Some may call MMA barbaric, but bare knuckle boxing may take things to another level.
Most people would never mistake a mixed martial arts fight with bare knuckle boxing. At least that’s what I’m hoping. Many pundits who have been against MMA as a sport the most famous quote from John McCain calling the events “human cockfighting.” How far we have come from the dark days of no weight classes and close to no rules. It was certainly a wild circus to say the least, but there was that element of pure unabashed combat that made things so interesting. To this day there are purists who believe that MMA should have never incorporated the sanctioned rules. To them fighting is all about a style versus style match up. To see fighters turn into athletes with a blended skill set just tells the tale of how much MMA is grown. But there is still an undercurrent of fans and competitors who are more interested in seeing raw, uncut combat. Bare knuckle boxing certainly falls under this category. It’s the reason why so many people enjoyed gladiator style combat during the height of Rome. People enjoy spectacle. They enjoy a little bit of wrong. Bare knuckle boxing certainly provides a visceral experience, but is it going a bit too far? The video below is just an example of some of the kinds of competition you’re likely to see in an unsanctioned match. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxsoDZ0mMUg Though you wouldn’t know it from watching the video, bare knuckle boxing could and is way more brutal than what was presented here. The fact that there aren’t many rules, that there aren’t any doctors or sanctioning bodies does give the whole thing a very dated, barbaric feel. One major issue that the video does touch on however is the likelihood of less brain injury. Punching with a bare fist can generate a tremendous amount of force. But with no protective gear it’s unlikely that someone would punch full force. Doing so would likely end with a fighter breaking their hand. Because of that, fighters won’t be throwing everything into every shot. Instead they’ll be conserving energy and lessening the power on their shots which could mean less brain injury in the long run. But it’s ultimately a silver lining that won’t be able to convince a great many individuals. Bare knuckle boxing is certainly far from a sport where I’m concerned, but it’s only one man’s opinion. What do you think about the potential of legalizing bare knuckle boxing? Follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Also, be sure to share, like, and comment to show your support. Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter to keep up with his antics.
