Mixed martial arts deserves fighting chance

 7 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

Mixed martial arts may be violent and uncouth, but as long as the sport is properly regulated, it ought to be legal in Nebraska.

The appeal of mixed martial arts is that it throws away all the old rules of such combat sports as boxing and wrestling.

Opponents can batter each other with their fists, feet or knees, apply the Guillotine chokehold — whatever. If they knock down an opponent, they can kick him while he’s down, or hit him — whatever.

Winners are declared by knockout, by an opponent’s surrender or by a panel of judges.

A story earlier this month in The (402) section in the Journal Star told how Lincoln fighter Darin Brudigan kneed an opponent in the face, popping an artery in his forehead. Blood spurted with every heartbeat.

The bouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship give the illusion, at least, of unadulterated, raw, physical aggression.

One of its most popular fighters climbs into the ring wearing a mohawk haircut and displaying a Chinese symbol tattooed on the side of his skull.

What’s not to like?

There’s little doubt the bouts are enormously popular among young males.

A mixed martial arts bout on Spike TV between Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz last year attracted more viewers in the 18-to-24 demographic than the World Series.

The challenge is for the sport to find a way to keep the risk of physical damage at a socially acceptable limit

Almost 20 states have sanctioned mixed martial arts. Nebraska could join them with passage this year of LB471, which was introduced by Sen. Ernie Chambers and has been designated as a priority bill by Speaker Mike Flood.

Mixed martial arts has an outlaw history to overcome. Six years ago, police broke up so-called ultimate fighting matches at local bars. Wally Jernigan of the Nebraska Athletic Commission pointed out that sometimes people climbed into the ring after downing a few beers.

LB471 would give the Nebraska athletic commissioner authority to issue licenses and permits, require referees and issue other rules and regulations. The bill calls for bouts of three rounds, or five rounds in a championship, of no more than five minutes in length.

Many traditional sports — boxing, football, skiing — entail considerable physical risk. As long as mixed martial arts operates in a regulatory framework designed to keep possibility of harm at a reasonable level, the sport should be allowed as a new entertainment and sporting option in Nebraska.