Ultimate Fighting Championship

[auscyclefan94]

Ultimate Fighting Championship, do you like it or not. Personally I do not see it as a sport. Any sport in my opinion of which the goal is to bash the 'crap out of' or hurt someone is NOT a sport. This is why I will never watch it again and why I think it should be banned. This is also my contention about a lot of other 'sports' such as Boxing of which should not be sport (if that makes sense). I understand that well known definition of a sport would classify UFC as a sport but I don't agree with the definition.

What's your view of UFC? Like it or dislike it?

The Poll question and another discussion question for the thread is do you think the UFC should be banned worldwide?


Discuss...

 

[craig1985]

No of course not. I'm not a big fan of it, but if you ban UFC, where do you stop after that?

 

[auscyclefan94]

No of course not. I'm not a big fan of it, but if you ban UFC, where do you stop after that?

I agree that many sports should be banned that have similar principles and the logistics of stopping any sport with similar sports with similar principles is difficult.

 

[Indurain]

Love the sport. Okay, it is a little on the violent side. But it is still a game of skill and technique. In cycling we aim to hurt the opposition and drop them off. The hurt just isn't as severe or perhaps long lasting. But still hurts all the same.

Those that choose to do it love it, so I thank them for the entertainment. Just glad it isn't to the death.

 

[darkcloud]

I find some of the fights to be really good.
I really appreciate the skills possessed by many of these guys. BJ Penn-Brazilian Ju Jitsu. Lyoto Machida-Karate. Georges St. Pierre-all around. These guys are at the top of their games and often times their performances are poetry in motion.
Having said that, I generally do not watch the UFC fights anymore.
If I were to go out of my way to see a fight (match) it would be at a judo, wrestling or BJJ tournament. Very cool sports.
Lets not forget that these guys can tap at any time to end the fight and you and I can choose to not watch. No way should it be made illegal.

 

[pleyser]

I despise UFC

Interesting topic. This sport will have it's first event in Toronto, Ontario in April, after being prohibited until recently. There's skill and toughness in the cage, for sure. The issue I have is this: apparently, it's within the rules to hit an unconscious, defenceless opponent. In boxing, at least you can't do that. I've seen someone knocked unconscious, then the other guy will rain 4 or 5 hammer fists on some other blow on someone who is out cold. The ref steps in, but the damage is done. It reminds me of dogfighting or cockfighting, just with humans.

With so much attention on head trauma in other sports like boxing, hockey and football, it begs the question as to what the long term effects are for participants. I think they only have 5 ounce gloves, so the padding is a lot less than boxing gloves afford.

 

[darkcloud]

"apparently, it's within the rules to hit an unconscious, defenceless opponent."
Not true. The ref intervenes to stop the fight in these situations. Fight over.

 

[darkcloud]

Outlaw UFC? No.

 

[forty four]

banned????

so because your squeamish and dont like fighting or a little blood it should be banned world wide for everyone? what a ridiculous viewpoint life does not work like this thank god or everything would be banned by someone im sure plenty hate procycling some on here even lol.
what about kickboxing or the nfl etc... they all get hurt get brain injuries very common auto racing dangerous as well and the worst pro fishing. keep in mind no one forces anyone to do there chosen sport if you do not like mma dont watch simple. oh also how often do they die in mma? how often do pro cyclists die? do the math. just as some dont understand why some like cycling the same applies to other sports people enjoy.
absurd thread and absurd viewpoint things cannot be banned because you dont like them im sorry.

 

[forty four]

I agree that many sports should be banned that have similar principles and the logistics of stopping any sport with similar sports with similar principles is difficult.

no sports should be banned what kind of world you looking to live in? too many things banned in general as it is.

 

[pedaling squares]

Personally I do not see it as a sport. Any sport in my opinion of which the goal is to bash the 'crap out of' or hurt someone is NOT a sport. This is why I will never watch it again and why I think it should be banned.

MMA is definitely a sport, and some of its best fighters are among the most fit and talented athletes in the world. If you don't watch sports where one athlete can bash the crap out of another, you miss out on some pretty great sports. There are rules designed to protect the athletes, and the referee is supposed to step in once a combatant is unable to defend himself. If you can look past the wannabe gangster/douchebag side of too many fighters and fans, there is some very intense and skilled competition.

