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A18 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, June 27, 2008 SPORTS %-ý SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LeBLANC e-mail slebianc@miitoncanadanchamPofl.com Weighing in on MMA debate BKcbxrtre Native Miltonian defendus controversial sport Craîg 'Cyclone' Cyr lias laced plenty of mnixed martial arts (MMA) detractors, and - as one wbo rarely gels fazed or frazzled generally takes tbeîr reînarks ini sîiide. However, tbe 36-year-old Milton native -wbo grew up tn town and stîll bas strong lies 10 the communîîy - couidnît belp but abandon (aibeit just momentarily) bis even- keeled demeanour wben asked about one parttcularly colourful characterization of bis Sport. *He called il wbat? Humnan cockfîgbt- îng?! the stoic fîgbîer blîîîted oui in response îo a ratber înfaînous quote by U.S. Presidenîtal bopeful John McCaini a few ',ears ago. "Man, thaîs jusi craz' \\bat do y ou say tri soniething lîke ibat?" Tbe Republîcan senators comment may be a bit extreme, but there-s no denying MMA - for ail ils popularity - still bas uts shate of cnitics, wbo sec tbe caged comnbat as notbing more îban i ablood sport. Neset one 10 pull puncbes, eitier i the ring or oui of il, Cyr bias a very sîîaîgbî for- warcl reply bo tbat viewpoint. Ibhat's jusi ignorance ialktng," said tbe lise-foot-nine-incb. 155-pounder. wbo îook up MMA about a year-and-a-balf ago loliow- îng a iengtby hiatus [rom combat - baving enjoyed a btgbiy-decoraîed kîckboxing career îbrougbout the 1990s. "Most people don't know bow miucli discipline goes int titis because îbey can't see the training belbind the scenes. 'Contrary to wbaî some believe, theres a lot of stralegy involved. ils lîke a buman cbess match in there, and mosi of the guys reaily do respect eacb oîbeî. Yes theres a lot of bype and adrenaline before a match, but nobody's iooking 10 do serious barm 10 the other guy" 0f course il goes wiîbout saying that MMA bas ample supporters as weli. in fact a swift uppercut or flying knee to the bead arent neariy as sîaggering as ibat understatement, given the sports skyrocket- îng fan base - pnimanly among maies 18 îo 34. Jusi lasî montb CBS began capitalizing on the sports craze, atring the first in a series Inth e of Saturday nigbî EliteXC cards. lis viewer- sbip among that aforemenîioîsed demo- grapbic spîked by a wboppîng 271 per cent dun-ng that prevtously-dormanî lime slot. But one would bardly be goîng oui on a lîmb t0 suggest MMA îsn't exactly beîng embracedl by a sizable segment of maiti- streani North Amnerica -sometbing Cyr fully apprectates. Anci witb images like blooci pouring down a figbîer's face or fîsîs being dniven mbt the back of one'- bead. the ligbtweigbt combatant stresses that ils certainily nol appropniaîe for youngsîers. "No i wouldn't feel comforîable witb chil dren bettsg exposed 10 il. Tbey can't grasp wbat's goîng on." But wbeîî il cormes te, the actual conse- quences of that violence, MMA opponienîs aren't on nearly as solid footing as îbey'd like bo believe. W/bile unfaîr 10 draw a direct comparison wiîb other sports - for a varîeîy of reasons - consider Ibis. The joumnal of Combative Sport reports îbat there bave been 686 boxing-reîated fatalities in U.S. bistory wbile that total jumps 10 1002 for football. The number of deatbs in sancîioned MMA events since its inception - one, Sammy Vasquez in Texas last October. Add in the facî that the potential for bead injuries is jusI as prevalent or more so in the ring and on the gridiron îban in the cage and if's difficuit 10, see MMA as any more danger- oua than its more accepîed combat counter- parts. Said Cyr, "Yes ifs violent, but there are rnuch stricter safety mneasures in place now rban wbcn it first started. They stop tbe fighît pretty quick nosa when a guys in trouble. i've neyer been scared for my safety in there." Recently solîcîîed for their opin- io[n on the controversial sport, long-time local martial arts instructors Scott Hogarth and Bob Kranstz - of Fightîng Gniffin Martial Arts and the Milton Scbool of jiu-jitsu respectively - botb said tbeyre ail for MMA competi- lion. That is, as long as il's properly sanctioned You've got to bave the ngbî rnaîcbîngs in terms of weîgbî and expenience,' sîressed Kranstz. Cyr totally agrees, poînîing îo a fîrst-hand experience earlier thîs year at a Rochester-area eveni that may not have been above board.' -Trutb be told, io didn'î seemn completely legit once 1 got there," admîts 'Cyclone', sabo due in part to the red tape învolved in getting a lîcense and because MMA is banned in many areas lîke bis native Ontanio, bas only had two bouts (botb knockout wins) t0 date. 1I jusi wanîed to get anotber fîgbt in, but 1 won't be doing tbat again. -1 don't see the sport going underground bere (Ontario) lîke it bas in places lîke New York, tbougb not witb tbe beavy fines involved. Theres been rumours of iî being sanctioned in Ontario since the UFC bad sucb a great draw in Montreal. 1 sure bope tbey make il legal bere soon, but tbere's a lot o) polities învolved and il seems like a few people are working bard te, keep it banned." Another concern local martial arts insîmeltors bave relates to training - or ratber a iack of it. "ýMy wonry is tbat guys wbo've been suc- cessfui in one particular martial art may be getting a [aise sense of security fromn tbeir coacbes and going inl (te, MMA) wben tbeyre not ready," remnarked Hogartb. Cyr stresses tbaï's not tbe case wiîb bim. 'Yeab you may gel someone wbo's tbrived go0n 10r tati then forsin peron nd oud nyergelinthere ifndfe "And~~~~~fid ouer relyi eog alî es ures~~~ ~~~~ 0n plce To add antor ewan bcad ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ wr geroin aigilî ae ol be~~~~~~n iain awa a lodfwa pr s At 3, Cy reaizesbis m areerl ays be oer bfor il eall ges a hane gttoen - bavng ben tuned dwn b the UPC in But benil cmes10 hsors fute be~~~~~~~n doen' seismenudminisn anyhim soon.r ' -is tne evoutn ofmrtu at. 'i a eyr ister 10so sandwudnve e"nter f1fl 0~~ ~ -4,MlonSm Y NJs1ySoce Cap Ail levels of experience welcome! For boys & girls agas 5 to 151 SESSI@U DATU3 July 141h - Juiy 18th, 2008 5*5? jLOCArIO Lions Park Thompson Road. Milton <Just behund the Milton Leisure Centre) Visit our website for details. SpaebL s ImItedl eglustobr T.ilayl _ Phone: 90.9916 ww .kotsceIo Em i.:pt@ynt.o Màt on M in or H o ck ey A sso ciaot io n ONLIE REGIS TRA TION Registration for the 2008-2009 Hockey Season is now underway REOISTER S00H te take advantage ot the EARLY BIRD registration tees! Price increases: August isti go to www. mi Itonwinterhawks.com for more information