MMA or Pankration for the 2024 Olympic games?

[wikidbounce]

The sports have already been selected for Rio 2016. It's probably a good thing as the Locals would have decimated the other countries.

What are the chances of seeing Olympic MMA for 2020 or 2024?

For the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the IOC has picked rugby and golf as the extra sports, but Lorenzo has been working behind the scenes on the 2020 Games, for which a host nation has not yet been established: “We had lots of positive responses from members of the International Olympic Committee, including Carlos Nuzman. I know it will take some time to educate people but if you take a look at our sport, you can see it’s a combination of several Olympic sports: boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, taekwondo and judo. That’s what mixed martial arts are.” http://www.graciemag.com/2012/01/lor...c-mma-in-2020/

A few factors involved include needing an International Federation and atheletes Union to oversee the sport and enough countries participating. To enter a new event, said event needs to be showcased at an Olympics (2016?), after which they skip at least one Olympics to allow countries to train competitors. Thus, the shortest time period such that MMA can get into the Olympics between showcase and actual event is 8 years (2024).

One of IMMAF’s primary goals is to help MMA become and Olympic sport.
“In order to maintain the successful growth of our sport, it is important to invest in resources that will develop and cultivate it at an amateur level,” said UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. “Having an umbrella organization that will oversee and help build the sport on a global level will not only provide advanced and ever-improving safety standards, but will also create a unified global model to help introduce the sport to new markets. It is our hope that it will also take us one step closer to witnessing the inclusion of the sport of MMA on the Olympic programme.” http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-support...ic-aspirations

What sort of "Safe" Ruleset could we expect for Olympic Tournament style competition? Would the striking end up more points based for example to prevent injuries.

[BKR]

The sports have already been selected for Rio 2016. It's probably a good thing as the Locals would have decimated the other countries.

What are the chances of seeing Olympic MMA for 2020 or 2024?



A few factors involved include needing an International Federation and atheletes Union to oversee the sport and enough countries participating. To enter a new event, said event needs to be showcased at an Olympics (2016?), after which they skip at least one Olympics to allow countries to train competitors. Thus, the shortest time period such that MMA can get into the Olympics between showcase and actual event is 8 years (2024).



What sort of "Safe" Ruleset could we expect for Olympic Tournament style competition? Would the striking end up more points based for example to prevent injuries.

I give them 0 chance at all.

[Big Bear]

I give them 0 chance at all.

Agreed. We're dealing with an organization the thought that synchronized swimming was 'T3h cool3st'.

[BKR]

Agreed. We're dealing with an organization the thought that synchronized swimming was 'T3h cool3st'.

Agreed for different reasons.

[KiwiPhil889]

I'm reasonably sure Pankration already has most of the required features. Governed by FILA, which means alot of rules and regulations governing the sport. Seems a fairly short leap for Pankration to be included

[BKR]

I'm reasonably sure Pankration already has most of the required features. Governed by FILA, which means alot of rules and regulations governing the sport. Seems a fairly short leap for Pankration to be included

Where are all the tournaments? What are the numbers? How many people do it worldwide? What is the level of competition worldwide?

Huge leap I think.

[PointyShinyBurn]

Anything MMA-like has zero chance in the medium term. FILA submission grappling is not entirely unlikely at some point in the next 10-20 years.

[BKR]

Anything MMA-like has zero chance in the medium term. FILA submission grappling is not entirely unlikely at some point in the next 10-20 years.

I don't think any other sort of grappling is different enough from the 3 current grappling sports (Freestyle, Greco, and Judo) to make it into the Olympics. Or organized enough, either.

I see your point about about the FILA sub wrestling. Is FILA making a big push to popularize it, or did they add it in to try to cash in (in dollars or numbers) on the BJJ/subwrestling craze?

MMA no way. Too violent (not for me), to much stigma attached to it at this point, and not something that can be started from the grass roots up (kids MMA?).

Yeah, I know, boxing..

[PointyShinyBurn]

I see your point about about the FILA sub wrestling. Is FILA making a big push to popularize it, or did they add it in to try to cash in (in dollars or numbers) on the BJJ/subwrestling craze?

A little from both columns, I think, but they can show a range of countries winning at their "world" championships and Greco is not particularly popular spectator wise.

MMA no way. Too violent (not for me), to much stigma attached to it at this point, and not something that can be started from the grass roots up (kids MMA?).

Kids grappling and wrestling leading up to MMA. You don't make eight year-olds play full rugby rules, ski a downhill course or run a marathon either. For the other things I agree with you.

[Mr. Machette]

It would be cool to see MMA in the Olympics even if for no other reason than that Pankration is as important to Olympic history as pugilism or running around in circles. It seems weird and kind of pussified that they WOULDN'T include MMA. WTF? AmIright?

I'd like to see Vale Tudo rules myself. That's about as close to old school Pankration as you can get without taking off your speedo.