 

[darkcloud]

"wannabe gangster/douchebag side of too many fighters"

Amen.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I think this has to do more with peoples' sensitivity to violence in sports rather than calling for an outright ban of a sport which is pretty much a ludicrous notion. Fully understand that some people cannot handle certain sports just because of a violent aspect, If you cannot get past it all you need to do is change the channel. Personally I owe a lot to MMA, attended TKD and BJJ for a solid three years in my early 20's before anyone even heard of MMA and UFC was just in it's infancy. Gave me so much in terms of physical fitness, focus, discipline, really shaped who I am today. I actually miss it so much that I'm seriously considering attending a Shaolin Kung Fu school that is just up the street from me. The flexibility alone you acquire practicing any Martial Art does wonders for cycling fitness.

I'm not a fan off all sports, but I do appreciate the fact that most do require a lifetime of practice to master. Calling out to ban this sport or that just because you don't understand it is just most simply put as ignorance. auscyclefan94 reminds me of an ex-girlfriend that thought the same thing about the UFC, but once I pointed out the finer aspects of what's going on she became a mild MMA fan and was able to recognize and appreciate the varying styles from fighter to fighter. This form of sport has been going on for a long time in human history, longer than most. Ban?,,, HELL NO!

 

[pedaling squares]

I think that many people who find the sport barbaric don't really understand it. For every time you see a fighter's eyebrow split open, you see a few dozen technically sound movements and strategies. MMA is merely a hybrid of many fighting styles, some of which, like Greco-Roman wrestling, have been around for centuries. It's like casual cycling observers who think only of doping, or who fail to see the strategy and teamwork but remember only the mass pile ups in the last km of a sprint stage. And guess which sport has zero casualties so far? I wish cycling could boast of that safety record.

ACF94's new off-the-bike training program

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Three things primitive man did: ran for his life, swam for his life and fought for his life.

These things in competitive format are among the purest of sports. I mean, various forms of fighting were on display in the original Olympics.

UFC is most definitely a sport. It's one of the purest of sports too, because to all intents and purposes it is 'freestyle' fighting. You have 'freestyle' swimming and 'freestyle' skiing, why not freestyle fighting?

Anything which has a set of codified laws and is about:
- beating the opponent to a finish line (athletics, motorsport, cycling, swimming)
- beating the opponent from a starting line (long jump, high jump, ski jump)
- beating the opponent via a clearly defined points system (most team sports)
- beating the opponent via proving yourself physically dominant (most combat sports)
is a sport. I don't see where the question is as to whether UFC is a sport or not. It may be a sport you object to for various reasons, and I'll respect that (I object to certain aspects of it too), but it is still most definitely a sport.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Three things primitive man did: ran for his life, swam for his life and fought for his life.

These things in competitive format are among the purest of sports. I mean, various forms of fighting were on display in the original Olympics.

UFC is most definitely a sport. It's one of the purest of sports too, because to all intents and purposes it is 'freestyle' fighting. You have 'freestyle' swimming and 'freestyle' skiing, why not freestyle fighting?

Anything which has a set of codified laws and is about:
- beating the opponent to a finish line (athletics, motorsport, cycling, swimming)
- beating the opponent from a starting line (long jump, high jump, ski jump)
- beating the opponent via a clearly defined points system (most team sports)
- beating the opponent via proving yourself physically dominant (most combat sports)
is a sport. I don't see where the question is as to whether UFC is a sport or not. It may be a sport you object to for various reasons, and I'll respect that (I object to certain aspects of it too), but it is still most definitely a sport.

Ultimately, the objective of Cycling is to be the fatest and to win the bike race. The 'hurting your opponenet line is more of a figuer of speech. UFC's ais about bashing the crap out of someone. I totally object to sometthing like that.

And whoever said that there are too many things banned, well I kind of agree but should there really be a limit of things being banned if they are not right?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The object of cycling is to prove yourself faster than your opponent.

The objective of javelin is to prove yourself able to go further than your opponent.

The object of any combat discipline is to prove yourself stronger than your opponent.

In these three objectives can the majority of sports be placed. You may disagree on the methods that are allowed within the sports to achieve these ends - but their status as sports should not be questioned.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

UFC's ais about bashing the crap out of someone. I totally object to sometthing like that.

