Reader Reax
READER REAX: Responses to the issue of CTE and head trauma in MMA from Ivan Trembow's guest editorial
Sep 28, 2010 - 11:18:29 AM READER REAX: Responses to the issue of CTE and head trauma in MMA from Ivan Trembow's guest editorial

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Ivan Trembow penned a guest editorial for MMATorch on Monday discussing why he will no longer be watching the sport of MMA. Citing new studies involving traumatic head injuries and concussions suffered in sports, Trembow made his case for why he can no longer continue to watch a number of sports that involve the risk of head injury on a recurring basis, and MMATorch readers have sent in some responses. The original article is here.

Major Green

I must say, Ivan, your article on contact sports and the long term effects of them, will definitely make me react differently to a knockout or a big hit in football. I've never actually thought about what a knockout would do to a fighter; or what a big punch would do long term. I now think a lot differently about the KJ Noons vs. Jorge Gurgel fight. When I was watching it and Gurgel took that punch, i thought the fight should have been over, but once Jorge made it back to his stool, he seemed to look ok. Noons on the other hand knew that Jorge was way out of it by his coming out and knocking Gurgel clean out once again with an extremely vicious two punch combo. MMA is I think definitely going to go down the same road as boxing where people look at boxing now and talk about how terrible it is for the brain. People have just always said MMA is ok because the fight is stopped when a fighter is knocked out. Knowing what i know now, I'm not sure how much more MMA I'll be watching.

Josh Golden

The article on brain injury in MMA was very insightful, however there is a specific part that I think is fairly stretched. Six suicides since 2006 among MMA fighters is a little more than one a year. One suicide a year in the last five years is an incredibly small number when compared to how many MMA fighters there are. Every profession in the world probably has at least that just by sheer chance. MMA is, after all, the fastest growing sport in the world.

Simon Minor

Hello I was just replying to your article on fighters and suicide and CTE. You have very good points and I just want to say thanks because it really opened my eyes to what's really going on in MMA. Just to be honest I'll still watch it but now I have a whole new aspect. Thanks man and I hope this article really opens fighters eyes, cause I'd hate to see how big the number of suicides and deaths becomes in the years to come.

Josh Hissa

Ivan,

Thank you. I can't imagine how hard it was to reach this conclusion, and then write this article. It shows a lot of courage (God knows you must have gotten some flack for this) and I'm incredibly impressed by your poise and tact in this matter.

I too have been struggling with this, though moreover in my watching of pro wrestling. How I spend my time and money demonstrates what I value, and I don't know if I can continue to support these dangerous industries with the steroid abuse, concussions/CTE Head Trauma, the schedule for WWE performers, and the lack of respect for health and well-being in MMA and major pro wrestling promotions.

Reading this article has helped me understand so much more about the dangers and reality of MMA head injuries, and I wanted to thank you for your work. I honestly really struggle with moving forward on this; wrestling and MMA has been a huge part of my life for years, and leaving it behind will leave a serious time void in my life. But when I think at the price being paid by those who are hurting and dying for these industries, my 'sacrifice' just doesn't seem that hard to do.

Again, thank you Ivan.

If you have a response to the original article, or to these reader reactions, send them in for publishing to MMATorch@gmail.com