Mayeda Questions the Responsibility of MMA in Violence in Society

In his article, Mayeda Examines MMA’s Role in Society, Danny Acosta informs us of David Mayeda’s opinion on the social responsibilities of mixed martial artists, specifically in regards to violence in society.

“I knew, even though I was seduced by mixed martial arts as a fan, it potentially could have differing effects on society in terms of violence,” said Mayeda, who has placed his academic focus on violence prevention geared toward youth.

Mayeda, who earned his PhD in American Studies from the University of Hawaii, set out to explore MMA’s place in society in 2005 after coming to know the sport through “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.

Mayeda gets more specific, addressing the topic of domestic violence:

“I’m going to stick to my assertion that because MMA is the closest thing to the complete sport of fighting, it holds — the sport as a whole holds — a broader social responsibility,” he said. “That overlap between MMA and street school or domestic violence is the most striking concern for me socially. I’d like to see the MMA community take a broader responsibility in distancing the sport from those types of violence and sending out the right social messages to prevent those types of violence.”

Mayeda, who played football during his high school years, uses the NFL as an example of how he would like to see the UFC handle the issue.

“They have really strong charitable organizations that they promote during their commercials during their games,” Mayeda said.

Mayeda cites one example he was pleased with:

In Kailua, Hawaii, more than a year ago, a man beat his ex-girlfriend to death with the butt of his gun. MMA Hawaii executives who run MMA Hawaii Magazine and mmahawaii.com recognized the perpetrator as one of the spectators at an event they sponsored.

In response, MMA Hawaii initiated partnerships with the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. MMA Hawaii Magazine also enlisted Icon Sport middleweight champion Kala Hose and had him pose with his daughter under the caption: “You love your daughter. You want to give her the world. Start by treating her mother with respect. Real fighters keep it in the ring.”

Mayeda’s thoughts on how he would like to see mixed martial arts and the UFC grow are surprising. His wish is for gyms offering MMA to teach in the way that traditional martial arts are taught – with a focus on discipline, family, goals, compassion, etc. One has to wonder then, why a student would not then simply sign up for a specific martial art, taught at a dojo that’s run with the more traditional guidelines.

“Those are the things that martial arts schools are known for doing,” he said. “If MMA schools can capture that identity and really pursue those goals, it’ll have a much easier time gaining acceptance across the country.”

Read the original article here.