Judging by the search function, I don’t think this article from the The Tallahassee Democrat has been posted before - apologies if I missed it. Seems relatively objective, although it does fall foul of the usual sensationalist focus on ‘brutality’ and MMA’s legal troubles in various states.
[quote=““St. Clair Murraine, [i”]
Tallahassee Democrat[/i], 30th August 2005”]
Mixing up the pain; Mixed-Martial Arts fighters have to be ready for all holds
There wasn’t a dry spot on the red mat inside the Shaolin Kung-Fu gym. Soaking wet bodies were everywhere, grappling, throwing and kicking each other.
Near the center of the mat, Josh Odom’s opponent pressed his back down while holding him in an arm lock. Odom delivered several knee shots to the ribs. Over and over they practiced the technique, with the intention of getting the fighter on the floor to submit.
Odom emerged from the hold, taking deep breaths inside the windowless room where a huge fan blew around hot air.
“I’m tired, just tired,” Odom said.
Within a few minutes he was back on the floor for more, just like all of the fighters who are training in Mixed Martial Arts, a sport that can leave a participant with more that just scratches and bruises. Groups that promote the sport are K1 and Ultimate Fighting Championships. It mixes jujitsu, kickboxing, boxing and wrestling. The fighters at the Shaolin gym say they participate for thrills despite the risk of injury and the chance of being branded for participating in a sport that some states consider too brutal to legalize, but it is in Florida.
The fighters train their bodies to endure the agony and pain, hoping that it will lead to the top of the ladder. Only the best ones get there after spending years at the lowest rung, where Odom and hundreds of others like him hone their skills.
“It’s the ultimate in human competition,” said Odom, who has split two professional bouts. “Everybody gets their thrills. In football, everybody tries to beat the next guy, tackle this guy. It’s really the same thing with this. It’s just at a higher level (with) more risk, which makes the reward much better.”
The rewards are purses that average about $400 for a pro bout and the opportunity to get to the next level. Fighters such as the ones who train in Tallahassee are in the minor leagues. They make appearances at small club shows around the country until scouts recommend their promotion for the national stage.
The fighters who make up the group known as the Tallahassee Fight Club say they’re doing it for the love of the sport.
“The competition, the training and the challenge are why I think everyone here does it,” said Brian Okin, who heads up the club. "It’s all about pushing yourself and testing yourself.
“If you watch, you’ll see all the athleticism, the competitiveness and the art come out.”
There aren’t many states that consider mixed-martial arts an athletic competition. Florida is one of the latest in a growing list of states that allow such bouts, which have become increasingly popular in the state and in Georgia.
Segments of a fight could appear like a wrestling match, but unlike professional wrestling these moves aren’t choreographed.
“What separates most fighters who are at (an) equal level is endurance,” Okin said. “The training and competition are intense, and the person who is in the best shape wins. Beyond pure conditioning, you have to be able to react to any and all situations. There are no set parameters.”
But there are rules. Fighters have to wear gloves that weigh 4 ounces. Head-butting and eye-gouging aren’t allowed. A fight usually ends if a participant is knocked down or is wrestled to the ground and held in a lock that forces him to retire by tapping his opponent. Entry-level pro bouts have a maximum of three, five-minute rounds.
Okin, a former amateur boxer, said the intrigue of boxing and other forms of martial arts in one sport spurred his interest in mixed-martial art. He said he’s seen a steady rise in participation in their workouts. New members have been recruited by word of mouth, he said.
He pointed to Odom and Shawn Connor as and example of how people find the club. They met in the National Guard while on duty in Iraq. They’re also juniors at FSU who are majoring in criminology.
They spend at least three evenings each week in the gym. Workouts are structured, but there’s no trainer - and the fighters seem disciplined to endure the pain.
“You’ve got to find it within yourself,” said Connor, who won his only amateur fight and will have another on Sept.9 in Atlanta. "We all train hard, and we all try to get better. We’re doing the best with what we have.
“I try to make sure I have a well-rounded game. I work hard in here (and) I do a lot of conditioning.”
Connor said he got into the sport because it fills an athletic void left when he stopped playing more traditional sports. The tactics of the sport were the lure for Odom, who said he’s constantly asked what fascinates him about the sport.
“I told my mom I can’t sing or dance,” he said. “This is what I’m good at.”
SIZE=2 Copyright 2005, The Tallahassee Democrat. All Rights Reserved.[/SIZE]
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