Ian Murphy was most definitely in too deep and the fact he was allowed to fight at DREAM.2 in April 2009 against Ronaldo Jacare underscores the profound lack of regulation and oversight of Japanese mixed martial arts. There really is no regulatory oversight of the sport or the actions of individual promoters. The fight culture rooted in sumo and continued in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts is extremely backwards. Fight promoters first, second and third priorities are making money. With the exception of the top stars, fighters are largely viewed as interchangeable and expendable. Mandatory drug testing is completely nonexistent and theres little elective testing by the individual promotions. Even the simplest steps to protect the fighters well being are unenforced or non-existent.
There's not a state athletic commission in the US that would have sanctioned the DREAM 2 matchup between Ian Murphy and Ronaldo Jacare. Murphy had just turned 22, and as of a couple of months prior to his DREAM 2 appearance was completing his senior season of wrestling at Cal State Fullerton. While he was a standout collegiate wrestler, he'd been seriously training for mixed martial arts for little more than a month. He'd never even had an amateur fight. While his athletic background definitely suggests potential as a MMA fighter he was essentially a novice.
His opponent at DREAM.2, Ronaldo Jacare Souza, was in no way a novice. Jacare began training in judo at age 14 and later changed his focus to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Now 27, Jacare is a BJJ black belt and has been called one of the most feared submission grapplers in the world. That was evidenced in 2006 when Jacare fought former UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture to a draw in a submission wrestling event. Jacare's original opponent--tough veteran Frank Trigg--would have found him a difficult matchup. After Trigg was forced to withdraw days before the fight, DREAM management approached Murphy who readily agreed to take the fight.
The fight itself was essentially over before it began. Murphy was visibly nervous to the point of near panic as he made his ring walk. He could be seen taking a few deep breaths to steady his nerves. While any fighter would have felt a few butterflies walking into Saitama Super Arena for the first time, Murphys obvious apprehension transcended this. This underscored the reality that he hadn't any real experience or knowledge competing or even training in a mixed martial arts environment. While his collegiate background is impressive, DREAM could have likely found an equally competitive opponent for Jacare on the street in front of the arena.
From the start of the match it was all Jacare. Murphy tried to use the only real weapon at his disposal and shot in attempting to take down his opponent. He partially succeeded, but more likely Jacare allowed himself to be taken down. From this point on, Murphy was in Jacare's world where he received an emphatic crash course in submission ground fighting. Murphy didn't have any idea how to counter Jacare's submissions and only his toughness and physical conditioning kept the fight going as long as it did. Murphys cornermen were equally as lost based on the instructions they shouted to their fighter some of which would have been disastrous if they had been heeded. The end came when Jacare gave up on a Kimura attempt that Murphy was defending with sheer strength alone and transitioned into a rear naked choke. With no significant experience or knowledge about how to defend chokes, he had no choice to tap.
Ronaldo Jacare may be the only person involved who is above reproach. He did what a fighter is supposed to do, which is show up in shape and try to defeat his opponent to the best of his ability. Everyone else involved shares some degree of blame. FEG should have never booked Murphy against such a dangerous opponent, and Murphy's management team should have never accepted. Even Murphy can't be held from responsibility--he should have known that he wasn't far enough along in his development as a fighter to take on one of the best submission specialists in the world. The good news is that Murphy made it through the fight unharmed, aside from suffering a decent beating. Still, the potential for tragedy by pitting a completely inexperienced fighter is apparent.
A legitimate regulatory body would have never allowed the Murphy/Jacare fight to take place, but unfortunately such oversight doesn't exist in Japanese fight sports. In the US, state athletic commissions regulate mixed martial arts using many of the same rules as boxing. In Japan, it's essentially unregulated and exists in a 'wild west' type environment where literally anything goes.
Change comes slowly in Japanese culture and in political matters slower still. The two organizations that oversee Japanese boxing (the Japanese Boxing Association and the Japanese Professional Boxing Association) have historically done little and have existed more as money making ventures than regulatory agencies. Its taken some high profile in ring deaths in recent years to even generate talk of reform. Despite some nominal show of concern by government officials little has been done and the JBA and JPBA are more concerned about their turf war as sanctioning bodies than they are doing anything to protect fighters who box in Japan. The promotion behind World Victory Road has done what they can to rectify the situation with regard to MMA by creating a Japan Mixed Martial Arts Commission to serve as the oversight authority for the sport. Unfortunately, without some government involvement its unlikely they can have much of an impact just as the supposed current group in charge of rules in Japanese MMA, the International Shooto Commission, has been rendered largely impotent.
The reality, however, is that there's little mandate for reform of fight sport oversight within the Japanese political culture. Given the history of boxing in Japan, a death in an MMA event would do little to hasten this change. Perhaps the best hope is a competitive worldwide economic marketplace--fighters are in a position now where they have more professional options both in Japan and elsewhere, and can insist on promotions taking the necessary steps to protect their safety and well being.
