banned? No. Hell should NASCAR be banned because it took the life of the icon of the sport?

 MMA from what I know have not had one significant death in the past 10 years. Yeah… you might see a broken arm or leg, but is that any different from a football game or wrestling? No.

I hope for the sake of combat sports that MMA is allowed to expand. I think people just like to pick on MMA because of their distaste of combat sport and that it seems that MMA still has a stigma of being more crude and without rules.

by Zocalo on Jan 25, 2009 12:06 PM EST reply actions  

Do a search on.....

Sam Vasquez

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Jan 25, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions  

I think most educated people will say that boxing has had more well known deaths compared to MMA. I am also willing to say that there is a significantly higher ratio of death when you compare boxing to MMA.

by Zocalo on Jan 25, 2009 3:07 PM EST up reply actions  

I am a boxing fan….

damn typo….

by Zocalo on Jan 25, 2009 3:08 PM EST up reply actions  

The source?

The NYT has historically been the largest collection of self-important idiots ever assembled. It comes as no shock that they are offering their (unwanted) opinion (again) on a(nother) subject they know nothing about.

by P4P is a stupid concept on Jan 25, 2009 12:36 PM EST reply actions  

It was tough to watch

This is a good read. I had a hard time watching Lindland regain conciousness. It reminded me of that kid from TUF a few seasons ago that got KTFO and started moaning and groaning as he woke up and then started asking the paramedics if the fight had been practice. As hard as it is to watch I also prefer Afflictions honest approach. I think what really sets MMA apart from boxing is the standing 8 count. During a boxing bout, when a fighter is stunned by a punch and goes down to the canvas his opponent is sent to a neutral corner while the stunned fighter is given 8 seconds to recover. If the stunned fighter is able to compose himself and present a reasonable state of alertness he sent back into battle. This allows a fighter to continue to take punishment and have his brain bounced off the walls of his skull for a few more minutes, rounds, whatever. In MMA if a fighter goes down he is followed to the canvas and finished off and not allowed to continue taking punishment. This is a major difference and the reason that boxing has more short and long term neurological injuries amongst its participants. IMO MMA is safer than boxing for this reason.

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Jan 25, 2009 12:45 PM EST reply actions  

Not to kick UFC too much over the subject, but Affliction really showed how a pro sports organization handles such an injury during a live broadcast. I’m not Lindland fan, but I was happy to hear he seemed to be recovering

by smoogy on Jan 25, 2009 5:01 PM EST reply actions  

What...

situation of that nature do you feel they dropped the ball on?

Not challenging you…just curious

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 25, 2009 5:30 PM EST up reply actions  

Yoshida comes to mind.

by Kid Nate on Jan 25, 2009 5:47 PM EST up reply actions  

Exactly

They treated Yoshida like a peice of meat and just skirted him away. Then let the fans know the outcome by posting a note on their website. Classy

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 25, 2009 8:46 PM EST up reply actions  

Yoshida...

was the main event. The couldn’t exactly “cut back” with an update on that could they? Same with Salmon. I’m not saying the UFC handles it perfectly. But a guy getting KO’ed violently with over an hour of broadcast time left is different from a guy getting KO’ed in the main event in your ability to provide on air health updates.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 26, 2009 3:00 PM EST up reply actions  

Good point. What did people want them to do when the show was ending?

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Jan 26, 2009 3:25 PM EST up reply actions  

I’d prefer to see organizations handling it somewhere between how Affliction handled it last night and the way the UFC handles it.

Updating fans on the fighter’s condition: good.

Zooming the camera in on the fighter while he’s twitching and moving around almost dead: very, very, very bad.

by Michaelthebox on Jan 25, 2009 7:19 PM EST up reply actions   2 recs

Dog collar

I find it funny that having a cervical collar put on you so that in case you have a neck or spinal injury will be minimized is considered humilating. Im sure Matt will look bad and consider that the health profesionals on scene were trying to minimize any potential injury he might have

by kieranski on Jan 25, 2009 7:12 PM EST reply actions  

thank you

I also found it interesting that everyone is really glad to see that he was able to walk out of the ring. What? why are we happy that the guy is allowed to do something that any medical professional would say was the wrong thing to do? Maybe it is because people dislike Lindland so much. Like him or not the dude was in a bit of neurological distress and probably should have been strapped down to a stretcher and carried out. I understand that Lindland was refusing care and insisting that he be allowed to walk out of the ring but his decision making ability was somewhat compromised. Perhaps it is because my children are athletes but I am hard core when it comes to the safety of these fighters.

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Jan 25, 2009 8:31 PM EST up reply actions  

Lindland was fine - don't begrudge a man his pride

Here is an example of a man that shouldn’t be allowed to walk away.

But did anyways

jake brown crash Pictures, Images and Photos

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 25, 2009 8:55 PM EST up reply actions  

Exactly, look at him losing both shoes…there could be glass or tacks on the floor.

Seriously though…I thought he was dead.

by iiowyn on Jan 25, 2009 9:03 PM EST up reply actions  

I still don’t know how he isn’t.

by Phildo on Jan 25, 2009 11:47 PM EST up reply actions  

OMFG

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Jan 26, 2009 1:16 PM EST up reply actions  

I hate watching that clip. I thought that guy was dead.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Jan 26, 2009 2:45 PM EST up reply actions  

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