Anyone who has ever seen a mixed martial arts professional contest has to conclude that it is one of the most brutal sports currently on the scene. In fact, I have mentioned to my wife several times after viewing bouts on television, “One of these days someone is going to get killed in the ring.” And, finally, someone did.
According to the New York Post, “A mixed martial arts fighter from Portugal died Tuesday, three days after being hospitalized with injuries from a fight. Total Extreme Fighting announced the death of Joao Carvalho. The 28-year-old Carvalho was knocked out in the third round of a welterweight fight against Charlie Ward at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday.
“TEF said Carvalho was assessed by doctors and medical staff at the onsite medical office ‘as per normal procedure,’ before being taken to the hospital. On Sunday, (a spokesman) said in a statement that three doctors and paramedic staff were at the fight, which ‘ensured that the seriousness of Joao’s condition was recognized and swift action taken.’”
The rounds in MMA contests are five minutes each, nearly twice the length of boxing rounds, although there are far less rounds than in boxing. The gloves, if they can be called that, offer little to no protection and vicious punches, elbows, knees, and kicks batter the fighters mercilessly. Also permitted are locks on joints and fighters can apply pressure that can cause a participant to pass out.
Time and time again I have watched as a fighter, on the floor, received punches and elbows to his head. In other words, with the fighter’s head on the floor, with no place to go, his head is repeatedly punched, being struck by both the punch and the floor. In my observation, it is not at all uncommon for fighters to be knocked out. This, of course, means a likely concussion.
The sport has not been around long enough to assess long-term injuries and brain damage, but my suspicion is that that the long-term damage suffered by NFL players will pale in comparison to what may be revealed in the decades to come regarding the health of MMA fighters.
In fairness, I should report that, in a former life when I was in much better condition, I was a martial arts instructor and occasional competitor. I have participated in full-contact karate bouts but nothing like the MMA contests.
This is not to say that MMA fighters are not courageous — they certainly are that. It takes courage to step into an MMA cage. But the sport, in my opinion, does not adequately regulate itself. Across the country, younger and younger people are training in mixed martial arts and I would never take that away from them. But the sport is dangerous and needs to take steps to reduce the possibilities of serious injuries or death.
The MMA Weekly reported, ”Portuguese welterweight Joao Carvalho tragically passed away on Monday night at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, after a TKO loss to Charlie Ward at the Total Extreme Fighting (TEF) Championship at the National Boxing Stadium on Saturday.”
Carvalho didn’t “pass away.” He was killed. He was beaten to death by injuries suffered in the ring. Charlie Ward, the winning fighter, said that he started pulling his punches in the final round when it was obvious Carvalho was in trouble. Finally, Ward launched a series of nine punches that ended the fight. Three days later, Carvalho died.
He is not the first. As of April 2013, eight MMA fighters had died as a result of ring injuries. If the sport, or the government, does not take steps to de-brutalize this activity, Carvalho will certainly not be the last.
David Epps is the pastor of Christ the King Church (www.ctkcec.org.) which meets Sundays at 10:00 AM and is located on Highway 34 between Peachtree City and Newnan. He may be contacted at [email protected].]
