Is this right? My hometown....lame.
By Jessica Debbas
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Thurston High School will host a cage fighting match, and now questions are being raised about whether a school is the appropriate venue for the sport.
The school says the event is a fundraiser for its wrestling program.
This is the first time the school will hold a cage fighting event.
But one woman is speaking out and says cage fighting is too violent for a school setting.
However, Thurston administrators say it's no more violent than many other school sports.
"It's just kind of struck me as a violent activity that you wouldn't want to see near children," said Thurston resident Katie Hairgrove.
Hairgrove says she's not as worried about the sport as she is the event setting and the audience the school is targeting.
"We've gone through such great lengths to educate them about street fighting, about the danger of gang affiliation," Hairgrove said.
The school's athletic director says many people have the wrong idea of what the sport is really about.
"When people use the word cage fighting, they think of being in cages and animals and whatever, but that's really not. It's a mixed martial arts. It's a combination of boxing, wrestling, Jui-Jitsu. It's something that's become very, very popular," said Thurston High Athletic Director Mike Michel.
Cage fighting or MMA is described as a full-contact combat sport with the use of both striking and grappling techniques.
Two guys are in a cage fighting until one person throws in the towel or can't defend himself anymore.
"It's no more violent than boxing or football for that matter. A matter a fact, football can be extremely violent in the hits that are happening. I mean take a look at the news every day and you talk about concussions," Michel said.
Hairgrove doesn't see it that way.
"(In) football, you got helmets. You got pads," Hairgrove said.
Thurston High School says it's trying to address any concerns by educating the public about the sport and the intentions behind hosting it.
"In these strapped times, big fundraisers are hard to come by so that's one of the reasons we got this going," Michel said.
The event is called the Throwdown at Thurston, and it's on April 28.
Administrators say Oregon State Police will monitor the event.
The fights have since been canceled.
By Jessica Debbas
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Thurston High School will host a cage fighting match, and now questions are being raised about whether a school is the appropriate venue for the sport.
The school says the event is a fundraiser for its wrestling program.
This is the first time the school will hold a cage fighting event.
But one woman is speaking out and says cage fighting is too violent for a school setting.
However, Thurston administrators say it's no more violent than many other school sports.
"It's just kind of struck me as a violent activity that you wouldn't want to see near children," said Thurston resident Katie Hairgrove.
Hairgrove says she's not as worried about the sport as she is the event setting and the audience the school is targeting.
"We've gone through such great lengths to educate them about street fighting, about the danger of gang affiliation," Hairgrove said.
The school's athletic director says many people have the wrong idea of what the sport is really about.
"When people use the word cage fighting, they think of being in cages and animals and whatever, but that's really not. It's a mixed martial arts. It's a combination of boxing, wrestling, Jui-Jitsu. It's something that's become very, very popular," said Thurston High Athletic Director Mike Michel.
Cage fighting or MMA is described as a full-contact combat sport with the use of both striking and grappling techniques.
Two guys are in a cage fighting until one person throws in the towel or can't defend himself anymore.
"It's no more violent than boxing or football for that matter. A matter a fact, football can be extremely violent in the hits that are happening. I mean take a look at the news every day and you talk about concussions," Michel said.
Hairgrove doesn't see it that way.
"(In) football, you got helmets. You got pads," Hairgrove said.
Thurston High School says it's trying to address any concerns by educating the public about the sport and the intentions behind hosting it.
"In these strapped times, big fundraisers are hard to come by so that's one of the reasons we got this going," Michel said.
The event is called the Throwdown at Thurston, and it's on April 28.
Administrators say Oregon State Police will monitor the event.
The fights have since been canceled.
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Originally Posted by Eddie Bravo
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