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The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
recently concluded its showing of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). I
watched this program with intensity to verify what my experience with Mixed
Martial Art (MMA) fighters and promoters.
I want to first say that I have been saying
from the beginning that MMA consists of trained conditioned fighters and not
wannabe untrained fighters looking to show their drunken buddy that they can
take a punch and dish it out.
The TUF program was an opportunity for me to
watch and observe whether or not the UFC is really living up to what they
have been stating. They have stated that they are professionals and
NOT associated nor should be even in the same grouping as Toughman
events.
I report that the UFC and TUF showed trained,
honorable, safe, and even maintained a professional level throughout the
events. I have to admit that I was taken back in the beginning because
of some of the antics that were shown by the fighters.
Eventually the fighters came around, matured,
and displayed the true honor of martial art fighters. I was relieved
that no one was seriously hurt and that the producers of the programs seemed
to have a genuine interest in real safety.
I was surprised during the show as I saw
people that I've talked to on the phone about safety on the program. I
saw Dr. Goodman from the Nevada Boxing Commission. I have talked to
her several times about safety in amateur boxing and knew she was not going
to let the producers slip something medically by. Nevada is a state
where the athletic commission takes health and safety very seriously.
I have no doubt when Nevada is involved the
safety is maintained. I do applaud the UFC and the producers as they
did show the medical side of MMA, while maintaining safety measures.
They did not down play the injuries as unfortunate, but something that must
be dealt with, for the safety of all involved.
It is so easy to say that it is practice, that
it is just sparring and therefore we can relax the safety measures. I
did not see that from the TUF program. In fact I felt the UFC
constantly was saying that the medical attention of the fighter was a
primary concern for great competition.
Unfortunately, not all promoters feel this
way. Amateur ranks often do not provide the same level of detailed
medical attention to the fighters. When Stacy Young was killed in
Toughman her so called doctor was a physician assistant not an MD, nor
trained. Training is available but it is not often taken advantage of,
that is a problem in amateur combative sports.
Dr. Goodman provides ringside training to
doctors through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Training is available yet the majority of
referees and medical people involved in amateur ranks have no training.
In January of 2005 Toughman presented a referee to the Florida Boxing
Commission, and admitted that the last time training was given to the
referee was in the early 1980's.
I do not care how many rounds or fights the
ref or medical personnel have overseen, all it takes is being one punch too
late. I do not believe that untrained referees and medical people keep
fighters safe. They only way a referee or ringside doctor can keep
someone safe is to be in there, overseeing, maintaining constant review by
contact with the fighter.
Statutes around the country allow someone
untrained, unlicensed, and someone who has no business being in the ring to
oversee a public amateur combative sporting event.
The UFC and TUF on the other hand showed that
the referees are in there. When I watched the TUF or UFC events every
time not just when they wanted to, every time the referee was watching.
I notice that when a takedown occurrs the ref is always right there.
The ref maintains less than what seemed to be an 18in distance between the
fighters and the activity (blows).
That my friends is the way it should be.
I will watch the next TUF program.
If you find or hear about problems or issues
with any combative sport email me at
admin@combativesports.org.
Hell even if you want to sound off.....
UFC
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