Mixed Martial Arts take part in seminars with IOC at London 2012 Olympics

[BluenoseGreig]

By Gareth A Davies Boxing and MMA

There has been much debate over whether MMA should be vying for Olympic inclusion. The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) is holding a press conference in London tonight to explain it role in explaining MMA at IOC seminars during the London Olympics.

Given the explosion of the sport in Brazil, and the love of jiu-jitsu there, there is the prospect that the sport finds momentum in being considered for Rio 2016, potentially as a demonstration sport.

Monitoring mixed martial arts on behalf of the IOC during these seminars are:
Richard L Carrión of the Executive IOC, representing Puerto Rico, Ivan Dibós, representing Peru, Habu Gumel, representing Nigeria, and Göran Petersson, representing Sweden. George Sallfeldt, an IMMAF Board Member, is to host the press conference.

The press event is at the RE London Shoreditch Hotel, 419-437 Hackney Road, at 8pm.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/g...2012-olympics/

[Kickass32]

I still say it'll never happen....I hope I'm wrong.

[Cisco]

I hope you're wrong as well.

[Misfit]

No way but I think bjj could easily be in as a demo for 16.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2

[AaronP95]

I actually think BJJ is a better option for the Olympics, the changes they would have to make to MMA to even consider it an Olympic sport is unbelievable. Imagine MMA with head guards, larger gloves and no elbows (and probably no knees to the face)... it would just take all the entertainment out of the sport. Also the commissions would probably be against letting the fighters fight in a tournament with such little resting period in between fights, just think, most fighters are suspended for at least a month after each fight purely as a precaution... imagine trying to let them have 4 fights in a two week period, no way would the NSAC or another board allow that. I definitely think that BJJ and no-gi BJJ is more than capable of becoming an Olympic sport by 2016 but i for one would not want to see MMA in the Olympics as i think it would harm the sport more than it would benefit it.

[Brunow]

It's different in boxing. The Olympic boxing is quite different than pro boxing. To start they were protection and it looks more like a sparring session.

If MMA were every to enter, it would be with head protection for sure. Not sure how that would dwell.

Now BJJ, I'd bet it happens in Rio..., or at least has a big chance of going down.

[AaronP95]

It's different in boxing. The Olympic boxing is quite different than pro boxing. To start they were protection and it looks more like a sparring session.

If MMA were every to enter, it would be with head protection for sure. Not sure how that would dwell.

Now BJJ, I'd bet it happens in Rio..., or at least has a big chance of going down.

The only way i see MMA happening is with the rules that america uses for amateur (we call it NSAC in England) where they use 7/8oz gloves but even then i think head guards would be required and i think that makes a big difference in MMA especially when trying to put on a guillotine choke on someone with a head guard on.
no i definitely think BJJ will be put forward for the next games, i think this would be the better option because then pro MMA fighters can still compete and it will still bring some attention to MMA as BJJ is a large part of MMA

[Tukh]

I still say it'll never happen....I hope I'm wrong.

I'll take it a step further and say I don't want the IOC anywhere near MMA. Whatever comes out the other side of their meat grinder won't look anything like MMA.

BJJ makes a lot more sense.

[Kickass32]

I'll take it a step further and say I don't want the IOC anywhere near MMA. Whatever comes out the other side of their meat grinder won't look anything like MMA.

BJJ makes a lot more sense.

LOL...exactly!!

[BluenoseGreig]

The mere fact there is discussion over this can only be good for the sport, I definitely agree with you guys though, MMA in the Olympics would be nothing like the MMA we want to see, BJJ would be a great addition to the Olympics.