Ultimate fights expand to include kids

[gatorboy]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080327/ap_on_re_us/ultimate_fighting_kids;_ylt=Ajy07risZV8dhZKR3CBMw9JH2ocA


CARTHAGE, Mo. - Ultimate fighting was once the sole domain of burly men who beat each other bloody in anything-goes brawls on pay-per-view TV.

But the sport often derided as "human cockfighting" is branching out.

The bare-knuckle fights are now attracting competitors as young as 6 whose parents treat the sport as casually as wrestling, Little League or soccer.

The changes were evident on a recent evening in southwest Missouri, where a team of several young boys and one girl grappled on gym mats in a converted garage.

Two members of the group called the "Garage Boys

[midnight]

1. Why do I think Republican values when I see this?

[sakabatou]

2. This does not bode well

[CRF450]

3. I actually enjoy watching UFC, but kids shouldn't be doing this.

[western mass]

4. Oh, Please.

It's called "human cockfighting" by the same people who rail about Rap & Rock being the devil's music. This used to be one of McCain's pet projects.

Bare-knuckle fights? At the top of the article is a picture with kids completely decked out in protective gear, including padded gloves. Mixed-martial arts isn't any different than wrestling, karate, or boxing. It comes from the same traditions as other martial arts, and has as many rules and regulations as other full-contact sports. Conservative tongue-wagging not withstanding, of course. And yes, I do think martial arts is a healthy sport for kids (although for young kids, non-full-contact varieties is probably the way to go).

[youknowmenotdlc]

5. Muckraking journalism at it's finest

"Ultimate Fighting" is a brand name for one of the promoters in mixed martial arts competition. When children train in mixed martial arts, MMA, all it means is that they are learning a combination of different martial arts styles such as wrestling, boxing, judo, etc.. in combination, and the valuable discipline that these different styles teach.

When children conpete in these little mini tournaments, they compete under strict guidelines, including no striking in most cases or no striking to the head or neck.

The author was simply trying to shock people by misrepresenting the facts.

Q. By the way, in the late 90's guess who led the fight to ban Mixed Martial Arts?

A. Senator John Mcain.