MMA in the olympics

[JayJayMMA]

Many MMA promotion execs have recently mentioned that the olympics is a goal for the sport (Dana White mentioned it as far back as 2008). http://mmajunkie.com/2017/08/ufc-exec-joe-carr-thinks-mma-could-be-in-olympics-by-2024-or-2028

In my opinion, MMA needs a strong amateur base for the professional sport to grow. Growing the amateur ranks will also ensure there is a clear pathway for someone to become professional and make a living from MMA.

In boxing there are a number of modifications at olympic/amateur level to differentiate it from professional boxing. Headgear is a part of olympic boxing and points play a big part rather than knockouts.

Headgear in MMA could be problematic in some ways, while beneficial to the health of a fighter in striking it may pose a problem in escaping from head based submissions.. having said that, it works for all olympic combat sports

What changes would you see being acceptable to MMA to allow it in the olympics and maintain its attraction?

- Headgear?
- Shorter rounds?
- Clear point scoring?

 

[Chomsky Honk]

the olympics is lame

 

[Quitcherbichen]

In my opinion...judging would be the problem....and ref's, there are not enough skilled ones....

 

[P4PKingBisping]

Olympic sports are for the most part very family friendly, albeit rather boring. With all the blood in MMA IDK if it would work.

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

Head, shin, knee and elbow gear (believe it or not, shin gear causes way more trouble for submissions than head gear). No GnP, stricter rule enforcement, refined scoring systems, and 3 2 minute rounds.

MMA desperately needs a unified amateur league to improve the quality of fighters going pro.

 

[Cheapshart]

Nobody wants to watch Olympic MMA. A bracket tournament is a recipe for boring fights; a veritable festival of lay and pray and wall and stall with everyone taking zero risks and fighting not to lose.

If that sounds good to you then just go watch Olympic Wrestling. It'll look like roughly the same thing.

 

[loyalyolayal]

Only if Adalaide Byrd and Cecil Peoples are the judges.

 

[The Moloko man]

Olympic sports are for the most part very family friendly, albeit rather boring. With all the blood in MMA IDK if it would work.

How dare you....

MMA is very family/kid friendly

 

[JayJayMMA]

Nobody wants to watch Olympic MMA. A bracket tournament is a recipe for boring fights; a veritable festival of lay and pray and wall and stall with everyone taking zero risks and fighting not to lose.

If that sounds good to you then just go watch Olympic Wrestling. It'll look like roughly the same thing.

It isn't about it being as exciting as professional MMA. It's about MMA growing its base, without athletes in many countries viewing it as a first choice sport I don't see the sport becoming bigger. I want to see athletes who in their early teens choose to only train and compete in MMA, this will expand the sport, bring a higher quality fighter and bring more fans to it.

 

[Cheapshart]

It isn't about it being as exciting as professional MMA. It's about MMA growing its base, without athletes in many countries viewing it as a first choice sport I don't see the sport becoming bigger. I want to see athletes who in their early teens choose to only train and compete in MMA, this will expand the sport, bring a higher quality fighter and bring more fans to it.

It wouldn't grow MMA, it would hurt it. Do you see any Judo, Wrestling or TKD promotions selling for 4 billion dollars? No? Because they aren't spectator sports. They're fucking boring.

The MMA we're used to incentivizes action. That's why it's popular.

 

[Kinger85]

Fuck no.

It will not happen in my lifetime (and I plan on living another 60 years) and I have 0 interest what so ever in it anyways.

 

[executionermma]

Zero interest and won't work. MMA already is at olympics with wrestling, boxing and many other martial arts who are important and essential to a good MMA fighter.

 

[JayJayMMA]

It wouldn't grow MMA, it would hurt it. Do you see any Judo, Wrestling or TKD promotions selling for 4 billion dollars? No? Because they aren't spectator sports. They're fucking boring.
The MMA we're used to incentivizes action. That's why it's popular.

Every main stream high spectator sport has an amateur side, it's about growing the grassroots of the sport. Similar to boxing, pro boxing is better to watch in my opinion than amateur however olympic boxing ensures many more countries fund the sport at an amateur level.

 

[ninja boot]

the fighters would have to be encased in bubble wrap to ensure no permanent damage occurred.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Did anyone see what the Olympics did to judo?

No thank you in the case of MMA.

 

[AusMMAfan]

The Olympics is still a thing?

Olympics sucks, the World Cup is where it is at.

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

Did anyone see what the Olympics did to judo?

No thank you in the case of MMA.

Helped boxing a hell of a lot. Personally I think a more developed amateur circuit would help the sport grow

 

[QcChopper]

the olympics is lame

Yeah, lame comes to mind as well as a shit hole of corruption and they have not evolved in like, ever.

I remember when I first watched the first year of snowboarding at he Olympics, they took all the extreme out of the sport because they were penalizing the smallest imperfections to an extent that going big was not viable, so we got to see lots of perfectly executed boring stuff.

 

[JayJayMMA]

Helped boxing a hell of a lot. Personally I think a more developed amateur circuit would help the sport grow

Agree that's the main purpose of it, rather than thinking it would ruin the sport. Amateur organisations of any sport have different rules and aren't always as interesting however it creates a stronger base. There aren't any high profile sports that I can think of that doesn't have a strong organised amateur base.

 

[Congo66]

Olympic sports are for the most part very family friendly, albeit rather boring. With all the blood in MMA IDK if it would work.

Yeah I thought that when I went to the boxing at London 2012. The Taekwondo too, what's more family friendly than people kicking each other in the head.
The was the British womens hockey captain who had he jaw broken by a hockey stick in the group matches but was back playing the the knockout stages with her jaw wired.
And it doesn't get any more family friendly that rugby 7's with heavyweight sized guys who can run as fast as sprinters smashing into each other without crash helmets and padding.
Of course there's already wrestling and judo in the Olympics, they don't produce any pro MMA fighters....

I keep forgetting that most of you lot aren't sports fans.

Amateur MMA exists and it'd be just fine as an Olympic sport. I doubt the UFC would be too keen though as it would probably see them lose some control over MMA.