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| (Photo courtesy of thebiglead.com) |
The UFC became a
giant by convincing gaming commissions like Ontario’s that MMA is the safest
combat sport in the world. Safer than boxing, maybe, but it's a cultural issue
that may be doing their athletes the most damage. With Chris Leben opening up about his battle with addiction, and Gary Goodridge’s CTE diagnosis, we’re
seeing a dark element to MMA that is seldom discussed. Fighters are under
constant pressure to perform; their livelihoods depend on it, especially
considering the modest purses, and limited sponsorship opportunities. When your
job entails fighting a trained violence machine for peanuts, it becomes easy to
feel the heat. Pop that pill; take the next fight. Ignore the headaches; take
the next fight. MMA is safe enough to get sanctioned, but in a world of broken
hearts, dreams, and bones, no one is truly safe.
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