- Joined
- Oct 12, 2014
- Messages
- 1,518
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- 1,079
At this moment the head shot is really the best and most entertaining shot you can get in striking based combat sports such as boxing and MMA.
Seeing a knowckout is always spectacular especially if it's against someone whe don't like.
Now this would be all great and funny if there were no consequences to it, but there are and they are quite sad to watch.
As a fan of the sport i partially feel responsible for what might very well happen to these young MMA fighters in 10-15 years time. Imagine all your idols whoever these may be (Shogun, Wanderlei, Rampage, McGregor, Lawler etc) become punch-drunk in 10 years time. Now if I had not interest in the sport I could selfishly say: well they knew what they were doing and they knew the risks, so tough on them. But as a fan i feel I am part of the sport or at least of this "system" which allows these people to get chronic, severe brain damage.
For this reason, especially after watching some footage and reaging scientific articles, I ask my self if it is morally acceptable for us fans to let this go on or if we should think of a solution to drastically lower the risk of these fighters turning their brain in a non completely functional one.
Of course completely avoiding headstrikes would be a great albeit drastic solution and maybe it would ruin the sport and the interest it generates. But what if, for example, fighters wore headhear during fights? It could be a good start and the change wouldn't be so drastic. Of course we would have less knockouts and all but at least your brain does get some sort of protection.
Idk, it just baffles me sometimes how I just sit here as a bystander to what is happening and will continue to happen in the sport, especially considering I am a doctor and should be telling people to prevent damage, in particular brain damage which is irreparable as of today.
Now I'm sure some of you will start saying that I'm a pussy and should go watch some other sport, but my issue is not the violence and the gore but rather the longtime consequences that it generates. I don't mind at all seeing a face getting kneed and elbowed or a jaw breaking, or a bone breaking in half. Of course if it happens I feel sorry for the guy but I know that the problem can be solved and that at worse the fighter might have to stop fighting because of a bad leg or a bad shoulder. But CTE, which completely changes your thinking and speaking abilities together with your personality, is really something different and not to be looked upon.
Seeing a knowckout is always spectacular especially if it's against someone whe don't like.
Now this would be all great and funny if there were no consequences to it, but there are and they are quite sad to watch.
As a fan of the sport i partially feel responsible for what might very well happen to these young MMA fighters in 10-15 years time. Imagine all your idols whoever these may be (Shogun, Wanderlei, Rampage, McGregor, Lawler etc) become punch-drunk in 10 years time. Now if I had not interest in the sport I could selfishly say: well they knew what they were doing and they knew the risks, so tough on them. But as a fan i feel I am part of the sport or at least of this "system" which allows these people to get chronic, severe brain damage.
For this reason, especially after watching some footage and reaging scientific articles, I ask my self if it is morally acceptable for us fans to let this go on or if we should think of a solution to drastically lower the risk of these fighters turning their brain in a non completely functional one.
Of course completely avoiding headstrikes would be a great albeit drastic solution and maybe it would ruin the sport and the interest it generates. But what if, for example, fighters wore headhear during fights? It could be a good start and the change wouldn't be so drastic. Of course we would have less knockouts and all but at least your brain does get some sort of protection.
Idk, it just baffles me sometimes how I just sit here as a bystander to what is happening and will continue to happen in the sport, especially considering I am a doctor and should be telling people to prevent damage, in particular brain damage which is irreparable as of today.
Now I'm sure some of you will start saying that I'm a pussy and should go watch some other sport, but my issue is not the violence and the gore but rather the longtime consequences that it generates. I don't mind at all seeing a face getting kneed and elbowed or a jaw breaking, or a bone breaking in half. Of course if it happens I feel sorry for the guy but I know that the problem can be solved and that at worse the fighter might have to stop fighting because of a bad leg or a bad shoulder. But CTE, which completely changes your thinking and speaking abilities together with your personality, is really something different and not to be looked upon.
