“In the course of battle you could find a hundred different reasons to give up, but you got to find that one reason to stay in there, one reason to stay in the fire”(Chael sonnen). MMA fighter Chael Sonnen uses the word “fire” to describe how hard the sport of MMA is and how much effort it takes to stay in and not quit. Most people would not even consider this a sport because of its violence and aggression but this is one of the oldest living sports in the world. There’s more to this sport then just fighting. It’s more of an art rather than a fight because to be good at this you must learn several techniques that require time and dedication to master. MMA fighters also have full control of their mental strength, which means they don’t let their emotions get in between their fights. They have trainers, coaches and sparing partners who help them develop perfect technique and this is the difference between a Mixed Martial Artist and regular street fighter who have none of these. Mixed Martial Arts is a combination of different combat sports such as Wrestling, Boxing, Kick Boxing, Sambo, Karate, Sumo, Jiu Jutsu, Tae kwon do and many others. This sport has been around forever but it wasn’t till 2005 when the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion) broadcasted its first TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) show which showed two teams of fighters competing to win a contract with the UFC. For MMA fighters being part of this community is an honor because it teaches discipline, self defense and most importantly it turns you into a healthier person.
All though being involved in MMA is a healthy lifestyle because of all the workouts you do, there are some negatives to this community. One of them is injuries. Most people probably know this since they watch UF...
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...iscipline only comes from people who are part of the MMA community.
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“The 1910 Jeffries-Johnson Fight and Its Impact” was by far my favorite reading from the text this semester, which is the main reason for my choosing of this topic. Throughout this article, I found it to be incredibly intriguing how detailed it was on the struggles that Johnson went through. Discussing the difficult experiences he had as a rising black athlete and then to end up with a white woman who, to many, could or could not have been considered a prostitute. All of the events during Johnson’s life make him such an amazing person and a very interesting athlete to learn more about.
Tan, Kevin S. Y. “Constructing a Martial Tradition: Rethinking a Popular History of Karaet-dou.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues 26, no. 2 (2004): 169-192, doi: 10.1177/0193723504264772.
Matthew R. Potter, Ashley J. Snyder, Gary A. Smith, Boxing Injuries Presenting to U.S. Emergency Departments, 1990–2008, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 462-467, ISSN 0749-3797, 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.12.018.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379711000341)
All injuries are a serious matter, but upper body injuries are more delicate. “Although the majority of contusions to the most parts of the body result injuries that are self-correcting and without serious consequence, even relatively
So whats one more thing to think about? There professional level athletes,they need to give themselves more credit. And yes there right, injuries are bound to happen in a contact sport, but they need to try and do their best to play within the rules that are being set for their benefit.
mind. In a general sense, many view martial arts as a sport that involves hurting one another. On
Jack Dempsey was best known for his intriguing knockouts and his fists of steel (“Biography”). In his fight against Jess Willard, former champion, Dempsey knocked him down seven times within three minutes (Smith). This was the boxing match that began Dempsey’s reign as heavy weight champion of the world (Hadden 161). After the fight he earned the nick na...
From the beginning of time, before there were written records, scholars believe that men wrestled. "Moreover, almost every known ancient people participated in some form of the game" (History of Sports 14). Originally, men were required to use wrestling skills to defend themselves from beasts of the field and other men. It is from this prehistoric way of life that wrestling was created. From this, men began to practice and create new holds and moves to improve upon the sport. They begin to compete with each other just as young brothers and sister's fight and grapple. So did the people of ancient times. This way of life, protection, and amusement, through growth, progressed into the magnificent sport of wrestling.
Whether you are an avid spectator of football, hockey, basketball, or NASCAR, you have witnessed a fair amount of violence. In the 2013-2014 football season, at least five different college football players broke their leg, and hundreds of other players at the high school, college, and even professional level have injured a plethora of other body parts in a variety of methods. Hockey is considered one of the most violent sports in the world—the players have violent tendencies and generally release their anger on their opponents—and, unsurprisingly to its audience, results in many injuries. While basketball is not considered particularly violent, audiences are thrilled when they witness almost any sort of injury. Last year, University of Louisville guard Kevin Ware’s compound fracture broke through his skin, exposing his broken bone to everyone around him. Several people took videos of the incident and less than a year later, the video has nearly tw...
“To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.” I still remember this quote from Within I Rise by T.F. Hodge because this specific quote has helped me through my long and winding journey toward the black-belt. It started with my friend in fifth grade showing me what he learned in karate class the day before, and me asking my mother if I could join. My brother and I went to our first class and I instantly fell in love with the sparring, grappling, fighting combinations, self-defense, and of course, learning to use nunchucks. It was not long before I had my eye on the black-belt, but there were many obstacles ahead. Less than one percent of all students at my karate school end up getting to
Gildea, William. "Is Boxing's Reputation Down for the Count?" Everett Herald 13 Nov. 1999: 2c.
Wrestling is more than just a sport; it is a way of life. And for those who enjoy its opportunities, it is something that takes the mind off of all of life’s troubling times, and puts one man against another to get their hand raised. Competition makes everything evolve, and there is no other sport that epitomizes what competition truly is. Wrestling spans the entire globe, and although it incorporates several different styles and many National and World events, remains overlooked by most.
Ronda Rousey has had a major impact on women’s participation and interest in the sport of MMA. Mixed Martial Arts or MMA is the most violent sport there is today. Over the past 20 years Mixed Martial Arts has risen in popularity. MMA is seen as a male dominated sport though women’s participation in the sports has gone up recently. On February 23, 2013 two women were featured on the main fight card for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The fight in which Ronda Rousey defeated Liz Carmouche was a huge success. This fight was the first of its kind, for the previously all male UFC. Women have been competing in MMA since the mid-1990s, though for year’s women fighters were fighting in Japan. The first women’s MMA fight in the United States of
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, echoes through my head as I walk to the middle of the mat. "At 160lbs Aidan Conner of La Junta vs. Rodney Jones of Hotchkiss." All I can think of is every bead of sweat, every drip of blood, every mile, every push up, every tear. Why? All of this: just to be victorious. All in preparation for one match, six minutes. For some these six minutes may only be a glimpse, and then again for some it may be the biggest six minutes of their life. Many get the chance to experience it more than once. Some may work harder and want it more than others, but they may never get the chance. All they get is a moral victory. Every kid, every man comes into the tournament with a goal. For some is to win, for some is to place, others are just happy to qualify. These six minutes come on a cold frigid night in February at a place called the Pepsi Center. Once a year this gathering takes place when the small and the large, the best of the best, come to compete in front thousands of people. I am at the Colorado State Wrestling Championships.
Training for my black belt required a great deal of physical training. Every Saturday morning, I had to get up at six in the morning to go to the track. I would run a mile, do a bunch of pushups, sit-ups, burpees, army crawl and much more. Doing this first thing every Saturday morning was a lot of work, however, I still enjoyed it. Once a week I was also required to do an hour long cardio class. I remember my heart pounding so hard after class I thought I might collapse. To help me eat healthy I was to record all that I ate the three months before testing for my black belt. Furthermore, I wanted to do my best so I would even do some training that was not required of me. During the week I enjoyed heading to the track to do a mile run because I wanted to be as fast I could for my