The UFC - Is It Really That Dangerous?

The legitimacy of mixed martial arts, known by mostmeasured? I mean, poeple say that MMA is too
as UFC fighting, has constantly been questioned anddangerous, but what are they using to guage that
scrutinized since its inception in 1993. Many have saiddanger?
that the brutal tactics used in mixed martial arts areCould it be injuries?
barbaric and abhorrent. So much controversy hasNo, that's absurd. MMA fighters, rarely, if ever, sustain
surrounded this new-age fighting style that eveninjuries. And when they do, the hospital stay is no
Senator John McCain entered the fray. The Senatorlonger than a day. On the other hand, injuries in sports
made it his personal mission to get the UFC and mixedas "harmless" as football and hockey occur every day,
martial arts fighting banned in America. However, sinceleaving their athletes laid up in a hospital beds for
his inability to do so, MMA has been on the rise evermonths and sometimes years.
since.Could the danger be measured in terms of the number
As a result of so much hoopla, one question arises - Isof yearly death caused by the sport?
MMA really that dangerous? Is this sport as primitiveNo, because as long as the UFC has been around,
and disgusting as so many people claim? I mean, therethere have been no deaths. However, on the other
is fighting involved, but is it bad enough to warrant aside of the token, deaths frequently occur in other
nation wide ban? I personally don't think so. And here'smajor sports every year. For example, in boxing, the
why."beautiful" and "artistic" version of MMA, there have
Mixed martial arts is just that - mixed. It is abeen approximately 900 deaths since 1920. That's an
conglomerate of many other types of fighting. Theaverage of just under 13 people a year. People say
UFC features fighters from wrestling, boxing, muaythat those numbers have dropped significantly as the
thai, jui jitsu and tae kwon do backgrounds. Almost allsport has been made more safe. Well, the same can
of which are Olympic sports. So, ask yourself. If thesebe said about the UFC. Each fight is governed by the
sports are good enough to attract the best athletesNevada State Athletic Commission, the same
from around the world to compete in an event thatorganization that governs boxing bouts. Also, the sport
honors them as such, why shouldn't a sport thathas definitely evolved since its inception. Now, unlike in
encompasses each of these styles be good enough?the early days when it was pretty much no holds
The answer is it should be good enough and is.barred, the UFC has a long list of can's and cannot's -
Also, many people say that MMA and the UFC isa list that has prevented major injury or death in every
dangerous because it teaches children that fighting issingle fight to date.
alright and even revered. But that argument holdsSo, to say that MMA and the UFC are barbaric and
absolutely no water at all. If you were to ban anythingoverly dangerous is simply not true. The numbers
and everything violent, then you would have to banspeak for themselves. The fact that you may not like
professional wrestling, video games and yes, our otherthe up-in-your-face, new-age style of fighting that the
beloved Olympic sports mentioned above. But seeingUFC promotes is your problem. People didn't like
as how society is not willing to give these things up,boxing at first either. Football, too, was considered
there is no reason to single MMA and the UFC out asdangerous because of the lack of padding and the
the ugling duckling.leather helmets used in competition. But, like football,
And last, but certainly not least, how is dangerMMA has evolved into a safe and exciting sport.