Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was on Capitol Hill earlier today (Feb. 4, 2014) alongside representatives from boxing for a special presentation on brain trauma, the most common form of injury to afflict past and present fighters who make a living in combat sports.
From Senator John McCain:
"I appreciate the fact that top boxing and mixed martial arts organizations have joined together to directly support the Cleveland Clinic's Professional Fighters Brain Health Study. The willingness of these organizations to support research into the effects of contact sports on brain health indicates their willingness to take very seriously the welfare of their boxers and fighters and demonstrates that they recognize how crucial fighter-safety is to the long-term viability of their sports. I am hopeful that their funding for this study will advance our understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of brain trauma and support similar research efforts going well beyond the ring."
See the full presentation below.
McCain once famously referred to MMA as "human cockfighting" back in the early nineties.
Boxing entities Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Boxing along with Viacom's Bellator MMA and even GLORY kickboxing have collaboratively committed $600,000 to help continue Cleveland Clinic's Professional Fighters Brain Health Study, according to today's press release.
On the scene today (Feb. 4, 2014) in Washington D.C. were UFC 172 headliners Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira, along with UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and boxing's Bernard Hopkins, among others.
The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada, is currently spearheading the study. To find out more about their cause, as well as how you can help, head over to ClevelandClinic.org by clicking here.