To think Cage fighting for eight year olds

[Springyknickersohnovicars]

Should be illegal?

Children as young as six are taking up the controversial sport of "cage fighting", alarming medical experts and sports officials.

The violent sport, also known as "ultimate fighting" , combines martial arts, wrestling and boxing but with few rules often looks like little more than a brawl.

It has come over here from the states, parents are in a club, drinking, baying for the chldren to carry on fighting even when they've been hurt.

I know it is legal, and it shouldnt be IMO but what kind of "parents" want their children cage fighting? What chance have these children got in life? I wonder what should be done to protect these children?

Or do some think it's no worse than boxing?

The whole cultural context I could see in that video is pretty alien to me as well, as I grew up in the Home Counties and my childhood activities tended to be more along the violin practice, drama club and pony riding lines. But I just can't bring myself to throw my hands up in horror at what's essentially just a very different culture. The only thing that would make me do so would be if I thought the physical safety of those children was at risk, and I just don't see that to be the case; the fact that it's not very naice is neither here nor there.

Kids have little choice ?

You then must continue to use that logic for all kids activities, football, tennis, ballet, swimming etc .. Or is it just "kids cage fighting" that these kids dont have a choice about

because if you don't, you're just being ignorant about a sport you clearly know very little about.

Im also guessing you believe that any of parents on here that have kids trained in martial arts pushed their children against the kids choice ?

Simply put .. Gi or no gi .. Grappling, judo, karate are all martial arts .. And grapplin is the safest

School children (usually boys) often play wrestle on playgrounds for fun, this grappling allows them to do it in a safe and controlled manner

At the moment these kids are simply grappling, there is no intention at this moment for them to go into mma, that will be a decision made in the future

It wasnt for the amusement of adults, anyone with any sense knows a martial arts exhibit match is for the people involved to show their technique and skill,
This was a reward for the children. The men there went to see an mma event.

Emma

They werent competing in mma .. Mma involves
Grappling , but also striking

This was simply grappling .. Safer than karate (which permits strikes)

"I wouldn't even take my kids into a working mans club"

I once went to a tumble tots class that was held in a social club. I didn't realise I was morally corrupting them

My last big post was to rhubarb

Who also wrote "Therefore how can an 8 year old make an informed decision about whether or not to cage fight with another boy in a competition?"

1. Clearly still doesnt see grappling and mma/cagefighting are different

1. Doesnt realize it wasnt a competitive match, but in fact an exhibition match

1. How can an 8 year old then make an informed decision to play football, go swimming, ballet etc

Despite presenting a logical argument, this shows people still clearly refuse to see the truth but accept everything newspapers say

I give up

These cage fights are organised with paying punters to see - adults.

I wouldn't let my ds do this for money (i'd guess these are paid). Not nice seeing your child (and another child) causing damage to each other with baying adults cheering you on.

Don't give a fuck about class. Just thinking of young children.

As a mum who started riding as a child and keeps horses, I would say this is certainly safer than pony club competitions where the medics are there for a very good reason.

I'm not against martial arts. IMO they are far safer than horses. My two boys did 5 yrs karate which was very disiplined and good for them.

BUT this was an adult environment and inappropriate for young children to be in, let alone competing.

Giveitago

You realise it wasnt actually a cage fight ? Or are you ignoring previous posts which show it was a grappling (safe and non striking) and not an mma match

99% sure that the children wouldnt have been paid, it was for the experience for them, to be able to exhibit their skills, a reward to have a big audience be in awe of their ability, all due to their success at kids tournaments

I use the word exhibit , and people still seem to think it was a competitive match, seen by the fact that both are at the end seen as winners

Also, both children have said it didnt hurt them, and having grappled myself when younger, I know it didnt hurt

The adults were cheering the techniques the kids showe

But hey, lets ignore all that, and continue to make ignorant assumptions

Elasta mum , it wasnt a competitive match

Grappling is a martial art, just not with a gi , and grappling unlike karate doesnt allow strikes

Adult environment, had some positives for the kids, but as a whole, it shouldnt have been on a full mma card, 1 bad promoter made this decision, yet the entire art gets attacked through ignorance shown by journalists

Im guessing people still believe that an mma cage is barbaric , and not as safe as a boxing ring

My last post now, I believe in the last 2-3 pages, I have put across logical and proven arguments i have made

I just hope people read those points and realize their assumptioms and journalistic reports are ignorant

im a bit torn here

someone explain why this is different from a kid in a karate competition - or do we not like there either?

that*

Custardo This is different because it's taking place in a working men's club, while there are adults around drinking beer and it's just not naice.

yes you see that's the thing isn;t it

the set up was more like a cock fight. it wasn't very naice at all. however i fail to see why this is different from the karate kid

I've lived in Preston JSingh so don't patronise me, I grew up in Oldham, the adults weren't cheering their technique - who is naive here?

