sport, local-sport,

REVERED martial arts sensei Steve Hardy has spoken out against the legalisation of cage fighting in Victoria, voicing fears that the sport will have a negative impact on younger generations immersed in mixed martial arts. Hardy, who is the current Australian kyokushin team coach, says the rules surrounding cage fighting have “minimal restraint based on entertainment”. The Victorian Government’s lift on the controversial octagon-barrier ban will inevitably see the polarising yet popular sport commence in Ballarat. And while many MMA coaches and fighters have rejoiced, believing the cage provides a safer experience than boxing ropes, Hardy says its implementation will provide little more than promotional value. “The cage is simply for entertainment,” he said. “They say the cage contains the fighter when they’re tackled and thrown up against it and I don’t necessarily think that’s a good thing. “The concept of the cage, the concept of stepping inside it and the idea of hitting another person into submission is a bad message for kids. “That message is that it’s ground and pound, it’s submission and it’s got an overtone of violence and ego.” Hardy’s comments come just weeks after Infinite Mixed Martial Arts head coach John Campbell told The Courier he was “pumped” about MMA’s legalisation. Campbell described the internationally renowned Ultimate Fighting Championship as “the most regulated and controlled sport in the world”. “From our particular point of view, it (the cage) keeps action going and makes for much more exciting fights and it’s just common sense when it comes to safety. It’s much safer,” Campbell said. However, Hardy’s wife Monica, herself a third dan black belt, criticised the nature of the fights, saying they lacked core principles taught among the traditional forms of martial arts such as discipline, respect and honour. “It’s not an honourable way of fighting,” she said. “The image of someone astride another person and hitting them in the face is not a good one for young kids.” “The whole atmosphere of MMA is totally different to normal martial arts,” Steve added. “The respect is not there, the control, the way they behave after they’ve won is not right. Karate still has a degree of obvious discipline and obvious respect. “It’s up to the parents who are interested in their children learning self defence to look at the guidelines put up by the club they join and what is taught in that club.” Campbell said a push was being made for cage fights to be brought to Ballarat within three months, while the UFC is scheduled to come to Melbourne for the first time in November this year. michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au

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