I've been avoiding talking about the "scandal" involving a "cage-fight" between two 8-year olds in the UK because it is steeped in ignorance. I was waiting for someone to come forward with a thoughtful + knowledgeable reaction and it has finally come: Gareth Davies, MMA journalist for The Telegraph, submitted "The ignoranti namely the BBC and Sky condemn MMA (and boxing ) yet make fools of themselves" yesterday and it is included below the clip. Basically what we are about to see is an exhibition grappling match between two young boys. For anyone that hasn't seen wrestling or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu live, the images can be a bit shocking, especially, it seems, to mothers (who have been the most outspoken so far). As Davies explains, Sky and the BBC both mislabeled the occasion as "child cage fighting" which it seems to be to the uneducated; yet upon closer inspection you can see there is only grappling (no strikes). Which isn't to say children and young adults don't train in martial arts including boxing, kickboxing, Muay-Thai, etc., but it isn't displayed here. Incidents like these (overzealous parents living vicariously through their children, see: beauty pageants, little league baseball, acting) are detrimental to the sport but not as detrimental as sensationalist journalism. The articles in question do make a slight effort to differentiate between the "fight" and grappling but leave it up to the parents to do so in quotes, putting the legitimacy of their claims in question after already labeling the event a "cage fight" in the headline. [video=youtube;9JON1gbjY7o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JON1gbjY7o[/video] Gareth Davies' response: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/...-mma-and-boxing-yet-make-fools-of-themselves/ Considering there is a "million moms" campaign to ban Schweddy Balls ice cream, moral outrage over this video is hardly surprising.
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons FYI Davies is the long-haired bloke you can sometimes hear at UFC pressers.
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons Credit to the Lancashire Police for looking into it and telling people to "move along; nothing to see here."
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons Here is a dandy: "Laws to protect dogs but not children?" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...Laws-protect-dogs-children.html#ixzz1Yhw6JoZT Love how the author says "well they weren't allowed to kick or punch" (so it really isn't a fight) "...but rules inevitably get broken!" (just not in the video). Also, hooded sweatshirts!
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons We're in that day and age where it just seems everyone wants something to cry about. We know brazilian jiu jitsu is no more dangerous than allowing your child to play football, basketball, baseball, soccer/footie whatever you want to call it. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there that only see the cage, won't pay attention to a thing going on inside of it, and will claim foul because it makes them feel better about themselves.
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons It's also important to note that the cage and the card girl and everything wasn't set up for the kids--they were an intermission feature during a night of adult bouts. Kind of like when the NBA lets kids on the court at half time to play scrimmage (scantily clad women? check. beer? check. hooting and hollering? check).
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/steven-baxter/2011/09/cage-martial-kids-context More support for putting the events into context. Still, the comments below the article show some people unwilling to relent on their position that it is 'barbaric' and 'potentially deadly' for children.
Re: The UK child "cage-fighting" video, the fallout, and the ignored educated respons [video=youtube;4siZpsRipIo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4siZpsRipIo[/video]