The adult were cheering a fight. That's what they do.

They were cheering a fight between kids. But you are biased because you are involved in MMA.
I am biased because I am not.
The middle ground here is that there needs to be strict guidelines and rules over who can take part, where and for what reason.

But don't tell me those adults were cheering techniques, let me take you to any pub in Preston and then face me, look me in the eyes and tell me that those adults weren't cheering on a good fight.

"Emma

They werent competing in mma .. Mma involves
Grappling , but also striking

This was simply grappling .. Safer than karate (which permits strikes)"

Looks like Brazilian Ju-Jitzu to me, which my brother does - that's mainly grappling but I think permits strikes too? And is a form of MMA.

there's specifically no striking allowed in the bout being discussed. So it could still include grappling techniques from judo, ju jitzu and wrestling or any other martial art which involves grappling or holds but no striking.

AH BUT RHUBARB, is that different from adults cheering at a karate competition?

this is what i'm asking

im not being difficult on purpose. i was shocked at what i saw, but then this made me question my own thoughts and feelings on it.

why is this wrong

and a karate competition or other martial arts competition not?

what about 12 yo who participate in boxing for instance.

are we upset and horrified becuase it was a bit common, a bit 'base'?

i am genuinley stumped becuase spreviously karate or other martial arts competitions would never have made me blink an eye.

so why does this. what elements does this have that makes it wrong?

Emma

BJJ is a form of Grappling, its not MMA, BJJ is one of the disciplines in mma though, also no strikes allowed in BJJ

Rhubarb, considering it was known to be an exhibition grappling, and there would be no strikes, and no hurt caused to the children

Those adults werent Cheering a fight as you imagine it to be, a fight would be a competitive match where there would be violent and painful actions

You grew up in Oldham ? ok, so Oldham & Preston are unique ? I'm
Sure you know what mma fans are thinking when they see two kids in an exhibition match showing their skill ?

I've seen much worst than you since my life has been manchester and nottingham, I've been to event at dingy hotels and bars, and I can tell how an audience is reacting, and its clear from the whole video that there was admiration for the kids techniques , as they can be difficult to master

Well I've travelled the country watchin mma, and I know what audiences are like, they watched those children in an EXHIBITION match, if it was competitive, then a lot of idiots would have cheered the kids for violence, which would disgust me and the martial arts world

Kids can and should take part , it is a martial art that teaches discipline, and is safer than most traditional martial arts people think of .. Grappling is safer than most martial arts .. Though I have said many times the venue was completely wrong as a reward for the kids ..

The rules and those taking part are perfectly acceptable, 1 promoter does it wrongly and all of a sudden people who dont know about martial arts act like know it alls from whats been in the news via ignorant journalism

Ps. Are you the person who said that the kids dont have a choice ? If so, can you please answer my q's in the posts above where I ask why kids have a choice in football, swimming etc

And since grappling is a martial art, are you saying that every parent on here who has had a kid do a MA, pushed their child into it ?

Custardo

The martial art itself was branded as cage fighting via poor journalism, when in fact its 1 element of MMA/cagefighting, and when done solely as a martial art and not in mma, there is clearly no striking

so people have jumped on the bandwagon, whilst not knowing about the martial art itself, they see a few images and think they know whats going on

Ive seen people pretty much say boxing is better than MMA, showing they dont know about the fact that boxing is more dangerous

People see a cage and think cockfighting, ignoring its for safety , people dont see a gi so think its not a martial art (despite it beinf safer than karate)

The majority in the martial arts world have a problem that a kids exhibition match was put on at an adults mma event .. There were some positives to it, but they're out weighed massively by the negatives .. We think these matches should only be at kids tournaments

so beertricks, are we saying that our objection is becuase its in a working mans club and not a sports hall.

that alcohol was being consumed and therefore it was more entertainment than competition?

you see i really think this is about the environment rather than the fact that two 8 yer old boys were fighting.

In fairness jsingh as much as I agree with you on most points you can't blame the 'cage fighting' tag on poor journalism. Almost all commercial brands of MMA have pushed the cage fighting/slightly underground aspect and lawless connotations to publicise their product and give it an edge.

So... ... if a local school puts on a talent show and gets an alcohol license for the event is that considered bad? Adults were cheering on kids showing off their skills there too while alcohol was being imbibed.

At our last talent show one of the girls damaged her leg in a dance routine and was very tearful too at the end. Does that mean the event was child abuse?