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Upcoming mma fight : Man w/ Down Syndrome vs man w/ Cerebral Palsy

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M

Maklershed

Member
Link: http://www.mmamania.com/2013/7/18/4...-palsy-mma-fight-garrett-holeve-aug-3-florida

Jesse Holland of mmamania.com said:
Garrett Holeve will fight David Steffan in an amateur mixed martial arts (MMA) fight at a catchweight of 140 pounds, in a contest that will take place at the Seminole Immokalee Casino in Immokalee, Florida, on August 3, 2013.

Holeve has Down syndrome while Steffan suffers from cerebral palsy.

If you're wondering how a bout like this could get sanctioned -- even in "The Sunshine State" -- wonder no more. "King of the Casino" promoter Mark Shopp employs an independent sanctioning body not affiliated with the Association of Boxing Commissions.
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Garrett Holeve
i53lePXiQhmFQ.jpg


More about Garrett Holeve:
TheWarrior said:
ESPN did a pretty nice story on Garrett

http://search.espn.go.com/garrett-holeve/videos/6
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Fight promo card:
BPYvipyCQAQAnLK.jpg

(image courtesy of OSHAN)
 
A

AbsolutBro

Member
I want to say "keep it classy Florida", but if this is on a reservation doesn't that technically make it on a soveriegn nation's turf?
 
J

jakonovski

Member
Assuming everything's on the up and up regarding the fighters, more power to them! It would be grossly unfair to shut out people from sports just because they have medical conditions.
 
O

Opus Angelorum

Member
jakonovski said:
Assuming everything's on the up and up regarding the fighters, more power to them! It would be grossly unfair to shut out people from sports just because they have medical conditions.
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+1

We are constantly reminded people with disabilities want to be seen as equals. If they are medically fit, let them fight.
 
Jedeye Sniv

Jedeye Sniv

Banned
Szu said:
I don't know. The other guy might have perfected his Palsy Punch.
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Palsy Punch is nothing compared to Retard Rage. Stronger than 10 bears yo!!

(oh god I am sorry please forgive me father)

I used to work with a Downs guy and he was so strong he could lift up a big shop freezer and would hurt himself by accident all the time without realising it. Insane strength + less pain? Winner!

joking aside, I think this is OK as long as the combatants can both give consent and know what's going on. There should be more fights putting differently abled people against each other. Smart vs dumb, fat vs little, deaf vs blind... we're all people still. People with a bloodlust.
 
Marvel

Marvel

could never
I don't see the problem... they both want to be fighters. Props to them for getting out there and doing what they want to do.
 
I

injurai

Banned
I know a downs guy who is super into MMA and wrestling. He wears a big replica belt around. Everyone in my town knows him, he's worked like every odd job and is super friendly.

I wonder if he knows about this, I'm sure he would get a kick out of it.
 
E

Epic Drop

Member
On one hand, this seems like parading around disabled people in order for the non-disabled to point and watch (like an old style "freak" show). On the other hand, if these two people enjoy fighting, shouldn't they be given a chance to do what they enjoy doing?

I can't decide how I feel.
 
E

Eidan

Member
This reminds me of my idea for a sitcom about a guy who looks like he has Down syndrome, but doesn't, and how he goes about his day to day life. It was tentatively titled "Down & Out".
 
GungHo

GungHo

Single-handedly caused Exxon-Mobil to sue FOX, start World War 3
Oddly, I'm less disturbed than when they had the guy with no limbs fight.
 
H

Hex

Banned
I love watching responses when certain pools are exposed to these moral quandaries, it is fascinating.
I say let them fight and do what they want to do as long as it is healthy to do so.
I wish they did not have to put their disabilities all over the posters and advertising, let them fight as normal people.
I also know that, especially considering where it will be the crowd will see it as a sideshow though not everyone and for that percentage that do not then good.
 
C

casmith07

Member
I think the difficult thing here is that while both are disabilities, unless I'm woefully misinformed, CP doesn't necessarily effect cognitive functions, etc...mostly just motor skills, particularly judging the picture. So in that regard it's not necessarily mentally fair.

On the other hand, the guy with Down's Syndrome is fucking jacked.
 
H

H3xum

Member
I feel like saying this is ridiculous but that's not fair to these guys. If they want to fight then they want to fight and we're in no position to tell them not to.

Classic Florida, though
 
H

Hex

Banned
TheLight said:
I don't like this. It feels like we're throwing two disabled people in a cage and letting them amuse us.
Click to expand...

So people with disabilities should not be able to go for their dreams because people can not get over their own mental blocks?
Sadly yes, some people will go into it like a side show but to these guys they will be fighting for a big crowd
 
dream

dream

Member
Unless this ends up being terrible (and I dont see how that's possible given the circumstances), this may end up edging out the Fallon Foxxx fight as my fight of the year.
 
F

freddy

Banned
If they are both capable of verbally and physically submitting if things get tough and they've passed a medical then I don't see the harm. The matching of two disabilities facing off seemingly being the main draw raises a few alarm bells though.
 
J

J-Rod

Member
I hope they did clear a thorough medical check. Beside for people with downs aging more slowly mentally, they usually have a lot of internal physical problems as well. It would be awful if one suffered permanent damage or worse, died.
 
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