Admitting the technical and athletic virtuosity of many of the participants, and the honorable nature of many of the fights, it is a disgustingly violent sport.
American Football leaves people broken physically and mentally. Boxing causes a slow-building brain damage that leaves legends like Ali a shaking, stuttering mess until their dying day. You're only wanted in Basketball until your knee gives out.
Injuries are career-ending for any athlete, in any sport. I personally find Hockey more "disgustingly violent" than the UFC.
I will of course not convince you of much via a HN comment thread, this is for the others.
Yes. I just don't think it applies to the UFC. Violence is not the goal of the UFC. It isn't a bloodsport, it isn't cockfighting. Moral arguments hold no water with me in regards to the UFC.
If you tune in to the UFC just to watch someone get the shit kicked out of them, you're missing the point entirely.
Personally, I watch the UFC to see two athletes of equal skill compete in what I consider a sport. Many fights end with zero blood. Some fights end in seconds. Blood is a very much a by-product IMO, not the end goal.
You do realize that is exactly the reason most people watch Nascar, right?
> Violence is not the goal of the UFC.
Its perhaps not the goal, but its also not a byproduct. Its most accurately the mechanism.
Unified MMA rules make MMA much safer than boxing. In Boxing, there is a mandatory-8 count rule, which can allow boxer to regain their composure post knockout, which is more dangerous than in MMA, where the ref will stop the fight as soon as the fighter can no longer intelligently defend themselves.
My understanding about CTE, is it's the repeated blows to the head, post concussion that causes brain damage. In the UFC, refs will stop the fight to prevent further trauma. In Boxing, fighters will continue to fight, despite suffering a knock-down.
re: UFC vs MMA:
For the UFC's part, once a fighter has amassed a few knock-out losses, they typically are removed from the promotion.
Outside of the US, the rules and safety for fighters is far more suspect (like classif Saku fights where he is nearly knocked unconscious and is allowed to regain his composure and win.
The UFC stops the fight when you are unable to defend yourself. That usually means you can only get one concussion per fight. They are much more rare, however, than that.
Also, you can look at the number of deaths per year in each sport. Boxing has around 10 per year. The UFC has never had a death, but MMA has had a few, over the last few years.
The quick stoppages are key to the UFC being less damaging to the athletes than boxing.
Don't boxing refs stop the fight when they think the fighter can't continue (e.g. can't answer/focus)? I'm pretty sure I've seen that.
> Also, you can look at the number of deaths per year in each sport. Boxing has around 10 per year. The UFC has never had a death, but MMA has had a few, over the last few years.
Boxing is equivalent to MMA, not the UFC. I think people on both sides of this particular point aren't being very clear on the distinctions unless it's beneficial to their specific point.
Yes they do. However the important difference is that they allow you 10 seconds to recover. In MMA when you get dazed the fight is usually over because you don't get a chance to recover. IIRC your brain is more vulnerable directly after a concussion.
Not always[1].
1: http://www.badlefthook.com/2014/3/9/5486930/canelo-vs-angulo...
No. In Boxing, the ref has a mandatory 8 count.
1: http://www.badlefthook.com/2014/3/9/5486930/canelo-vs-angulo...
I don't know enough about the issue to argue one way or another, but I find it a plausible argument.
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/1/10/10742776/opinion-realit...
In Pride, Soccer kicks to a opponents head were allowed, and Gary sought to fight in various promotions well passed his prime.
If you look at other MMA fighters of his era that have displayed signs of CTE, they spent a considerable amount of fights outside the UFC.