Mixed Martial Arts: A Safe Sport For Health and Physical Activity

Sport (or sporting) is any form of typically competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual participation, attempt to utilize, improve or maintain physical prowess and skill while providing enjoyment to participants, and sometimes, spectators, who take part. In recent years, the term “sport” has come to encompass a variety of different activities. Golf, ice skating, horse riding, baseball, soccer, surfing, motorcycling and swimming have all become popular spectator sports over the past few decades. Most people would agree, though, that American football has arguably created the modern-day sport scene. In the United States alone, there are currently approximately 411 different licensed sports leagues. These include professional football, minor league baseball, basketball, rugby, ice hockey, motor cross, track and field, Australian professional rugby, soccer, American football, cricket, rugby, auto racing, wrestling, boxing and track and field.

A sport’s level of professionalism can often determine its level of appeal and participation. The level of professionalism of a sport generally has a significant impact on participant participation and level of skill. The professional sports industry is a complex and highly profitable one, which can afford to pay premium wages to top athletes, provide excellent training facilities and keep professional sport writers writing about their topics for regular readers/viewers. For this reason, the majority of sports enthusiasts consider themselves to be “professionals”, but the reality is that many people are not making an adequate living at being a professional in their chosen sports. Therefore, while professional sports can be an excellent source of self-worth and fulfillment, many people find that the financial rewards of being a professional athlete are too overwhelming, causing them to abandon their passion of sport for another.

Another type of popular sport that frequently affects the financial health and well-being of a country is a spectator sport, such as horse racing, golf, rugby, ice skating, motor vehicle racing and snooker. All of these sports have strong governing bodies to regulate their respective activities, ensuring that fairness of play and safety of spectators is maintained at all times. However, even with regulation in place, there is still considerable room for abuse, unfair competition and blatant disregard for the rights of competitors and spectators. Therefore, it is important that the appropriate regulatory bodies are in place to ensure fair competition throughout the sport arena.

Many people who participate in mind sports also belong to professional sports teams or participate in international competitions, which is another reason why governing bodies are so important. As mentioned previously, professional sports leagues to ensure that both the players and the teams maintain a level playing field, providing a level playing field for all competitors. However, they do not always do this, leaving open numerous opportunities for unfair practices and exploitation by players and teams, especially in non-professional sports. Therefore, it is vital that any governing bodies that are associated with mind sports – be it professional or otherwise – be equally strong in order to eliminate these potential problems.

In addition to having strong governing bodies in place, there are other aspects of sports that need to be addressed to create fair play. One such aspect of sports is the act of striking. Though strikes are frequently banned in most sports competitions, they are still allowed in MMA competitions and street fights, creating an uneven playing field in the sport. As such, it is vital that the sport has measures in place to prevent and punish unnecessary striking, especially in MMA competitions. This can include not only stricter rules about the strikes that are permitted, but also the application of those rules when it comes to a live audience.

While there are many positives to mixed martial arts, there are also many negatives. The need for additional steps to be taken to ensure fair play cannot be ignored. Therefore, the implementation of effective regulations and association rules can help to ensure that MMA competition remains a safe and fair contest, while also discouraging certain types of behavior that might otherwise be acceptable in other competitive sports. Therefore, mixed martial arts is an excellent sport for the development of physical activity and sportmanship, but it is up to governing bodies and athletic commissions to ensure that the benefits derived from this unique sport are distributed fairly.