– Andre the Giant in The Princess Bride

If you are reading this, chances are you do not care to argue that mixed martial arts is something other than completely awesome (perhaps not to the level of Andre, but still).  The sport contains head kicks and kneebars, performed with designs of causing loss of consciousness (or at least loss of “intelligent defense”) or severe joint stress.

While no one here is trying to undermine the frequent technical and/or artistic beauty in MMA — most of Lyoto Machida’s fights as well as Anderson Silva’s dismantling of Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 come to mind — the fact remains that if someone along the way more than slightly fails to properly do their job, a participant can be placed in serious danger.

No matter how many rules and regulations are implemented and enforced, it’s still an extremely dangerous way to spend one’s evening.  While fighter safety is promoted to no end (thankfully and rightfully so), if every MMA competitor were guaranteed safety every time they step in the polygonal structure, the sport would suck.

Sometimes we see examples of officials doing their job extremely well.  Herb Dean and Josh Rosenthal’s performances at the UFC on Versus card received heaps of well-earned praise.  Dan Miragliotta this past Saturday night in Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir?  Not so much.  Fighters have been known to blatantly cross the line, with the author’s favorite fighter Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral being no exception in his fight against David Heath.

Were Frank Mir and David Heath put in serious danger?  Yes.  There is little defense for the negligence (or in Babalu’s case, intent) displayed by the parties at fault.  What I want to look at after the jump, however, is an instance where there was less of an individual to blame and an unfortunate incident occurred as part of the sport’s burden as being completely, ridiculously, and utterly awesome.

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I am going to go out on a limb (sorry for the inappropriately timed pun, Mr. Drwal) and say that while the effects of the conclusion of Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal at UFC 111 were unfortunate, no one person can be blamed.  Palhares received a suspension — as he should have — but hold off on the crucifixion of ‘Toquinho’ as a despicable human being unfit to perform professionally.

Thanks to Fightlinker.com for the GIF

And while we are on the subject, the same goes for the referee in this contest (Kevin Mulhall?).  What happened in this instance appeared to not be either fighter or official failing miserably to adhere to the rules, but rather both slipping slightly on their duties.  If Palhares holds the heel hook just a little too long but the referee gets there a little quicker, things are better.  If it takes the ref that many taps to reach the fighter but Palhares alleviates the pressure upon Drwal tapping frantically, things are better.

While X-rays on Drwal’s leg were negative, that MRI that is scheduled for today might reveal the true measure of damage inflicted upon ligaments and tendons.  However, whatever the result may be, this is less of an indictment against Palhares or the referee.  Drwal was not a victim of poor sportsmanship or poor officiating so much as he was a victim of a sport which is often dangerous and self-hindering for the very same reasons that it is completely awesome.

From Cage Writer:

“Mir is a [expletive] idiot! I have never heard something so unprofessional and idiotic in my life,” told Carmichael Dave of KHTK in Sacramento.

Hm…really?

You fucking dumb bitch.  Fuck you, Loretta Hunt.

…and…

Typical fucking bullshit reporter.  Jake Rossen, go fuck yourself!

Not to mention the plethora of examples of him defacing his own contracted talent.  This isn’t a case of pot meeting kettle.  This is pot meeting pot.