Is It Sport?

Clare is more a fan of mixed-martial-arts’ fighter Ronda Rousey than I am.  I can see the appeal in how Rousey comes off as confident in the face of very real danger.  But what the 28-year does for a living is by no stretch of the imagination a sport.  I’d say it’s more along the lines of bear-baiting in the 21^st century.

Rousey stepped into a cage of a ring last weekend, only to be dropped by opponent Holly Holm with a brutal if not vicious leg kick to the head in the second round.  Down Rousey went with Holm on top delivering more blows until the ref could pull her off and declare the fight over, Holm the surprise winner.  Man or woman, this kind of fighting crosses over into savagery.  It dehumanizes all involved, those in the cage—less animals in a zoo than in a marketplace—and those watching.  Boxing really is a “sweet science” in comparison.