Oh, for sure! MMA is a brutal sport! Some people get it and look at it from a stylistic perspective, like how that BJJ guy submitted a Muay Thai specialist without a scratch, there's athletic art form to it that most every body understands from a sporting perspective if you look at it objectively. Some absolutely don't understand it at all and can't look past the fact that there's far more to it than what you're letting yourself see. But banning a sport because you feel it's too violent? C'mon ACF, buck up son. I thought Aussies were tougher than this?

And whoever said that there are too many things banned, well I kind of agree but should there really be a limit of things being banned if they are not right?

Not if your opinion is in the minority, which your poll clearly shows.

 

[The Hitch]

ACF.

Do you know the Harm Principle? John Stewart Mill (of his own free will).

Freedom ends when it begins to encroach upon the rights of others.

Not that i care much for UFC but if 2 people want to hurt eachother and both consent, then they can do whatever they like.

So long as it doesn't enter the space of others. Which in this case it doesnt. Who are we to say that they cant.

There are more important matters at hand than to enforce something like this.

 

[palmerq]

Why would you ban mma? It really isnt that bad and usually has quite a lot of rules, I would guess it is quite a lot safer than boxing, although I never investigated how many people die/get brain damage from mma fights compared to boxing..

anyway I dont see any reason at all for banning mma

 

[forty four]

I think this has to do more with peoples' sensitivity to violence in sports rather than calling for an outright ban of a sport which is pretty much a ludicrous notion. Fully understand that some people cannot handle certain sports just because of a violent aspect, If you cannot get past it all you need to do is change the channel. Personally I owe a lot to MMA, attended TKD and BJJ for a solid three years in my early 20's before anyone even heard of MMA and UFC was just in it's infancy. Gave me so much in terms of physical fitness, focus, discipline, really shaped who I am today. I actually miss it so much that I'm seriously considering attending a Shaolin Kung Fu school that is just up the street from me. The flexibility alone you acquire practicing any Martial Art does wonders for cycling fitness.

I'm not a fan off all sports, but I do appreciate the fact that most do require a lifetime of practice to master. Calling out to ban this sport or that just because you don't understand it is just most simply put as ignorance. auscyclefan94 reminds me of an ex-girlfriend that thought the same thing about the UFC, but once I pointed out the finer aspects of what's going on she became a mild MMA fan and was able to recognize and appreciate the varying styles from fighter to fighter. This form of sport has been going on for a long time in human history, longer than most. Ban?,,, HELL NO!

exactly well put..........

 

[forty four]

I think that many people who find the sport barbaric don't really understand it. For every time you see a fighter's eyebrow split open, you see a few dozen technically sound movements and strategies. MMA is merely a hybrid of many fighting styles, some of which, like Greco-Roman wrestling, have been around for centuries. It's like casual cycling observers who think only of doping, or who fail to see the strategy and teamwork but remember only the mass pile ups in the last km of a sprint stage. And guess which sport has zero casualties so far? I wish cycling could boast of that safety record.

ACF94's new off-the-bike training program

again well put......

 

[forty four]

The object of cycling is to prove yourself faster than your opponent.

The objective of javelin is to prove yourself able to go further than your opponent.

The object of any combat discipline is to prove yourself stronger than your opponent.

In these three objectives can the majority of sports be placed. You may disagree on the methods that are allowed within the sports to achieve these ends - but their status as sports should not be questioned.

loving this thread full of much common sense so rare i could get used to this lol.

 

[Cobblestoned]

I don't need this, but thats no reason to ban it.
Mankind needs gladiator fights and this is very close. Too close for my taste.
For me this sport has no beauty from a certain moment on. No martial arts.
I don't like this maltreating when someone is on ground.

I prefer K1 because its still arts.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I don't need this, but thats no reason to ban it.
Mankind needs gladiator fights and this is very close. Too close for my taste.
For me this sport has no beauty from a certain moment on. No martial arts.
I don't like this maltreating when someone is on ground.

I prefer K1 because its still arts.

I'm with you on this one. I wouldn't cross the street to watch it, but if someone wants to do it and someone else is willing to pay to watch it, then what the hell, knock yourselves out!