How do you feel when you watch someone take a roundhouse to the head? Does it thrill you or disgust you? Do you support or protest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)? MMA is still reasonably new in the sporting world, now considered the best combat sport, as it combines strikes, takedowns, elbows, knees, grappling, and submissions. The sport lacks safety equipment such as headgear and gloves (Helms and Patterson, 2014).
Oebesta, et al. (2019) show how the history of man has used fighting to solve conflict, establish dominion, and take control. MMA has united demographics, and champions countries against each other (Flávio Py Mariante Neto, et al., 2019).
More people join the MMA movement every year by participating or watching it. As MMA grows in popularity, more children join the sport. There are mixed feelings about children in the art. Many practitioners believe that MMA gives youth the ability to defend themselves. Children are taught ways of manipulation and protection without throwing a single punch. Others see that MMA sets children up to be bullies. However, if done in the discipline of self-growth, development, and defense, MMA gives power back to those who practice it. It gives women and children the skills and confidence they need to defend themselves (Neyra, 2013).
Many women used to see fighting as brutal now appreciate the intricate art behind it. They can control their component with a shift in stance or a little twerk of the wrist. MMA has brought freedom to its participants as they learn to defend themselves. As you contemplate MMA, what meaning does it have to you?
References:
· Flávio Py Mariante Neto, Daniel Giordani Vasques, & Stigger, M. P. (2021). “If you lose and fight hard, you’ll fight again!” – MMA and the concept of sport. Movimento (Porto Alegre, Brazil), 27, e27030–. https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.108259
· Helms, W.S., & Patterson, K. D. W. (2014). Eliciting acceptance for “illicit” organizations: the positive implications of stigma for mma organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 57(5), 1453–1484. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2012.0088
· Neyra, D. (2013). Fight Kids: The future of mixed martial arts or a detriment to America’s youth? A call to regulate children’s MMA. Family Court Review, 51(4), 727–741. https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12063
· Oebesta, P., Toebicka1, Fialova , J., & Havla-Aek, J. (2019). Roar of a champion: Loudness and voice pitch predict perceived fighting ability but not success in MMA fighters. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 859–859. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00859
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Forming an Opinion on Mixed Martial Arts
by Stephanie Daich
