RAB Source Entry 2 – Geraldo Mesut

RQ: How can training in combat sports affect long and short term health?

Part 1 MLA Citation 

Zinczenko, David. “Opinion | It Only Looks Dangerous.” The New York Times, 2 Apr. 2011. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/opinion/02Zinczenko.html.

Part 2 Summary

  The article “It Only Looks Dangerous,” by David Zinczenko depicts the dangers of training and competing in combat sports. Zinczenko starts off by stating that New York refuses to Sanction MMA due to it being such a violent sport. He then continues saying that people think boxing is safe because of the padded gloves that the fighters use. The author found studies that state that up to 40 percent of former boxers have symptoms of chronic brain injury due to being hit repeatedly in the head even with padded gloves. Another contribution to injuries is how long fights tend to be. With a fight having multiple three minute rounds, there is a lot of opportunity for a fighter to pull a move out and injure his opponent. The author then compares combat sports to other high contact sports such as hockey and football, in which between the two sports sent 55,000 Americans to the emergency room for head injuries in 2009 alone. Thankfully, doctors and physicians have been on top of most injuries. After UFC legend Jon Jones defended his title in a fight, he got banned for 3 months for injuring his hand and the doctors not wanting him back in the cage. 

Part 3 Rhetorical Analysis

The genre is an opinion piece. The primary audience is fighters and the secondary audience is the general public. The purpose is to inform. The author’s writing style is objective and mindful. He employs a worried tone. Logos is used by referring to sources and studies. Ethos was used when stating he is the editor in Chief of Men’s Health. Pathos was used when saying his brother trained mma and witnessed life events related to injuries. The NYT is a credible source because it is the most popular article organization. They also have a very high fact checking rating. Zinczenko is credible because he was the executive vice president and general manager of Men’s health as well as the editorial director of Men’s fitness and the nutrition and wellness editor at ABC news. This article is not current being written 13 years ago, but fighting has always been fighting. Combat sports are the same whether they are present, in the past, or in the future.

Part 4 Notable Quotes 

“This is a sport in which men use nearly every means available to beat one another into submission, from jiujitsu to kickboxing to simply slugging one another in the face with nothing but lightly padded gloves on their hands.”

“For instance, studies show that up to 40 percent of former boxers have symptoms of chronic brain injury, the result of repeated, if padded, blows to the head.”

“129 fighters have died in American rings since 1960.”