Rage in a Cage (should be NC-17)

I was saddened this morning to read in our local newspaper that that the Executive Inn will host cage fighting matches on Saturday night. I'd link to the article, but I'm having trouble linking to the paper at all. You can find it at http://www.paducahsun.com/

The article's headline reads:

"Cage fighting fun for the family"

The story is listed in the "entertainment" section of the newspaper and the event is billed as "Paducah Punishment III" promising crowds of "1,000 spectators" according to fight promoter Harold Dick.

The article goes on to say:

One reason for the larger crowds might be the following local fighters are gaining, Dick said.
Like 39-year-old Jason Williams, who’s on the bill this weekend.
By day, Williams works a full-time job in agriculture. Four nights a week he trains at Argonauts Fitness in Paducah to prepare for weekend battles.
His appeal to a mass of people is apparent.
He’s engaged, has two kids and is just as willing to shake your hand as break it.

His mass appeal is "apparent"? Apparent to whom? You'll note those last quotes aren't attributed. When did fact that a local cage fighter that can either break or shake a hand get to be cause to load up the tykes in the mini-van for an evening of fabulous fun? Give me a break.

The whole event is cloaked in the cover of "sport", but I'll be honest, this in my opinion is nothing more than the basest of human aggression legally sanctioned. Purveyors of the sport like to use words like "striking". Come on. This is two guys beating the crap out of each other in a cage in front of an arena full of fans screaming for more. It's nothing new; they used to do this sort of thing all the time with people called "gladiators" in ancient Rome (you may have heard). And, while the general adult public seems bloodthirsty as ever, can't we at least agree that it would be wise to re-think the philosophy that this is some how good, clean, family fun for children?

While he recognizes some may question how legitimate the local brawls are, Williams doesn’t pull any punches about his love for the sport.
“It’s what I do. Runners run, swimmers swim and fighters fight,” he said.

Okay, this is a bit of a no-brainer, but "fighters fight" sounds like what comes just before "muggers mug" and etc. You get the picture.

Parents, know this: a ten-year study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine describes the sport this way:

MMA competition has attracted attention for its sheer violence. Two contestants wearing minimal protective equipment unleash a myriad of full force punches, elbow strikes, knee strickes, kicks, stomps, neck chokes, joint manipulations, body throws, and other grappling techniques against each other. A competitor seeks through blunt head trauma; disabling an opponent through joint subluxation, dislocation, or soft tissue trauma; cause to syncope by way of a neck choke; or coercing an opponent into submission by any permutation of the preceding.

Despite attemts to ban it by legislators and the medical community, MMA metamorphosed in the 1990's from an underground spectacle into an internationally sactioned sport.

Meanwhile, the Paducah Sun article goes on to say:

Williams [the friendly neighborhood would-be hand-breaker] said he’s practiced discipline, respect and perseverance in training for each of his 12 previous fights.
What results is a product suitable for everyone, he said.
“All ages can enjoy this from grandparents to small children,” Williams said.

Please.

If the industry is not going to regulate the exposure of under-age children to this kind of innappropriate violence, parents are just going to have to do the job themselves.

The article is accurate about one thing. Paducah Punishment III is indeed just that. And it is a punishment our children neither need or deserve.

If you're going to the cage fights, please, get a sitter.