(CA) Governor skips fight event; Planned mixed martial arts appearance...

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/04/ARNOLD.TMP

Governor skips fight event
Planned mixed martial arts appearance raised a fuss
Carla Marinucci and Edward Epstein, Chronicle Political Writers
Saturday, March 4, 2006

Columbus, Ohio -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger canceled his plans Friday to lend his star power to a controversial card of "gladiator'' style bouts, acting quickly to end a day of controversy that had complicated his negotiations with legislative Democrats over his huge public-works financing proposal.

The governor decided not to attend a card of mixed martial arts matches just hours before the event was to begin Friday night at the Nationwide Arena before a nationwide pay-per-view TV audience. The mixed martial arts event, which had touted the governor's appearance for months, was the opening highlight of the Arnold Fitness Expo and Arnold Classic, a sports festival that is expected to draw 120,000 people by the time it ends Sunday.

A story in The Chronicle on Thursday reported on the governor's plans to attend the "Arnold Classic Friday Night Fights," a mixture of boxing, wrestling and martial arts that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has condemned as "barbaric'' and other politicians and medical experts have blasted as human cockfighting inside a mesh cage.

... The governor, in an interview late Friday night at his hotel, said he knew his schedule included an award presentation to Frazier, but had just learned the appearance was at the MMA event.

"I'm not against it," Schwarzenegger said of the mixed martial arts competition. "(But) I knew nothing about it (in advance)."

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He probably just pissed off the last few people who would vote for him!! Can you imagine... all those freeper Ahhhnold lovers in the stands finding out the Gropenator wasn't gonna show after they paid $$$ to see him??!!

:rofl:

are as diverse a group as any other. again. perception is everything, words like "cockfighting" and "gladiator style fights" imply death and destruction and association with mindless violence.

i get irratated when the reporting on these events is so skewed and no really representative of what is actually going on.

"If you excuz me, I need to have an-uh-der group feel up. Dat wud be great for da Govenor of Calee-forn-eah. Where are dah hot women at? Maria, I will be home late."

MMA has enough problems with McCain trying to spin it as brutal (it's way safer than boxing in terms of long term health effects). The funny thing is that almost all the UFC champions have college degrees, because you have to be extremely smart to dominate at the sport - one of them was a former high school math teacher. Okay, so this wasn't a UFC event, but the rules of MMA always err on the side of caution when it comes to the health of the fighter.

And I say this as a long-time boxing fan who grew up watching Gillette's fight night with my father.

MMA is not corrupt like boxing.

MMA is much safer for the athletes (not "barbarians") who participate.

MMA is real fighting, not a stage show.

MMA athletes are better spoken and more intelligent than athletes from other contact sports.

MMA kicks ass!

And how can you go wrong with Joe Rogan?

C'mon, let's get it on!

I'm a huge boxing fan, too.

The fact is that once "you're rocked" (as Joe Rogan would say) too badly, they stop the fight, and that's the main reason it's safer. You don't get a 10 count to recover. That's what makes it safer as far as head injuries go. Also, you can win by arm bar, leg lock, or some other submission. That makes it so you don't have to hit the other person more or more severely than they hit you to win.

BTW....how do you see the fights tonight shaping up:


Franklin vs The Crow

GSP vs Penn


I think Franklin will win, but The Crow is really dangerous so if he messes up just once, he could lose. As far as GSP vs Penn....I have no idea. That could go either way.

Mainly because he comes across as a good guy; I don't know anything about The Crow.

I agree with the GSP vs Penn fight.

No matter what, it won't be lame!

And I'll bet that any boxer that dared step into the ring with Matt Hughes or someone of that caliber would quickly have his ass handed to him. (Probably a submission within 45 seconds.)