Introduction
Georges St. Pierre pummels BJ Penn during their mixed martial arts title match last Jan. 31 in Las Vegas. St. Pierre won when the fight was stopped after four rounds. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
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The wild world of so-called extreme sports ranges from motorcyclists executing double back flips to kayakers navigating deadly Class 5 rapids to mixed martial arts (MMA) — also known as “ultimate fighting” — where combatants use kicks, punches and stress holds. But many “extreme” athletes reject the label, arguing that the term marginalizes their sports as the sole province of adrenaline and violence junkies, when they actually require high degrees of skill. Now legislatures in New York and other states are considering bans on MMA. Proponents say the matches, legal at the pro level in 37 states, are safer than boxing and emphasize fighters' broad-based martial-arts training. But opponents argue that allowing such a wide variety of aggressive moves in a single fight is barbaric. However, skateboarders and other extreme athletes cite statistics showing that traditional sports such as boxing and football cause injuries and deaths at a higher rate than any of the extreme sports.
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Jan. 04, 2019 |
Esports Boom |
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Sep. 04, 2015 |
NFL Controversies |
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Jan. 29, 2010 |
Professional Football  |
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Apr. 03, 2009 |
Extreme Sports |
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Jul. 23, 2004 |
Sports and Drugs  |
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Sep. 25, 1998 |
The Future of Baseball |
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Feb. 10, 1995 |
The Business of Sports |
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Apr. 22, 1994 |
Soccer in America |
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Jul. 26, 1991 |
Athletes and Drugs |
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Feb. 09, 1990 |
Free Agency: Pro Sports' Big Challenge |
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Apr. 08, 1988 |
High Stakes of Sports Economics |
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Jan. 27, 1984 |
Advances in Athletic Training |
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May 21, 1982 |
Soccer in America |
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Jun. 28, 1974 |
Sports Business |
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Sep. 01, 1971 |
Professional Athletes |
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Jun. 12, 1963 |
Deaths and Injuries in Sports |
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Jul. 27, 1951 |
Monopoly Controls in Organized Sport |
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