Tag: mma

Study – White Matter Signal Abnormalities in Brain “Significantly Greater” In MMA Fighters With Football or Rugby History

July 20, 2024

An interesting study was published this week in the peer reviewed journal The Physician and Sports Medicine looking at white matter signal abnormalities in a group of professional fighters. White matter signal abnormalities are associated with traumatic brain injury. Previous research of MMA athletes did not find greater white matter abnormalities in them compared to … More Study – White Matter Signal Abnormalities in Brain “Significantly Greater” In MMA Fighters With Football or Rugby History

Study – Serial Strangulation in Sport Does Not Lead to Increased Stroke Risk

June 13, 2024

How safe is it to be strangled hundreds of times in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or other submission grappling arts? The latest research addressing this subject has just been published. Dr. Samuel J. Stellpflug, a US based physician and one of the world’s leading researchers of the medical consequences of serial strangulation in sport has authored … More Study – Serial Strangulation in Sport Does Not Lead to Increased Stroke Risk

Fighters Call for CTE and Concussion Warnings on Gloves and Headgear

April 10, 2024

Concussion and CTE are serious occupational risks of combat sports. Despite these risks many have a false sense of belief in the ‘protection’ offered by gloves and headgear. According to the Association of Ringside Physicians “Headguards should not be relied upon to reduce the risk of concussion or other traumatic brain injury. They have not … More Fighters Call for CTE and Concussion Warnings on Gloves and Headgear

BC Overhauls Combat Sports Regulation

April 8, 2024

In Canada the Criminal Code makes all ‘prize fights’ (a broadly defined term that can even capture light contact and grappling events) illegal by default except amateur combat sports that are “on the programme of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee“ The Criminal Code then gives individual Provinces the ability to change … More BC Overhauls Combat Sports Regulation

Zero Eligible UFC Fighters Asked To Opt Out of Class Action Lawsuit

February 6, 2024

In a court filing this week in the UFC antitrust lawsuit it was revealed that not a single eligible fighter asked to be removed from the lawsuit. By way of context several fighters started a proposed class action against the UFC arguing they are operating an unlawful monopsony which economically exploits fighters. The lawsuit was certified … More Zero Eligible UFC Fighters Asked To Opt Out of Class Action Lawsuit

Unsettling Truth – Winning Fighters Found To Have More Long Term Brain Issues Than Losers

January 27, 2024

If you have a good fight record you probably will have better long term brain health than fighters with a losing record, right? This was the hypothesis in a recent study. Turns out the answer is no. In fact fighters with a better win/loss ratio had greater measurable brain harm than fighters with a losing record. The recent … More Unsettling Truth – Winning Fighters Found To Have More Long Term Brain Issues Than Losers

Ontario Announces New “Combat Sports Advisory Council”

January 17, 2024

In 2019 Ontario passed a new Combative Sports Act into law. The legislation allows the overhaul of how combat sports are regulated in the Province. The law, however, has yet to come into force which will happen “on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor“.  Despite this very long passage of time it … More Ontario Announces New “Combat Sports Advisory Council”

Combat Sports Struck With Two Tragedies in Recent Weeks

January 15, 2024

A profound spinal cord injury and a profound brain injury. Two tragic outcomes in the combat sports community in recent weeks. This week Leah McCourt shared that MMA fighter Ryan Curtis suffered a severe spinal cord injury in training. In addition to the spinal cord injury he suffered “a broken back, broken neck and dislocated spine”. A … More Combat Sports Struck With Two Tragedies in Recent Weeks

Is Sport Structured Brain Trauma Child Abuse?

December 12, 2023

How old is old enough to consent to brain trauma? I’ve tackled this subject here previously. Its a worthwhile conversation. Last month a paper was published in the Journal of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy addressing this topic in detail. The authors go so far as to argue that full contact/combat sports amount to child abuse … More Is Sport Structured Brain Trauma Child Abuse?