By MATT MOLGAARD
MMANEWS.COM Staff Writer

When it comes to combat sports, the human body just isn’t build for decades of abuse (particularly the brain). Broken bones, repeated concussions, excessive lacerations, they’re all a part of the sport, and a part of life no man should endure for years on end.

Boxing has long been criticized for the lasting effects ring wars often create. Just take a look at any boxer who enjoyed a long running career: Joe Frazier, Thomas Hearns, hell even the MMA transitioning James Toney isn’t exactly an articulate speaker. And these are just very few examples, there are countless pugilists who now suffer permanent brain damage as a result of too many blows to the head.

Sadly, mixed martial arts is beginning to see some of those same symptoms arise in long time competitors. As a fan with a deep love for combat sports, it’s heart breaking to see athletic icons suffer irreversible damage simply because they refused to allow themselves to walk away from a sport, smarts fully intact (though I can understand the extreme desire for competition). Even more depressing, we’re seeing it more and more frequently in the MMA community; a sport which was touted as less dangerous on the brain due to a variety of different ways to finish fights.