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?

I too am a little uncomfortable about the adult nature of the event, but people saying that there are few rules etc are wrong. Rules are strict, and enforced.

No striking was allowed, so this was just a jiujitsu/wrestling/judo style fight - not even the kicking allowed in karate or kickboxing.

As a sport I think it's far less barbaric than other contact sports (boxing springs to mind - unlimited rounds being repeatedly hit in the head until you fall over is awful), and with no more injuries than rugby, football, or other sports.

Martial arts are great for children. My son has got his orange belt in Karate last week. He had to learn a routine called a kata. Karate seems to be more about controlling your body than actual fighting.

His karate club has more in common with a ballet class than cage fighting. My son has tried Judo, but he was less keen. I thought the aim of judo was to wrestle your opponent to the floor rather than actual fighting. Judo is very safe as you have mats and children are taught how to fall.

My son has also tried kick boxing which seemed to consist of kicking and punching punch bags. Again there was no fighting.

I thought the clip was horrible and the parents are vile for encouraging their children to fight. It was not controlled or responsible. I think in that kind of setting two nine years olds could get carried away, forget any rules and one of them get serously hurt.

Cage fighting for kids? This is 100% about the parents and bog all to do with the kids. Vile.

''The father has just been on the television saying "If he wasn't in this environment he would be standing on a street corner causting havoc"

What an idiot, so if you have kids they either cage fight or cause havoc?''

i heard that and thought what a pratt, so thats the boys chioces is it, cage fighting or hanging on a street corner!! Lucky lucky boy!!!

I've no idea about childrens MMA but adult MMA is a highly disciplined sport. If the regs for childrens MMA are the same although with stricter boundaries and with certain moves not allowed, as seems to be the case I'd have no issue with my child taking part in it though the sport's certainly not my thing.

A friend's adult son is a MMA champion, extremely well known in his field... and a more considerate, more self-disciplined, more relaxed, more family-orientated man you'd find hard to find. If through the discipline of MMA my child grew up to be like J, I'd be a very much adored mother and a very proud one too.

YABU.

I am so glad that somebody finally started a thread about this.
I can't find the full video, only excerpts.

It looks A LOT like 9yo DD's Judo bouts; (DC agree). I've heard it's Jujitsu techniques, btw, that's why it looks like Judo only with leg moves and headlocks that Judo wouldn't allow.

DD has also just started MMA, and one of the first things I read about was controversy (filmed Cage fights of youngsters in the USA, too).

The video clips I can find, anyway, isn't random violence. Not a single kick, punch or even a headbutt. Just wrestling, really (what the promoters called "grappling").

I love my daughter doing martial arts because it makes her so confident in her own body (she's a puny scrawny thing, actually). I know at least one adult woman (scrawny with long term health issues) has discovered the same type of confidence from martial arts.

If you ban this then you also ban all martial arts. Or at least cheering on at martial arts events. And admissions fees. And consumption of alcohol on or near the same premises. And filming or photography. And evening bouts. And mixing junior with adult events. And doing anything remotely like martial arts without safety gear on. In other words, almost about everything would be banned that already happens at ordinary (not controversial) martial arts grading and championships events. Oh no... I tell a lie. They could still hand out tabs, trophies and new belts (but what for is anybody's guess).

I guess you could get rid of the cage, though personally I view that as part of the safety equipment.

The only thing I object much to here is, supposedly, they were in the cage fighting for ten minutes. That's way too long at this age. A two minute bout would be alright. Cheering on to hurt each other (I didn't notice that, but guess could have happened) is also in very bad taste, but it's free speech, I wouldn't support a ban.

Well it's called MMA not cage-fighting. No worse than boxing or any other contact martial art.
For kids striking out-lawed (depending on the agr groups) and it is mainly grappling.

Vile sport, supported and participated in by the sort of people I wouldn't want any of my family to associate with in any way.

And martial arts is full of discipline and exercise being the goal, not eventually becoming Alex punched up face whatever his name is.

MMA lead fighter talking about it all on Radio 5 now...

"Vile sport, supported and participated in by the sort of people I wouldn't want any of my family to associate with in any way."

@ Posie

Given the nature if family I know, mentioned above, your comment is as ignorant as it is offensive.

I just don't see how you can legislate for it. There are elements of bad taste about it, bikinis and pints in hand, but how can you legislate for bad taste?

The family friend (MMA champ herself) is saying that the most upsetting part of story is publication of the video without consent of the parents (which is an issue most of you would hold dear to heart, anyway).

It was a cage fight, watched by adults.....

Consent of the parents? Who allowed their children to provide entertainment for a group of adults by fighting.....ffs.

I am amazed that people can't distinguish between martial arts competitions and sticking two kids in a cage in a pub and having them fight to the entertainment of adults.

Would you do it? Would you invite your friends and their child round for drinks in the evening so you can enjoy watching the children fight while you have a nice drink.

"If he wasn't doing this what would be be doing"

How about something age-appropriate?

My sentiments exactly babyheave

I have watched the clip, and think, as with most things in the media, it has been distorted by the headlines. It was wrestling. You dont see headgear or padding on children doing karate or judo, and the moves in the ring were no different to this.

It was also in a social club, not a pub.

It's not so much the martial art aspect of it that bothers me but that it is adults watching. Adults with drink. Seems sleazy.

There was a troubled guy at my school (this was only 6 years back), he started judo when he got to uni. The difference in that man is incredible, and I totally believe it's down to Judo. He is more disciplined and his actions are not as crazy/ creepy. He has more control of himself. So I think martial arts can be good but this just is not quite right.

I am not remotely shocked by the appearance of the parents, it may sound snobby.....but they were never going to be private school kids were they?

It was also in a social club, not a pub.

Sorry - I should have said "In a place where adults go to purchase and drink alcohol from a bar and perhaps enjoy some bar sports such as pool and darts. Maybe even partake of a packet of nuts."

Huge difference between a social club and a pub then.

Wrestling has long been a working class sport and interest Posie. I dont suppose you get many private school parents at bingo either.

"I am not remotely shocked by the appearance of the parents, it may sound snobby.....but they were never going to be private school kids were they?"

No Posie. In private schools they prefer that refined gentlemen's sport, <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=bloody+rugby+injuries&num=10&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=6zM&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1025&bih=407&tbm=isch&tbnid=eGNQAYPmtikcrM:&imgrefurl=www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super14/Head-kicker-still-at-large-20090217&docid=BYe1ENUfKGRM7M&w=240&h=240&ei=IhB7TrmDIaap0AXM6sGjAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=949&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=88&tbnw=90&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=49&ty=48" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rugby.

Social clubs are used for many social events apart from drinking though. The labour club near my mums house was used by a nursery club, weighwatchers, dance classes, had football teams (of all ages), rounders teams. To me, that does make it different from just being a pub.

So, there was alcohol involved. It was a social event, but as long as the children were not being given alcohol, I dont see a problem there either.

I would imagine that the spectators were parents and relatives supporting their kids rather than strangers in off the street.

I used tomdo kick boxing and there were plenty of kids in my class. Strict discipline, lots of training and yes occasional fights where people paid to watch. The video clip I saw on the tv looked less harsh than kick boxing fights I've been in and seen kids in.