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Michael Kirkham, 30, has become the second man known to have died in the United States from injuries sustained in a mixed martial arts fight.
Kirkham, a lightweight who was nicknamed "Tree" because he stood 6-feet-9 and weighed 155 pounds, was making his pro debut Saturday night in Aiken, S.C., after a handful of amateur fights. He was knocked out in the first round and did not regain consciousness before passing away Monday morning.
South Carolina is relatively new to MMA, sanctioning the sport in May 2009.
As of March, MMA was regulated in all but six states, including two with no athletic commissions. Some states hold unregulated bouts, but major promoters such as the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator refuse to promote fights without a sanctioning body in place. Sanctioning efforts in New York remain in limbo.
As regulation has quickly grown over the past few years, so has the number of MMA fights. Sherdog.com's calendar listed 16 fight cards from Thursday to Sunday, and that listing is incomplete -- the card on which Kirkham was fighting is not listed.
The sport's proponents have long argued that it is safer than boxing. MMA fights are immediately stopped if a fighter cannot intelligently defend himself after being knocked down, while boxers are given time to recover and may face further punishment. Also, MMA bouts include a greater variety of techniques, including grappling holds, that can bring a fight to a finish without seriously injuring an opponent. The American Medical Association opposes both boxing and MMA.
Kirkham, a lightweight who was nicknamed "Tree" because he stood 6-feet-9 and weighed 155 pounds, was making his pro debut Saturday night in Aiken, S.C., after a handful of amateur fights. He was knocked out in the first round and did not regain consciousness before passing away Monday morning.
South Carolina is relatively new to MMA, sanctioning the sport in May 2009.
As of March, MMA was regulated in all but six states, including two with no athletic commissions. Some states hold unregulated bouts, but major promoters such as the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator refuse to promote fights without a sanctioning body in place. Sanctioning efforts in New York remain in limbo.
As regulation has quickly grown over the past few years, so has the number of MMA fights. Sherdog.com's calendar listed 16 fight cards from Thursday to Sunday, and that listing is incomplete -- the card on which Kirkham was fighting is not listed.
The sport's proponents have long argued that it is safer than boxing. MMA fights are immediately stopped if a fighter cannot intelligently defend himself after being knocked down, while boxers are given time to recover and may face further punishment. Also, MMA bouts include a greater variety of techniques, including grappling holds, that can bring a fight to a finish without seriously injuring an opponent. The American Medical Association opposes both boxing and MMA.
Well this wont help with getting sanctioned in new places.You know how people spaz out at everything
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