United
Martial Arts Academy
841 North Main Street –
London, KY 40741 – (606) 862-6556
kentuckymartialarts.com
To the Editor, 1/16/06
Darrel Peters would have us believe that he’s a mixed martial arts expert, this time by quoting other self-proclaimed
MMA experts. He’s succeeded in demonstrating not only his own profound ignorance of the sport, but also the ignorance
of others.
If one searched hard enough, one could find many negative
statements about our sport by individuals as ignorant as Darrel. However, if one searched hard enough, one could also uncover
many positive statements. There are many upstanding Americans, including doctors, law enforcement officials and even politicians
who participate in MMA. Former UFC champion Royce Gracie has been recruited by police departments and the military to train
their members. In fact, these organizations have changed the way they teach hand-to-hand combat based on what they’ve
learned from MMA. Darrel claims to be in the military, but he doesn’t seem to know this.
Most people who understand MMA hold no ill will toward it. They know that MMA is no more dangerous
than any other contact sport and is the safest ring sport on earth. These people may or may not choose to compete in the ring,
but they would not take away the right of others to do so.
When
MMA first became popular in the early 90s it was still under experimentation and development. MMA is now main-stream. The
training methods, rules of competition and the procedures for event organization are standardized. The “outcry”
against MMA has ceased.
Darrel didn’t mention that MMA promoters
and martial arts leaders are working for regulation of MMA in the state of Kentucky. It’s no surprise that there are
states that have no regulation for MMA, because the sport is still young. Apparently Darrel hasn’t noticed that lawmaking
is a slow process. Darrel asserts that we’re holding “human cock fights,” but that’s simply not true.
All the martial artists I’ve spoken to are FOR the regulation of MMA events. A promoter I recently spoke to informed
me that rules for professional MMA are now being drafted into legislation and may be in place within a couple of months. Darrel
isn’t aware of this because he isn’t a member of the MMA community. He simply doesn’t know what he’s
talking about.
Darrel stated that MMA was banned in Missouri in 1996
due to a death that occurred in a tough-man contest. MMA FIGHTS ARE NOT TOUGHMAN CONTESTS. Tough-man contests are boxing events.
I explained the differences between boxing and MMA in my last letter, but Darrel chose to ignore it or he didn’t learn
anything from it. There have been no deaths in MMA competition.
Darrel’s
reference to an ancient law on “dueling” is ridiculous and completely irrelevant to the subject.
If a serious injury or death ever occurs in MMA, Darrel will write letters to every
newspaper in Kentucky. If a serious injury or death occurs at the next high school football game, I’m sure that he’ll
call for a ban on that sport as well. I don’t think he’ll succeed in his crusade. All sports are dangerous, but
for many reasons, we continue to participate in them.
Darrel has
had more than his say on this subject. He continues to attack MMA, not because he cares about it, but because he has personal
issues with local martial artists and promoters. I respectfully request that the Sentinel-Echo be more selective as to what
material it publishes. It’s true that people are entitled to their opinions, even if they’re completely wrong,
but professional newspapers don’t print every single rant submitted by the same individual.
Jeremy Patton
Owner
United Martial Arts Academy
