I was floored when I read about Tim Story. Happy, but floored. And while it’s not nearly as big of an upset, I was surprised to see Torres lost to Johnson. Shame because I really like Torres and was looking forward to a Faber/Torres fight down the line.

Sorry to use so many big words though, next time I’ll keep my words all to one syllable and you promise to stay on topic, ok?

You’r worried about MMA. Worry about how probably 3% of high school kids in this State could tell you who the Vice President is.

you refernece to hockey is exactly what I’m talking about. Hockey is a sport that has violence, where as MMA is violence that may (?) contain some sport, or not. Rules and actions are being taken in hockey to deter/punish/contain the violence. Not to be confused with
hitting or checking.

I guess if there’s enough interest or money involved the “government”
will pass it… then see if it’s supported, long term.

As far as your brain damage argument, boxing has been around long enough to see that sports like football and hockey actually cause a great deal of concussions that lead to far greater brain damage. In those sports when someone suffers a head injury they go back into play. In the UFC when a fighter suffers an injury like that or something else that could ruin their career they are put on a medical suspension and can only get back to training (forget about fighting) with medical clearance. Also, mma fighters actually take less hits to the head than many sports, boxing and football included.

You are entitled to your opinion about sports you choose to like and dislike, but you shouldn’t be so quick to take my opportunity to enjoy the sport away from me. Especcially when the sport is santioned and regulated.

As far as the violence of the sport is concerned…when the sport had no rules and was an ultraviolent looking sport people were not flocking to it because they didn’t like it. It didn’t take off until it was redisigned with all the rules it has today. So society didn’t like the ultra-violence of it. Violence is not entertaining but observing two athletes compete for position is. Oh wait, hockey has just senseless violence, doesn’t it?

While your comparisons are quite dramatic I think you have gone over the top. While you and I could go out and hit our heads against a brick wall as a profession (doesn’t take much training for that) we couldn’t compete in mma successfully. I’m just guessing that about you because you called kung fu a “fine art of self-defense.” While it is an art you’d have a better shot at self-defense with krav maga (which is taught in NY). Also, mma has kung fu fighters in it as well.

Also, mma doesn’t pay “two poor slobs to hit each other until they are bruised, bloody, and broken.” This is what I mean when I say those who oppose are not well educated in the sport. Fighters can win by submission, decision, or knockout (which includes referee stoppage). And yes, the referees step in to make sure fighters do not sustain life threatening damage.

My argument doesn’t boil down to the fact that every state is doing it (come on now)and I don’t compare it to legalizing prostitution, heroin, meth or any other vices. That would not only be faulty logic but stupid logic (especcially with heroin and meth). When people start asking for legalization on those “vices” then we can address those one at a time. Right now we are talking about mma which is not a “vice” but a sport.

Any argument that I could present as far as being in favor of the legalization of mma is concerned has been covered in this article as well as countless others. On the other hand, those who oppose have been presenting arguments that are based solely on some sort of personal opinion.

Read the article again. It is choke full of information. Your concerns may have caused you to miss some important points. Also try watching a series or two on the training and the backgrounds of the fighters. You’ll see that it’s not what you make it out to be. It is actually a great time for everyone and being someone who has gone to several events I can tell you that the UFC puts on the most fan friendly events I have ever experienced. All the talent under their contract is instructed to make sure they realize it’s the fans who make the sport and I have run into the athletes inside and outside of events and they truly treat the fans like they are their bread and butter.

Last point…I can study and have competitions with wrestling, boxing, karate, grappling, muay thai, etc in NY as solo events but once I put it into one umbrella as mma and mix those styles together the event can’t take place. Really?

And speaking of ad hominems…anyone laughing at us wouldn’t be considered a “barbarian”.