There's not a state athletic commission in the US that would have sanctioned the DREAM 2 matchup between Ian Murphy and Ronaldo Jacare. Murphy had just turned 22, and as of a couple of months prior to his DREAM 2 appearance was completing his senior season of wrestling at Cal State Fullerton. While he was a standout collegiate wrestler, he'd been seriously training for mixed martial arts for little more than a month. He'd never even had an amateur fight. While his athletic background definitely suggests potential as a MMA fighter he was essentially a novice.
His opponent at DREAM.2, Ronaldo Jacare Souza, was in no way a novice. Jacare began training in judo at age 14 and later changed his focus to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Now 27, Jacare is a BJJ black belt and has been called one of the most feared submission grapplers in the world. That was evidenced in 2006 when Jacare fought former UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture to a draw in a submission wrestling event. Jacare's original opponent--tough veteran Frank Trigg--would have found him a difficult matchup. After Trigg was forced to withdraw days before the fight, DREAM management approached Murphy who readily agreed to take the fight.
The fight itself was essentially over before it began. Murphy was visibly nervous to the point of near panic as he made his ring walk. He could be seen taking a few deep breaths to steady his nerves. While any fighter would have felt a few butterflies walking into Saitama Super Arena for the first time, Murphys obvious apprehension transcended this. This underscored the reality that he hadn't any real experience or knowledge competing or even training in a mixed martial arts environment. While his collegiate background is impressive, DREAM could have likely found an equally competitive opponent for Jacare on the street in front of the arena.
From the start of the match it was all Jacare. Murphy tried to use the only real weapon at his disposal and shot in attempting to take down his opponent. He partially succeeded, but more likely Jacare allowed himself to be taken down. From this point on, Murphy was in Jacare's world where he received an emphatic crash course in submission ground fighting. Murphy didn't have any idea how to counter Jacare's submissions and only his toughness and physical conditioning kept the fight going as long as it did. Murphys cornermen were equally as lost based on the instructions they shouted to their fighter some of which would have been disastrous if they had been heeded. The end came when Jacare gave up on a Kimura attempt that Murphy was defending with sheer strength alone and transitioned into a rear naked choke. With no significant experience or knowledge about how to defend chokes, he had no choice to tap.
Ronaldo Jacare may be the only person involved who is above reproach. He did what a fighter is supposed to do, which is show up in shape and try to defeat his opponent to the best of his ability. Everyone else involved shares some degree of blame. FEG should have never booked Murphy against such a dangerous opponent, and Murphy's management team should have never accepted. Even Murphy can't be held from responsibility--he should have known that he wasn't far enough along in his development as a fighter to take on one of the best submission specialists in the world. The good news is that Murphy made it through the fight unharmed, aside from suffering a decent beating. Still, the potential for tragedy by pitting a completely inexperienced fighter is apparent.
A legitimate regulatory body would have never allowed the Murphy/Jacare fight to take place, but unfortunately such oversight doesn't exist in Japanese fight sports. In the US, state athletic commissions regulate mixed martial arts using many of the same rules as boxing. In Japan, it's essentially unregulated and exists in a 'wild west' type environment where literally anything goes.
Change comes slowly in Japanese culture and in political matters slower still. The two organizations that oversee Japanese boxing (the Japanese Boxing Association and the Japanese Professional Boxing Association) have historically done little and have existed more as money making ventures than regulatory agencies. Its taken some high profile in ring deaths in recent years to even generate talk of reform. Despite some nominal show of concern by government officials little has been done and the JBA and JPBA are more concerned about their turf war as sanctioning bodies than they are doing anything to protect fighters who box in Japan. The promotion behind World Victory Road has done what they can to rectify the situation with regard to MMA by creating a Japan Mixed Martial Arts Commission to serve as the oversight authority for the sport. Unfortunately, without some government involvement its unlikely they can have much of an impact just as the supposed current group in charge of rules in Japanese MMA, the International Shooto Commission, has been rendered largely impotent.
The reality, however, is that there's little mandate for reform of fight sport oversight within the Japanese political culture. Given the history of boxing in Japan, a death in an MMA event would do little to hasten this change. Perhaps the best hope is a competitive worldwide economic marketplace--fighters are in a position now where they have more professional options both in Japan and elsewhere, and can insist on promotions taking the necessary steps to protect their safety and well being.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a consulting handicapper for a number of offshore sportsbooks and an authority on UFC betting. He's a well known and widely published expert sports handicapping theory, as well as stock market investing. He contributes to a number of websites providing insight on how to bet on CFL football, MMA and boxing.
0 comments:
Post a Comment