Missouri legislators want to ban “cage fighting” for kids

[flashl]

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - Two lawmakers are seeking to ban mixed martial arts competitions for children, after The Associated Press reported last month that Missouri appears to be the only state where youth matches are legal.

The sport, also known as cage fighting, is a blend of martial arts styles made popular by cable television's Ultimate Fighting Championship.

...

“I think it borders on child abuse. I just don't think it's appropriate behavior at all,” Stevenson said.

He said that while he has never attended a youth fight, he has seen video clips.

But a mixed martial arts trainer who is trying to organize a national youth league warned that bans will just drive an increasingly popular sport underground.

News Tribune

In an earlier article, parents were against any interference and supported the 'sport'.

[Taverner]

1. Well if you take precautions no one gets hurt

But real UFC is pretty much no rules

[Godhumor]

4. Hmm, that would be street fighting

Not unified MMA. In the US pretty much every state but Hawai'i mandates that to run a MMA event, a promotion must follow unified rules on clothing, rounds, gloves, etc. Below are the fouls:

1. Butting with the head;
2. Eye gouging of any kind;
3. Biting or spitting at an opponent;
4. Hair pulling;
5. Fish hooking;
6. Groin attacks of any kind;
7. Intentionally placing a finger in any opponent’s orifice;
8. Downward pointing of elbow strikes;
9. Small joint manipulation;
10. Strikes to the spine or back of the head;
11. Heel kicks to the kidney;
12. Throat strikes of any kind;
13. Clawing, pinching, twisting the flesh or grabbing the clavicle;
14. Kicking the head of a grounded fighter;
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded fighter;
16. Stomping of a grounded fighter;
17. The use of abusive language in fighting area;
18. Any unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to opponent;
19. Attacking an opponent on or during the break;
20. Attacking an opponent who is under the referee’s care at the time;
21. Timidity (avoiding contact, or consistent dropping of mouthpiece, or faking an injury);
22. Interference from a mixed martial artists seconds;
23. Throwing an opponent out of the fighting area;
24. Flagrant disregard of the referee’s instructions;
25. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his or her head or neck.

There are, of course, actions a referee has to take in the event of a foul.

If you want a complete look at the unified rules they are at:

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/sacb/docs/martial.html

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. How in the hell...

Are you going to have light-contact or no-contact MMA for kids? You cannot have kids going full-bore on each other with punches, leg kick sweeps and chokes. MMA is, by its very nature, a very brutal game. If these kids start getting fractures in their bone growth capsules, you are gonna have kids maimed and disabled for life.

Truly one of the most boneheaded ideas ever conceived. This MMA "instructor" must be a real pip, only interested in making a name for himself. I have seen guys like this before. They redefine the word "cretin".

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Well I agree it is stupid.

There is nothing wrong with kids training in the martial arts, but full contact sparring is beyond stupid at this age.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Martial Arts is great for kids.

That said, it must be controlled to protect children's growing bodies. I have taught a lot of kids in the past and some made life-long improvements through their involvement in Martial Arts. That said, full-contact sparring and techniques such as are found in MMA was not part of that.

Madness. Utter, complete madness.