MMA article in the SMH

[Ross]

"Law gets to grips with cage fighting"

Hopefully the author isn't representative of how the general public perceives the sport, but I'd doubt it.

 

[Magnum]

Yeah, typical sensationalists peice of garbage.

Unfortunately most of the public would probably pecieve it the same as the author because that's the type of crap they are fed.

Slowly times will change. Give it 10-15 years. Australia is way behind the times for MMA.

 

[jerry springer]

Slowly times will change. Give it 10-15 years. Australia is way behind the times for MMA.

i reakon 5-8 years,its really starting to catch on.internet helps a lot these days

 

[Ross]

Looks like MMA is going backwards in Australia, if anything. The WA Government is planning to ban 'cage fighting' and a poll on ninemsn has nearly 75% of voters agreeing with them.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=297334
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22443029-5006789,00.html

Banning the sport will just lead to underground events with minimal rules, amateur fighters who don't have to pass medical tests, amateur referees who don't know when to stop a fight and no doctors on hand to treat injuries, which is when MMA, like any combat sport, actually becomes dangerous.

I can't see things getting any better here unless the UFC comes to town.

 

[drew_j]

What I know of cage-fighting through some photographs is that I certainly view it as distasteful, and appalling and it's the government's view that we would not support these types of events," Mr Kobelke told ABC radio yesterday.

Well blow me down, we're up against an MMA expert. Please excuse me mods but fu ck this guy. I love it how the AMA gets all high and mighty on this too. From my research there has been 2 deaths as a result of MMA in the WORLD EVER. Last year over 100 people died as a direct cause of medical malpractice in Victoria alone. Maybe they should look after their own back yard. The most dangerous sport in the world by far is equestrian resulting in almost 10 times the fatalities of boxing. These twats really s**t me.

 

[Ross]

In fairness to the AMA, their stance on MMA is consistent since they oppose boxing as well. Of course, the difference appears to be that no government listens to them when it comes to boxing.

 

[drew_j]

In fairness to the AMA, their stance on MMA is consistent since they oppose boxing as well. Of course, the difference appears to be that no government listens to them when it comes to boxing.

Nah mate, screw the AMA. Their stance is one of principal not factual observation. If they truly belived that combat sports should be banned due to saftey concerns the should be outspoken on all the sports that are satistically more likely to cause death and serious injury, which is a bloody lot of sports. The AMA is taking the pompus high ground on an activity that offends their members sense of moral superioity.

 

[gytre]

As MMA grows due to its support on both the internet and pay TV here in Australia, it will be only a matter of time before the authorities here soften their stance. Remember, money talks.

 

[NitroFan]

Here's another article about MMA in Melbourne.

Do we really want caged fighting in Melbourne?


From news.com.au -

ULTRA-violent Fight Club-style brawls -- in which opponents elbow, knee and beat each other -- are coming to Melbourne.

The brutal new fight "sport" locks combatants in a 2m-high metal cage for no-holds-barred, mixed martial arts battle -- even choking, stamping, punching and kicking after an opponent is floored.

Overseas, fighters have had arms and legs smashed, ankles snapped and some have been killed.

Instead of protective gloves, combatants wear small mitts to allow them to grab opponents in headlocks and submission holds in front of baying crowds.

Contests have been likened to scenes in Brad Pitt's controversial blockbuster movie, Fight Club, in which secret gatherings of men bashed each other to stamp their masculinity in an era of feminism.

Promoters of the Sydney-based X-Agon Reality Fighting Super Series have revealed plans to bring the "bloodbaths" to Melbourne next year.

The State Government has approved the series provided it does not breach combat control laws.

However critics have demanded the "vicious free-for-alls" be kept out of Victoria.

Promoter Ivan Abrahams described the sport as more technical than boxing and safer than cycling and rugby.

"It is very technical, very controlled and it is full-on. There is no greater test of man versus man," Mr Abrahams said.

"The minute you can no longer intelligently defend yourself, the fight is stopped," he said. "As far as 'dangerous', it's a nice story, but simply not true."

Australian Medical Association public health chairman Associate Professor John Gullotta said the sport invited serious injury and possibly death.

"The AMA would absolutely oppose the introduction of cage fighting to Victoria," he said. "It opposes any sport that aims to inflict injuries to the head and knock people out."

American fighter Sam Vasquez died this year after being knocked out in a sanctioned fight. After the bout, Vasquez had surgery twice to remove blood clots from his brain, but died after suffering a stroke.

The Melbourne contests will be regulated by the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board.

A spokesman for Sport Minister James Merlino said X-Agon would be monitored to ensure it met the provisions of the state's Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Act.

"There are a number of requirements that have to be met under the Act before events are approved and contestants are registered to compete, many of which relate to safety," the spokesman said.

"Applications to stage an event must satisfy the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board, while the Minister can also determine what types of combat sports can be held under the Act."

 

[drew_j]

IF you find the artical on the HUN website you'll see there are about 30 comments with only one of them backing up the author. The poll is at about 80% for MMA in Victoria as well.

 

[WA ROO]

Here's another article about MMA in Melbourne.

Nice to see balanced unbiased reporting
2 Deaths worldwide and one of those the guy lied and travelled to fight

 

[Arecsa]

The ignorant and sensationalist media reports on MMA are so frustrating, at least do a bit of research first please. The people making decisions on the current status of MMA in Australia are also disgustingly ignorant. While they're banning MMA they might aswell ban Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, AFL and Rugby aswell.

