Anyone who has every watched one MMA fight can see that injuries are just part of the sport. While bruises and cuts heal fairly quickly, broken bones and concussions are not uncommon. The rules of MMA do protect fighters in the main, but there is always an inherent risk in this combative sport. Here are a few of the most notable injuries and a few tips on how to prevent injuries in general.
Randy Couture is an MMA legend with plenty of wins to his credit. However, many of these bouts pale in comparison to his fight in 2007 against Gabriel Gonzaga. During Round 3 his heavyweight fight at UFC 74, Couture put his arm out to block a kick from Gonzaga, thus snapping Couture's left ulna. Despite this, Couture simply used his other arm, threw his opponent down and punched him until the referee stopped the fight and Couture won by TKO.
Frank Shamrock is a name that typically conjures up strong feelings in the MMA world, and there are several fighters out there who have walked away with broken bones after a bout with Shamrock. During a Pancrase fight in 1995, Shamrock grabbed Allan Goes by the ankle and broke the bones, literally tearing the ankle bones from the tendons. Goes still fought on, however, and the bout was declared a draw. Three years later, Shamrock effectively ended Igor Zinoviev's career after he threw him down, badly breaking his collarbone. A decade later, Shamrock was on the receiving end of a bone break when Cung Le broke his ulna.
Mixed martial arts is known for bloody bouts, and as we all know, head wounds do tend to gush. Rarely is there a fight without at least a little blood, as that is just a consequence of this type of fighting. Some cuts are worse than others, such as the sliced open face of Joe Stevenson during UFC 80 after BJ Penn hit him with an elbow sharper than a knife. That was a fairly quick repair, with just a few stitches, which is far less than Nate Quarry required after a bout with Jorge Rivera at UFC Fight Night 21. After losing by TKO, Quarry actually had to endure full facial reconstructive surgery to repair his broken nose and four facial fractures.
There are some pictures that really just stand out in one's mind, such as the horrific bone break suffered by Corey Hill during a UFC fight in 2008 against Dale Hart. Several minutes into the fight Hill delivers a kick to Hart and Hart blocks it with his knee, snapping Hill's leg bones pretty much in half. The picture definitely tells the story, as you see Hill's leg just dangle as if it were made of rubber. Still, Corey Hill did return to the ring to fight again in 2010 and continues to fight to this day and has had two losses and three wins since the injury.
Each of the injuries listed above are the exception to the rule, and just unlikely breaks (literally) for the fighters. Most fighters experience bruises and cuts and sometimes muscle injuries, but there are definitely ways to limit injuries. Keeping your weight consistent and avoiding severe weight cuts can help keep your muscles strong, and this will limit your risk of injury. Proper stretching is extremely important and also will limit injuries. Neck and shoulder injuries are very common in mixed martial arts, but stretching before a fight can reduce the severity of these injuries.
Proper nutrition is another key element, so if you are serious about fighting, sit down with a nutritionist and plan out a balanced diet and plan out strengthening meals for the days leading up to a fight and the day of a fight itself. Proper hydration is also equally important, especially prior to and immediately following a bout. Perhaps the best way to avoid injury is to simply become a better, stronger fighter with great agility. Avoiding contact from your opponent and taking control of a fight certainly lowers your own risk of injury.
Randy Couture is an MMA legend with plenty of wins to his credit. However, many of these bouts pale in comparison to his fight in 2007 against Gabriel Gonzaga. During Round 3 his heavyweight fight at UFC 74, Couture put his arm out to block a kick from Gonzaga, thus snapping Couture's left ulna. Despite this, Couture simply used his other arm, threw his opponent down and punched him until the referee stopped the fight and Couture won by TKO.
Frank Shamrock is a name that typically conjures up strong feelings in the MMA world, and there are several fighters out there who have walked away with broken bones after a bout with Shamrock. During a Pancrase fight in 1995, Shamrock grabbed Allan Goes by the ankle and broke the bones, literally tearing the ankle bones from the tendons. Goes still fought on, however, and the bout was declared a draw. Three years later, Shamrock effectively ended Igor Zinoviev's career after he threw him down, badly breaking his collarbone. A decade later, Shamrock was on the receiving end of a bone break when Cung Le broke his ulna.
Mixed martial arts is known for bloody bouts, and as we all know, head wounds do tend to gush. Rarely is there a fight without at least a little blood, as that is just a consequence of this type of fighting. Some cuts are worse than others, such as the sliced open face of Joe Stevenson during UFC 80 after BJ Penn hit him with an elbow sharper than a knife. That was a fairly quick repair, with just a few stitches, which is far less than Nate Quarry required after a bout with Jorge Rivera at UFC Fight Night 21. After losing by TKO, Quarry actually had to endure full facial reconstructive surgery to repair his broken nose and four facial fractures.
There are some pictures that really just stand out in one's mind, such as the horrific bone break suffered by Corey Hill during a UFC fight in 2008 against Dale Hart. Several minutes into the fight Hill delivers a kick to Hart and Hart blocks it with his knee, snapping Hill's leg bones pretty much in half. The picture definitely tells the story, as you see Hill's leg just dangle as if it were made of rubber. Still, Corey Hill did return to the ring to fight again in 2010 and continues to fight to this day and has had two losses and three wins since the injury.
Each of the injuries listed above are the exception to the rule, and just unlikely breaks (literally) for the fighters. Most fighters experience bruises and cuts and sometimes muscle injuries, but there are definitely ways to limit injuries. Keeping your weight consistent and avoiding severe weight cuts can help keep your muscles strong, and this will limit your risk of injury. Proper stretching is extremely important and also will limit injuries. Neck and shoulder injuries are very common in mixed martial arts, but stretching before a fight can reduce the severity of these injuries.
Proper nutrition is another key element, so if you are serious about fighting, sit down with a nutritionist and plan out a balanced diet and plan out strengthening meals for the days leading up to a fight and the day of a fight itself. Proper hydration is also equally important, especially prior to and immediately following a bout. Perhaps the best way to avoid injury is to simply become a better, stronger fighter with great agility. Avoiding contact from your opponent and taking control of a fight certainly lowers your own risk of injury.
About the Author:
Nolan Barias loves blogging about mma benefits. For more details about mixed martial arts lessons in San Diego or to find local coaches teaching jiu jitsu lessons in San Diego, please visit The Arena MMA website today.
No comments:
Post a Comment