Do you think professional MMA fighters are among the bravest people in the world?

[Davidjacksonjones]

Does the UFC have some of the bravest people in the world? Why or why not?

What other sports/professions requires as much bravery and courage as MMA

I think they are pretty high up. The risks are real, brain damage, broken bones, fractured ribs, dislocations etc. On top of that, they often fight inside huge arenas with tens of thousand of people and millions around the world watching, knowing they risk facing humiliation if they lose badly.

What other sports/professions have people as brave as pro MMA fighters? Soldiers, boxers? formula 1 drivers?
Would you have the courage to step in the Octagon?

 

[Crazy Librarian]

I think nuclear technician might be 3 times braver.

Saturation divers is up there as well.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

I think nuclear technician might be 3 times braver.

Nuclear technicians typically work in nuclear energy production or assist physicists, engineers, and other professionals in nuclear research. They operate special equipment used in these activities and monitor the levels of radiation that are produced.

Yep, sure sounds dangerous and hazardous

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Man has always loved to give or receive damage that could affect them the rest of their lives... True Gladiators that love to Face the Pain.

 

[Myrddin Wild]

I'd put them below soldiers & firefighters & other such activities with higher death possibilities, but balancing out brain injury brings fighters into the discussion.

I see your point about stage fright & balancing out possible public embarrassment too. Rashad still hasn't recovered from "Shad Face."

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I hear some deep sea fishing boats are among the most dangerous professions. I think a fighter would say fook dat!

 

[Reach4theSky]

I'd put them below soldiers & firefighters & other such activities with higher death possibilities, but balancing out brain injury brings fighters into the discussion.

I hear some deep sea fishing boats are among the most dangerous professions. I think a fighter would say fook dat!

WW1 soldiers had balls so big you could see them from space..

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

I'd put them below soldiers & firefighters & other such activities with higher death possibilities, but balancing out brain injury brings fighters into the discussion.

I hear some deep sea fishing boats are among the most dangerous professions. I think a fighter would say fook dat!

Sky scraper window cleaners, sounds like a risky, scary job too

 

[World eater]

Maybe so. But I vote for single parents.

 

[Dana's Moonface]

Fighting in front of a crowd is brave, but all top sports are

Nothing brave about fighting. You get hit? You hit back

It's not like facing a loaded gun on a battlefield

Edit

Obviously if a fighter never gives up and fights like a Rocky Balboa, then yes that is brave. But being a fighter in itself doesn't make you brave. It's how you fight!

 

[burningspear]

some love to fight, if you don't its scary

 

[nonoob]

Pro Bull Riders
"It's not IF ya get hurt... it's WHEN, and How Bad."

Bull Fighting Rodeo Clowns

 

[Belaya Smert]

No

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

some love to fight, if you don't its scary

I remember there was an interview where even Mike Tyson admitted he was terrified when he walked into the ring but he didn't show it on the outside.
I guess the type of opponent you are facing can make it scary or not. Pretty sure everyone is scared fighting Francis Ngannou or some hard hitter

 

[Goatenstein]

There's some amount of bravery considering that there is a chance, no matter how small, that you leave the cage or ring as a corpse or vegetable.

 

[Lucas1980]

Pro Bull Riders
"It's not IF ya get hurt... it's WHEN, and How Bad."

Bull Fighting Rodeo Clowns

Those dudes are nuts..

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

There one of the bravest. It takes a lot of courage to go in there and fight elite warriors.

But there are other occupations a lot more dangerous and more courageous.

To name a few:

Soldier
Police Officer

 

[Hypetrainofthemonth]

Depends on definition of athlete, Alex Harnold, the psychopath (according to mRI imagining of his fear receptors in his brain showing 0 signs) climbing El Capitan, BARE HANDED WITH NO ROPES, IS the definition of fearless, imo!

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

In terms of facing their own fears, laying themselves to bare in public, and always trying to improve, yes.

In terms of their willingness to damage themselves for a chance at profit/glory? Maybe case-by-case basis. I think a lot of them are 'aware' of the dangers, but their seriousness of the potential dangers is incredibly underplayed or not fully understood for a lot of them I think.

*edit for some clarity*
I don't mean to shit on them, I'll just explain it like this. You know how some people refer to bravery as like, knowing and being afraid of the dangers, but doing it anyway?

Well, you also know how bare knuckle boxing is supposed to be safer because, without pads to protect the hands, your opponent isn't swinging hard enough to break their own hands on your head? But in BKFC, boxers might follow that standard, but the old MMA guys just fucking wing death at people and mostly come out with broken hands anyway? And that's why a great BK fight is fucking amazing, and why a lot of other BK fights slow to a terrible crawl.

At that point, I question: Are they just fully aware going all for nothing? Or do they just kinda not have any sense or lose any sense of the danger once they 'turn on.' Cuz a broken hand can be a death knell on any combative career, but it is especially in BK.

But I do think they're WAY more aware of their self-consciousness. They are fully aware they could get knocked out or choked out in front of the world and their loved ones, and know they could also make themselves look like a complete fool, surrounded by cameras and invisible thousands-millions. I think fighters are often way more aware and afraid of things bordering stage-fright and still performing as opposed to like, potential paralysis. So in a way, they do still take a lot of bravery to go out there

 

[Dana's Moonface]

I remember there was an interview where even Mike Tyson admitted he was terrified when he walked into the ring but he didn't show it on the outside.
I guess the type of opponent you are facing can make it scary or not. Pretty sure everyone is scared fighting Francis Ngannou or some hard hitter

Tyson was scared of failure, not of actually fighting. It was the pressure to succeed and the possibility of being humilated that scared him

 

[C0NCH3TO]

Among the bravest, absolutely. You are at risk to get an ass whooping on national tv and your parents, kids, friends and loved ones might attend the event.