I think this a perfect example of why Sparring Gear is so important. “I was dealing with a really good boxer and he caught me with a left hook that rocked me a little bit,”. This was a quote from Welterweight Brian Foster. I have to say, as a Martial Artist and a giant fan of M.M.A., I got chills when I saw this headline. We tend to take for granted that as participants in contact sports, there will actually be CONTACT. I could not help but think about the times an opponent was dazed, or when I was on the receiving end. Though the U.F.C. will never allow head protection, I think all fighters should wear some during sparring sessions. Heck, there is no point in taking punishment when you are only trying to prepare. Apparently, Brian was injured while sparring, that makes me wonder about all the injuries that fighters have received that they either fought through or we just never heard about it. We really have to do better to protect our guys, sometimes we have to protect them from themselves. The inner-warrior in us always makes us jump back us and keep swinging. I think this unfortunate incident should serve as a warning to all us. We have to protect our bodies. I think as Martial Artist, we only have to look at the issues in the NFL to serve a reminder of the affects of concussions.
I am thankful Brian will recover, and I wish him and his family the best. I do hope there is some good to come out of this.
Yeah, I agree. Protection during sparring is important. Whether UFC rules allow head protection in matches is irrelavent to whether it should be worn during training.
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