Most countries around the world hold a sport that is held to be the alpha or most important sport of all. Whether it be football, soccer, or basketball, sports can bring together people from all different backgrounds and cultures. From the World Cup to the Olympics, sports have always served as a peaceful medium in which many can connect through the competition it presents. Out of all the sports followed worldwide, one of the most controversial and dangerous sports that stands out is MMA, or mixed martial arts. One of the many debates related to mixed martial arts is also how the sport could be implemented in high school
According to Elite MMA, MMA is defined as, “a term for the combat sport in which two competitors attempt to achieve dominance over one another by utilizing three general tactics: striking, finishing holds, and control.” The mixed part of the name comes from the fact that MMA is a hybrid sport that has aspects of Karate, Boxing, Kickboxing, Vale Tudo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The sport requires only thin gloves and no shoes. Punching, kicking, grabbing, and everything in between is legal to obtain victory. In MMA, competitors gain victory through 3 methods: tapouts, knockouts, or judge decision. Often regarded as one of the most violent sports in the world, some high schools around the United States have started to adopt it into clubs and pursue the dream of having it as a high school sport.
There are positive aspects of having the sport of MMA in high school. According to DoSomething.org, a movement committed to stopping bullying, over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year. A sport like mixed martial arts could help provide means for bullied students to defend themselves if the situation arose. One of the most important positives to the sport lies in the fact that it teaches valuable self-defense techniques that can be used as students head on to college, which can be a dangerous area for rape and sexual assault.
Of course, as one of the most dangerous sports in the world, MMA is a long way from finding its way into academic institutions as a school sponsored sport. With such a loose set of rules in the sport, severe injuries are bound to happen such as concussions, broken bones, and, sometimes, death. Lathan Carter, senior, dosen’t think MMA should be in discussion for schools. He said, “It’s not a good high school sport because certain students have anger issues. Having it easily available at the high school may not be safe for other students.”
No high schools across America have any sport related to MMA other than wrestling. Winchester High School, outside of Boston, has a school club for mixed martial arts that is greatly appreciated by its students. No such club or sport exist at any high schools in the midwest area.
