Shooto putting on man vs. woman fight at Shooto Brazil 45

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/12/17/5220338/shooto-guy-vs-girl-fight-brazil-velasquez-vs-falcao-mma-news

This is a bad idea. In every way possible, this is a bad idea. Bol Noticias, the sports section of UOL.com.br, reports that Shooto 45 will feature a man vs. woman fight between Emerson Falcao of Nova Uniao and Juliana Velasquez of Team Noguiera. Before I get into this right away, there is a very real possiblity that this fight will not happen and this is just a publicity stunt. Emerson Falcao posted via Facebook on December 3, that he was injured and would not be competing in kickboxing again until next year. He has made no mention of this fight whatsoever. It may mean that this will be a Fedor vs. Aoki-esque exhibition or, perhaps, that he's not especially eager to promote this fight or that it's just not happening at all.

At this point I have to hope for the last one because there's absolutely no good that can come of this idea. Falcao, while 0-1 in MMA is a reasonably experienced kickboxer and muay thai fighter who will be fighting Velasquez at bantamweight in her professional debut. Even as a fairly dedicated feminist the idea of this fight makes me intensely uncomfortable.

If Velasquez wins (and I don't doubt that there are plenty of women in the world that can beat up plenty of men in the world) what's the upside? What does MMA as a community establish? I can't see any way forward that starts regularly putting on professional fights between men and women. For a sport that many consider to be pure spectacle and bloodsport the backlash could be crippling.

For the fighters themselves, no doubt Velasquez would get some brief praise for the win, but no one fight (especially on the regional circuit) is a true proving point of a career. Claudia Gadelha has already beat up several men on Brazilian television, but it's been her run of victories over other women that have gained her the current notoriety in her own division. Ediane Gomes has a pro win over a man only known as "Carlos," and has little notoriety even in the sport, because of it.

And, of course, for Falcao there is really nothing to be gained in this. Even taking the higher road of gender equality I can't imagine this is going to be a great source of personal pride. As an 0-1 fighter facing a 0-0 fighter there aren't any bragging rights to be gained. The loser can be dismissed as under-prepared as easily as the winner can be dismissed as having been gifted an easy fight.

That's not to say I see a situation where this could work better (there really isn't one), but the fact that both fighters are incredibly green in MMA adds to the feeling that neither of them has an actual upside for this fight beyond short term notoriety. Shooto president Andre Pederneiras (who is also the head trainer at Nova Uniao) told Combate that the fight may have some rule modifications, but will be contested within the Unified rules of MMA. And all told it really looks like he's trying to drum up some press for a card that otherwise isn't getting any. If that's the case I suppose he's succeeded, but it's a pretty ugly form of success.

She's obviously adult enough to sign the contract. Maybe this will prove that women are inferior to men, and don't belong in mma. If she wins then it obviously proves that Honda Housey would whoop dat trick Cain.

Agree with Jew. Let em fight and see the outcome. I won't pay to see it though ,cuz men are stronger in every way, unless it's natural birth. Glad i could help on a story that everyone already knows. Publicity much!?

Let them fight? are you guys serious?

I am. If she's a trained mma gal why not? I have a buddy that says he can beat rhonda down and I'd love to see that fight

So the 2 of you have a problem with a tranny fighting women but not a man fighting women?   

Yeah a tranny is a man trying to cheat his way int beating a woman.

This guy is just fighting as woman as is.

No disgusting loopholes taken here.

freakzilla wrote:

So the 2 of you have a problem with a tranny fighting women but not a man fighting women?   

One gives people the chance to be bigots, the other doesn't

Don't think people are ready for something like that, regardless of any type of safety measures taken. A potential unneeded shit storm for MMA this could bring.

I think there is a time and place to do something like this right. But today in Shooto Brazil doesn't feel like the right time and place just yet. It has to be very carefully regulated. This girl is making her pro debut, well there should be a very definitive mechanism in place make judgements on fighters skill set and appropriate level of competition, especially if it is co-ed. Is she recognized as a high ranking competing martial artist, what does her amateur record look like, etc.,. But I think something like this could be fine, reality is many professional women's fighters should not be sanctioned to fight men, for the safety of the man. But alas professional women vs professional men, careful treading is a necessity to ensure the safety of both, I don't think you can pit the best 145 women fighter against the best 145 male fighter for example. I may be wrong, but there is a talent difference and physicality difference as well. Now the women's best 145 pound fighter against say the #150 ranked male fighter for instance, might make more competitive sense to consider. Just a thought.

freakzilla wrote:

So the 2 of you have a problem with a tranny fighting women but not a man fighting women?   

I think the difference here is there is no funny business. This woman knows what's she's signing up for without any gray area. Her opponent is a man claiming to be a man, not a man who had gender reassignment surgery and still has the physiology of a man minus the sex organs and testosterone production.