The ultimate fighting debate
By Marc Capancioni
mcapanci@uwo.ca
Rob Signoretti isn't one to shy away from a
little sport violence. As a former high school football captain,
he has received his fair share of bumps and bruises over the years.
But not even the rough competition on the gridiron could have
prepared the 23-year-old for the sport he began training for recently
— mixed martial arts, a one-on-one contest with no shortage
of blood and brutality.
Perhaps the most recognizable face of MMA is the Ultimate Fighting
Championship. In the league, fighters may use any number of martial
arts tactics and can strike with their hands, feet, elbows or
knees. Submission moves, choke holds and takedowns are also permitted.
 |
| Courtesy of Rob Signoretti |
| Not long after becoming a fan of the UFC,
Rob Signoretti decided to step into the ring and give it a
shot. |
The UFC has exploded in popularity as of late. And with the help
of two prominent Canadian fighters — interim welterweight
champion Georges "Rush" St-Pierre from Montreal and
lightweight Sam Stout from London— the league is appealing
to many Canucks. So much so, that the first event north of the
border, UFC 83, taking place at the Bell Centre in Montreal April
19, has been the fastest sellout in league history.
Fans gobbled up around 20,000 tickets in less than a week.
Signoretti won't be watching the event live but will certainly
be tuning in from Toronto, where he now lives.
He first took a liking to the sport a couple of years back while
a sociology student at Brock University. Signoretti and his pals
would watch UFC pay per view events and the league's reality television
show, The Ultimate Fighter. It wasn't long before they decided
to step into the ring and train.
"We were big fans of the show, so we figured we'd give it
a try," he said.
Signoretti is not alone. Although they may not be stepping into
the ring themselves, millions are tuning in to watch the UFC.
But fans in Ontario wanting to see a live event may be out of
luck. Mixed martial arts competitions are banned in the province
— except on some native reserves, where smaller competitions
have taken place.
The safety of the sport has been called into question, and many
see it as barbaric.
In UFC matches, two fighters face off in a caged, octagon-shaped
ring. In most contests, a winner is declared when his opponent
loses consciousness, taps out in submission or the referee thinks
the fighter can no longer reasonably defend himself.
Powerful blows to the head and bloody faces are common, and every
now and then, bones are shattered.
With the violence and risk of injury involved, some think the
provincial ban is warranted.
"I hope Russian roulette is banned too," said John
Kumpf, executive director of the Ontario
Brain Injury Association.
"When you have a blow to the head, your brain bounces around.
It's a recipe for disaster."
 |
| Photo by Marc Capancioni |
| Mixed martial arts fighters can use a variety
of techniques, including boxing. |
But is the sport any more dangerous than others? Not a chance,
said Signoretti, who trains in boxing, Muay-Thai, wrestling and
Jiu-jitsu.
"It's much less dangerous than football or hockey. When
you get knocked out or go limp (in MMA), the fight is stopped."
And precautions are always taken, he added.
"The fights are watched very closely by the referee and
ringside doctor and are stopped early, if anything. They err on
the safe side. They'd rather stop it too early than let it go
too late."
With such precautions, "no competitor has ever been seriously
injured in a UFC event," according to the league's website.
Permanent injuries may be few and far between. However, the sport
is fairly new, and major brain damage often develops over a long
period of time.
"Brain injury is cumulative," said Kumpf. "Your
chances of having a second ABI (acquired brain injury) are 40
per cent greater after the first. Just ask Eric Lindros."
Lindros, a former National Hockey League player, was forced to
retire in 2007 at just 34 years old following a series of concussions
and other injuries. Today, the London native continues to live
with the adverse effects caused by repeated brain injuries on
the ice.
Many retired boxers, like Muhammad Ali, also have difficulty
living normal lives. It's caused by years of recurrent blows to
the head, said Kumpf.
"They tell you it's Parkinson's, but we're finding a lot
of boxers with Parkinson's."
A similar fate awaits some of today's MMA fighters, so banning
the sport makes sense, he added.
But according to Signoretti, the ban is simply a matter of misunderstanding.
"It's about educating people," he said. "It was
introduced as barbaric when it first came out, but it's not that
way anymore."
The UFC debuted in 1993 as a way to find out which martial arts
style was the best in the world. Fighters — specializing
in everything from traditional wrestling to sumo wrestling —
competed in the same octagon-shaped ring used today.
Initially, there were very few rules — aside from no biting
or eye gouging. Participants fought bare-knuckled, and there were
no weight classes or rounds.
This "no-holds barred" style attracted many fans to
the league. However, it also attracted negative attention and
was ultimately banned in many American states and Canadian provinces.
Wanting to move towards mainstream acceptance, the UFC —
which was purchased by Zuffa, LLC in 2001 — eventually introduced
weight classes, timed rounds, gloves and stricter tactical rules.
For example, strikes to the back of the head, spine, neck and
groin are not permitted today.
 |
| Photo by Marc Capancioni |
| UFC fighters can strike with their hands,
feet, elbows and knees. While serious injuries are rare, cuts,
bruises and broken bones are not. |
According to the league website, "The New Ultimate Fighting
Championship distinguishes itself from the controversial spectacle
of the last decade."
Today, the sport is sanctioned in 32 American states and the
District of Columbia, and smaller MMA events have been held in
Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, according
to a Canadian Press report.
Despite the increasing acceptance, the negative stigma from the
early days of the UFC is still present.
In part, this explains the current ban in Ontario.
But in the same province, there is no shortage of hockey games
being played. And many of these are also violent, said Signoretti,
who was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie.
"People love watching hockey fights. The UFC is just taking
that element of the sport and making it pure."
