Ian Murphy was in over his head and the he fact he was allowed to fight at DREAM 2 in April 2009 against Ronaldo Jacare underscores the profound lack of regulation and oversight of Japanese mixed martial arts. There really is no regulatory oversight of the sport or the actions of individual promoters. The fight culture rooted in sumo and continued in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts is extremely backwards. Fight promoters' first, second and third priorities are making money. With the exception of the top stars, fighters are largely viewed as interchangeable and expendable. Mandatory drug testing is completely nonexistent and there's little elective testing by the individual promotions. Even the simplest steps to protect the fighters well being are unenforced or non-existent.
The fight between Ian Murphy and Ronaldo Jacare would have never been sanctioned in the United States. Murphy had just turned 22, and as of a couple of months prior to his DREAM 2 appearance was completing his senior season of wrestling at Cal State Fullerton. While he was a standout collegiate wrestler, he'd been seriously training for mixed martial arts for little more than a month. He'd never even had an amateur fight. While his athletic background definitely suggests potential as a MMA fighter he was essentially a novice.
His opponent, Ronaldo Jacare Souza most decidedly was not. Jacare began training in judo at age 14 and later changed his focus to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Now 27, Jacare is a BJJ black belt and has been called one of the most feared submission grapplers in the world. That was evidenced in 2006 when Jacare fought former UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture to a draw in a submission wrestling event. Jacare would have been a tough matchup for even his original opponent, tough veteran Frank Trigg. When Trigg pulled out less than a week before the fight DREAM parent company FEG approached Murphy who readily agreed.
The actual fight was over before it began. Murphy was clearly nervous verging on panic as he walked to the ring. He could clearly be seen breathing deeply trying to steady his nerves. This transcended mere 'butterflies' that any fighter would have felt walking into a revered venue like Tokyo's Saitama Super Arena for the first time. It underscored the reality that he hadnt any real experience or knowledge competing or even training in a mixed martial arts environment. Murphy's collegiate wrestling background notwithstanding, DREAM could have picked an opponent for Jacare out of the audience at random and achieved a more competitive matchup.
Jacare dominated the fight from start to finish, with Murphy's strength and physical conditioning the only things that kept the fight going as long as it did. Murphy's cornermen were clearly clueless about how to help their fighter. The end came when Jacare made Murphy tap out to a rear naked choke, evidencing that he'd had no experience on how to defend a basic MMA submission.
Ronaldo Jacare is the one player in this story that can be held blameless. He did what a fighter is supposed to do, which is to try to defeat his opponent to the best of his ability. Virtually everyone else involved in the fight bears some measure of culpability. FEG should never have booked Murphy to fight, Murphys handlers should have never accepted knowing their fighters almost non-existent MMA training and the official in the ring for not stopping the fight much sooner. At least this tale of indifference and ineptitude has a somewhat happy ending as Murphy emerged unscathed, with the exception of having suffered a beating. Still, the potential for disaster and tragedy by involving a completely inexperienced fighter in the event is significant as is the collateral damage such an occurrence would have on MMA worldwide.
Any legitimate regulatory oversight body would have done what everyone else involved did not by refusing to sanction this fight. In Japan, however, there isn't any significant oversight of the sort and none focused on the well being of the fighters. In the United States, the sport is regulated by state athletic commissions in the same way as boxing. In Japan, the sport that grew out of professional wrestling is regulated in essentially the same way. That is to say like pro wrestling its largely anything goes in terms of rules, safety and other issues concerning fighter well being.
There have been some incremental changes to the Japanese fight sport world, specifically the creation of a Japanese Mixed Martial Arts Commission to serve as an oversight body for the sport. At this point, however, it is an independent entity and without some government involvement to give their regulatory efforts some 'teeth' they can't have much of an impact.
Unfortunately, there's no real mandate for change within the Japanese political culture. Even should a death occur in Japan, its unlikely that would spur much demand for stricter oversight of mixed martial arts. Perhaps the best near term catalyst for change is the Japanese fight fans who should hold promoters accountable for the way they treat and protect their fighters. - 30300
The fight between Ian Murphy and Ronaldo Jacare would have never been sanctioned in the United States. Murphy had just turned 22, and as of a couple of months prior to his DREAM 2 appearance was completing his senior season of wrestling at Cal State Fullerton. While he was a standout collegiate wrestler, he'd been seriously training for mixed martial arts for little more than a month. He'd never even had an amateur fight. While his athletic background definitely suggests potential as a MMA fighter he was essentially a novice.
His opponent, Ronaldo Jacare Souza most decidedly was not. Jacare began training in judo at age 14 and later changed his focus to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Now 27, Jacare is a BJJ black belt and has been called one of the most feared submission grapplers in the world. That was evidenced in 2006 when Jacare fought former UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture to a draw in a submission wrestling event. Jacare would have been a tough matchup for even his original opponent, tough veteran Frank Trigg. When Trigg pulled out less than a week before the fight DREAM parent company FEG approached Murphy who readily agreed.
The actual fight was over before it began. Murphy was clearly nervous verging on panic as he walked to the ring. He could clearly be seen breathing deeply trying to steady his nerves. This transcended mere 'butterflies' that any fighter would have felt walking into a revered venue like Tokyo's Saitama Super Arena for the first time. It underscored the reality that he hadnt any real experience or knowledge competing or even training in a mixed martial arts environment. Murphy's collegiate wrestling background notwithstanding, DREAM could have picked an opponent for Jacare out of the audience at random and achieved a more competitive matchup.
Jacare dominated the fight from start to finish, with Murphy's strength and physical conditioning the only things that kept the fight going as long as it did. Murphy's cornermen were clearly clueless about how to help their fighter. The end came when Jacare made Murphy tap out to a rear naked choke, evidencing that he'd had no experience on how to defend a basic MMA submission.
Ronaldo Jacare is the one player in this story that can be held blameless. He did what a fighter is supposed to do, which is to try to defeat his opponent to the best of his ability. Virtually everyone else involved in the fight bears some measure of culpability. FEG should never have booked Murphy to fight, Murphys handlers should have never accepted knowing their fighters almost non-existent MMA training and the official in the ring for not stopping the fight much sooner. At least this tale of indifference and ineptitude has a somewhat happy ending as Murphy emerged unscathed, with the exception of having suffered a beating. Still, the potential for disaster and tragedy by involving a completely inexperienced fighter in the event is significant as is the collateral damage such an occurrence would have on MMA worldwide.
Any legitimate regulatory oversight body would have done what everyone else involved did not by refusing to sanction this fight. In Japan, however, there isn't any significant oversight of the sort and none focused on the well being of the fighters. In the United States, the sport is regulated by state athletic commissions in the same way as boxing. In Japan, the sport that grew out of professional wrestling is regulated in essentially the same way. That is to say like pro wrestling its largely anything goes in terms of rules, safety and other issues concerning fighter well being.
There have been some incremental changes to the Japanese fight sport world, specifically the creation of a Japanese Mixed Martial Arts Commission to serve as an oversight body for the sport. At this point, however, it is an independent entity and without some government involvement to give their regulatory efforts some 'teeth' they can't have much of an impact.
Unfortunately, there's no real mandate for change within the Japanese political culture. Even should a death occur in Japan, its unlikely that would spur much demand for stricter oversight of mixed martial arts. Perhaps the best near term catalyst for change is the Japanese fight fans who should hold promoters accountable for the way they treat and protect their fighters. - 30300
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a noted freelance writer specializing in CFL football and mixed martial arts. He will be covering UFC 104 for a number of online and broadcast media outlets. In addition, he will be providing UFC 104 results for TV broadcasts in Costa Rica.
