MMA and dead race-horses

The growth of MMA in past few years has been impressive.

I've enjoyed watching it a handful of times. And although it can certainly move from very physical to bloody to brutal, the proportion of bloody fights is surprisingly low. The proportion of brutal fights (from a beatdown to someone getting hit while unconscious or when he cannot defend himself) has been kept to a minimum by competent match-making and refereeing. That said, some brutality is unavoidable-- by the nature of the way in which MMA is done (currently).

I think MMA will continue to grow for the forseeable future. It is, for most people, far more entertaining than boxing. It has a lot more creativity and strategy-- with matches that differ greatly depending on the match-up.

All that said, I had an epiphany today about the potential downfall or down-trend in MMA. If someone dies in the ring because of brutality, that could be a watershed moment for the sport.

In this sense, it is akin to the potential troubles of horse-racing-- when horses die on the track from injuries sustained while racing. That sport is already struggling a bit. And a few more deaths like Barbaro and Eight Belles-- and it could be a footnote to sports.