Arif Taruz

12/12/14
Keeping Score: Cultures of Sport
Argumentative Essay Two
Topic: Risk of Injury in Combat Sports.
Position: MMA is safer than boxing.
For this argumentative essay we shall be looking into the risk of injury within combat
sports. Specifically we shall be examining the injury rates within boxing and mixed martial arts
in order to determine which is safer. This argument is a common one, and began when mixed
martial arts competitions first started gaining popularity within the United States. Upon watching
the first of these competitions, the public was shocked by the level of violence on display, and
there was a massive outcry against the legalization of the sport. The outcry was in part due to the
perceived danger inherent in mixed martial arts. At first glance, these fights would appear much
more dangerous than boxing. Seldom was padding used, gloves were small or nonexistent, and
kicking was allowed. Fighters were even allowed to strike downed opponents. In fact, the early
MMA promotions were eager to promote their dangerous, lawless style of fighting. UFC 1, the
first Ultimate Fighting tournament, proudly boasted fights without rules. To people just
learning about these competitions, it would seem obvious that mixed martial arts are more
dangerous than boxing. However, looking deeper into the causes and numbers of injuries within
these two sports will show a surprising result. Mixed martial arts competitions are generally safer
to athletes. In fact, given the history of the two sports, it can be said that participating in mixed
martial arts is much safer than boxing.
Before going into the statistics of injuries within these two sports, it will be good to look
into the rules of the sport, as well as what kind of protective measures are regularly taken.

In boxing, the only type of strike allowed is punching. Kicks, elbows, knees, and head
butts are prohibited. Additionally, boxers cannot strike opponents with an open hand, the back of
the hand, or the side of the hand. Striking while in the clinch is not allowed, and wrestling of any
kind is forbidden. Boxers may not strike a downed opponent. Punches to the back of the head,
below the waist, and to the kidneys are also prohibited. Boxers are required to wear gloves
(typically 10 ounces) and mouth guards. A boxing match is stopped when one of the combatants
is knocked unconscious (KO), is deemed by the referee to be unable to continue (TKO), or time
running out, in which case judges will determine a winner. (Information taken from isports.com)
There are several different mixed martial arts competitions currently active and each has
slightly different rules. For this paper, we will be using the rules and regulations found within the
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The reason for this is that the UFC is the biggest mixed
martial arts organization in the world, and many other MMA organizations follow their standards
and practices.
Within the UFC, punches, kicks, elbows, and knees are all acceptable strikes, while head
butts are not allowed. Striking from the clinch and wrestling are both allowed. A fighter cannot
strike the back of the head, the eyes, the throat, or the groin of his opponent. Punches and elbows
directed at a downed opponent are acceptable, while kicking, kneeing, or stomping a downed
opponent is forbidden. Fighters within the UFC wear 4-6 ounce gloves with open, unrestricted
fingers that facilitate grappling. Mouth guards and groin protection are mandatory. A fight can
end through a submission (either verbal or physical tap out), a referee stoppage (TKO), a strike
that leads to unconsciousness (KO), or time running out, in which case judges decide the
outcome. (Information taken from the UFCs official website ufc.com)

Looking at the details of the rules and practices of these two combat sports, it would
seem as if MMA competitions were far more dangerous to athletes. Within MMA, a greater
number of strikes are allowed, meaning more attacks available for combatants to use.
Additionally, wrestling is allowed within MMA, making even more damaging attacks available
to combatants. And let us not forget the legality of strikes to downed opponents, one of the most
brutal aspects of the sport according to some. In regards to protective equipment, it would appear
that boxing would have an edge given that the gloves used are about twice as thick.
At face value, it would seem ridiculous to say that MMA is safer than boxing. However, a
closer look into how these two sports operate will clearly show that mixed martial arts are indeed
much safer.
One of the biggest factors that contribute to why boxing is more dangerous than mixed
martial arts is how referee stoppages occur. In boxing, when a fighter is knocked to the ground,
he is given a mandatory eight count in order to recover. If he is able to recover during this time
the fight continues. Within mixed martial arts, a referee stops the fight when one of the
combatants is unable to intelligently defend himself. The fight is not stopped and the combatants
are given no time to recover after being knocked down. While it may seem brutal to allow a
combatant to continue to strike his downed opponent it is, interestingly enough, safer for the
opponent. According to a study undertaken by the British Board of Sports Medicine from 2002 to
2007, the standing eight count is the primary cause of the most serious injuries in boxing because
it gives fighters the option to worsen injuries they have already sustained. When a boxer is
knocked down, it is very likely that he has suffered some damage. Giving him time to recover
and continue the fight ensures that the fighter will only take more damage. Boxers are extremely
resilient, so they may be able to continue to stand and fight even after taking punches that are