 

[Ross]

Absolutely. Skimming through the Herald Sun today I wound up throwing the paper away in frustration. The same gutter journo who wrote the article linked above by NitroFan was back again today using the ridiculous analogy to Fight Club and boasting that the Sports Minister is going to ban 'cage fighting'.

If all of that wasn't lame enough, their letter of the week was from a former Olympic wrestler who bizarrely claimed that MMA was just "professional wrestling under another name, only more dangerous and brutal," which is ignorant and absurd on so many levels. The topper was the online poll they ran where around 90% of respondents said the sport shouldn't be banned, the Hun just ignored this result and claimed over 50% wanted it banned in the paper!

The Victorian Sports Minister's e-mail address is james.merlino@parliament.vic.gov.au, feel free to let him know about the safety record of MMA and why the cage is safer than a ring.

 

[Magnum]

Same here. And the 'poll' they ran was obviously doctored. I kept up to date with the poll and it was at least a 80-90% majority FOR MMA and now comes the sunday paper and it says that 55% are against it. Bloody disgraceful hun running their own adgenda. Sickens me. I feel like writing to the editor...

 

[drew_j]

I'll be going to the Australian Press council and Media watch.

http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/complaints/sop.html

Edit: Sent this to the HUN sunday editor

To the editor of the Editorial section of the Sunday Herald Sun.

I am writing to convey my dismay at what appears to be blatant loading of what was supposed to be a news story. I refer to the 'Do we really need cage fighting in Melbourne?' article by Shannon Deary 16th of Dec and the subsequent Sunday Herald Sun readers poll 23rd Dec.

Putting aside the obvious bias and shoddy fact finding in the original article by Deary. (The comments section online has dealt with the poor reporting in this case at length and I wont repeat it). I point your editor to the subsequent "readers poll" page 70 of the Sunday paper in which the results are 59.9% for a ban of MMA in Melbourne and 43.1% in the negative. Online, using the link supplied by the hard copy paper the results are quite clearly ten to one in the negative for a ban.
I see this to be in breach Statement of Principal #1 of the Australian Press Council and would expect the results to be properly published with an apology to everyone who bothered to vote and debate you work online and at home.

Regards,

Drew Jackson.

 

[Magnum]

Good stuff Drewy, hopefully something somes of it and you manage to get a reply....

How's the Jackson family christmas vaction in qld going?

 

[gytre]

I'll be going to the Australian Press council and Media watch.

http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/complaints/sop.html

Edit: Sent this to the HUN sunday editor

To the editor of the Editorial section of the Sunday Herald Sun.

I am writing to convey my dismay at what appears to be blatant loading of what was supposed to be a news story. I refer to the 'Do we really need cage fighting in Melbourne?' article by Shannon Deary 16th of Dec and the subsequent Sunday Herald Sun readers poll 23rd Dec.

Putting aside the obvious bias and shoddy fact finding in the original article by Deary. (The comments section online has dealt with the poor reporting in this case at length and I wont repeat it). I point your editor to the subsequent "readers poll" page 70 of the Sunday paper in which the results are 59.9% for a ban of MMA in Melbourne and 43.1% in the negative. Online, using the link supplied by the hard copy paper the results are quite clearly ten to one in the negative for a ban.
I see this to be in breach Statement of Principal #1 of the Australian Press Council and would expect the results to be properly published with an apology to everyone who bothered to vote and debate you work online and at home.

Regards,

Drew Jackson.

Good on ya and good luck.

 

[drew_j]

Good stuff Drewy, hopefully something somes of it and you manage to get a reply....

How's the Jackson family christmas vaction in qld going?

It's like the normal weather in Melbourne. 27 and maybe 50% humidity. All these bloody Queenslanders are in their long pants!!!!!

 

[drew_j]

Good on ya and good luck.

It's step one to filing an official complaint with the APC. It's best to have some writing and their response. With a bit of luck they tell me to get ****ed. Then I could feasibly force a retraction. Once it's submited to the council. I've been looking it up all morning. Normally I wouldn't bother but the misiter has banned it in Victoria now and it's probably based on this type of s**t.

 

[red+black]

i reakon 5-8 years,its really starting to catch on.internet helps a lot these days

seems like you were right on the money. Developments today in Victoria

 

[Red Black and Blue]

What developments?

 

[red+black]

see other thread

 

[bkozican]

But the Brisbane government has endorsed it.......... I like many just don't get it.

 

[Ross]

Dopey league journo Phil Rothfield wasn't a fan of Hunt vs Bigfoot (but is still totally cool with boxing and was writing stuff about the recent Mundine fight that included none of the sensationalism quoted below).

This was nothing but barbaric savagery that should be banned in this country.

The fact women were allowed to fight on the card was an even bigger disgrace.

Or that they were even allowed out of the kitchen.

Why do we allow our kids to watch and cheer for something we teach them not to do?

And why are the competitors allowed to do all this inside a cage when it's illegal on the streets?

People have been sent to jail for less than what happened inside a cage on Saturday night.

This is effectively suggesting that all combat sports should be banned, and motor racers better start adhering to the speed limit. Pretty sure tackling randoms on the street wouldn't end well for you either so that's footy and rugby out too.

 

[alfy!]

Ugh, this just makes me angry.