causing serious damage. Interestingly enough, the force of hitting the mat can make boxers jolt
back to their senses even after briefly losing consciousness, and if they are able to stand up, the
fight continues. In mixed martial arts, combatants who are knocked down are given no time to
recover, which prevents damaged fighter from getting back up and continuing to fight. This
means that athletes how are too rattled to intelligently defend themselves are protected from
further harm, rather than being allowed to continue to fight.
Looking at the type of protective gloves worn by boxers and mixed martial arts fighters it
would seem as if boxers would be better protected. This is both true and false. While thick
boxing gloves do protect a fighter from taking the full force of a strike, this can end up leading to
the fighter receiving more damage. The Nevada Athletic Commission did a five-year study on
injuries in boxing and concluded that the amount of padding used in boxing gloves is directly
correlated to the injury rate in boxing. With thicker padding in gloves, a fighter will be able
absorb stronger punches, which can lead to a boxer being hit more times. The effect of these
many hits over the course of the fight is the potential for traumatic head injury. Mixed martial
arts gloves may lead to harder hits, but this means that fighters will be knocked out as opposed to
taking many slightly less forceful strikes.
What kind of strikes allowed within boxing and mixed martial arts also have an effect on
the safety of the two sports. In boxing, only punches to the upper body and head are allowed. In
MMA, all strikes excluding head butts are legal, and these are allowed to all parts of the body
(excluding to the back of the head, the eyes, the throat, or the groin). These rules affect how
fighters will be injured within their respective sports. In boxing, most damage is done to the head
via punches, due to the fact that punches to the body rarely lead to a stoppage. In MMA, the
injuries are more spread out across the body. As a result, boxers are more likely to suffer trauma

to the head, which is usually much more serious than injuries to the body. The American
Association of Neurological Surgeons says that 90% of boxers will have sustained a brain injury
by the end of their careers. This is different from what is seen within MMA where, according to
the Nevada Athletic Commission, the most common reported injuries were lacerations and upper
extremity injuries, as well as broken bones. While lacerations and upper extremity injuries are
certainly dangerous to fighters, typically they are not nearly as serious as trauma to the brain.
According to a Johns Hopkins study, head trauma and cerebral hemorrhages are the number one
cause of death in combat sports.
The length of fights might also contribute to the danger involved. In boxing, professional
bouts are typically twelve rounds, with rounds being three minutes in length and the boxers
having one minute of rest between rounds. Fights within the UFC are three rounds for regular
fights and five rounds for championship fights. The rounds are five minutes long and fighters are
given one minute of rest between rounds. The longer the fight, the more likely it is that injuries
will occur. There are several reasons for this, the simplest being that with more time there are
more chances for an injury to happen. Additionally, fighters will get progressively more
exhausted the longer a fight goes on, which leaves them less likely to be able to defend
themselves effectively. There is even the possibility of a fighter being unable to continue from
exhaustion or dehydration in fights that go the distance. While rounds in the UFC are longer than
rounds in boxing, the number of rounds is much smaller, and the total amount of time in the ring
is shorter (15 minutes as opposed to 36 minutes).
Finally, there is the simple fact that historically, boxing has lead to far more deaths and
injuries than mixed martial arts. From 1998 to 2006, there were 70 recorded deaths caused by
injuries related to the sport of boxing. In contrast, there have only been two recorded deaths in

mixed martial arts. Douglas Dedge died in 1998 after a fight on an unregulated card in Kiev,
Ukraine, and Sam Vasquez died from injuries sustained in a 2007 fight in Houston. These figures
do not even include the significant number of boxers who leave the sport with brain and head
injuries. It could be argued that an MMA fighter has a greater chance of being injured, but is
without question that a boxer is more likely to die. It is obvious that mixed martial arts are safer
than boxing.

Citations:
"Rules and Regulations - Unified Rules and Other MMA Regulations." Rules and
Regulations - Unified Rules and Other MMA Regulations. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec.
2014.
Espinoza, Jose. "Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?" AskMen. N.p., n.d. Web.
12 Dec. 2014.
"Boxing Rules & Regulations | ISport.com." Boxing Rules & Regulations | ISport.com.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.