Jordan Parsons diagnosed with CTE

[nuraknu]

First case of CTE diagnosed in MMA fighter - The Boston Globe

"He was only 25, but Jordan Parsons was a cage fighter, a professional mixed martial artist who on his best nights beat his opponents into submission. On his worst nights, Parsons was sent spiraling to the canvas by devastating blows to his head.

"Now, six months after he was struck and killed as a pedestrian by an alleged drunken driver, Parsons is the first fighter in the multibillion-dollar MMA industry to be publicly identified as having been diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)."

 

[Wild]

And only 25 years old, damn. That's terrible and scary as hell when you start to think about guys that have been in this game for 10-15-20 years.

I wonder if Jordan played football in HS? Not saying that would have anything to do with it, if so...just didn't see anything in the article about it. I know he wrestled but not a lot of head trauma associated with wrestling. If he didn't play football, and had only been fighting for like 5 years...then wow.

 

[ErikMagraken]

CTE is a part of combat sports. In fact the disease, which used to be called dementia pugilistica (ie “punch drunk”) has its origins traced back to boxing.

MMA is not immune from CTE. It is a real risk. Several athletes likely have the disease with fighters such as Gary Goodridge being diagnosed with CTE and being vocal about its realities. Despite the high likelihood that many MMA athletes have CTE it is a diagnosis that cannot be made definitively until death as study of brain tissue is required.

Now, the Boston Globe Reports, MMA has its first proven case of CTE.

Former Bellator fighter, Jordan Parsons, who was recently killed in a pedestrian/vehicle collision, has been diagnosed with CTE post-mortem.

The Globe reports as follows:

Now, six months after he was struck and killed as a pedestrian by an alleged drunken driver, Parsons is the first fighter in the multibillion-dollar MMA industry to be publicly identified as having been diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

The diagnosis was disclosed to the Globe by Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist who first discovered CTE in a professional football player (in 2003) and a professional wrestler (2007).

Omalu provides the following grounded and sober comments “As a scientist, a physician, and a person of faith, I beg everybody involved with these sports to come together and identify the problems and find solutions’’

Combat Sports athletes should participate only with informed consent of the sport’s real dangers. Comments calling MMA “the safest sport in the world” do no favors. Informed consent only comes from an acknowledgement and understanding of the science of CTE and its links to acute and repetitive head trauma.

Regulators also must grapple with this reality both in making informed choices as to when an athlete has been exposed to too much mileage and when considering safety issues such as the fact that gloves, while making for more exciting fights, do much to increase the likelihood of brain trauma.
____________________________
Original article here - MMA Has First Proven Case of CTE

 

[nuraknu]

Think about all the accidents that happen in training too - it might not have been because of the actual fights he was in. I'm thinking we'll start to see a lot of people exiting the sport, especially the ones that have built out their careers in other areas.

Also note the "multibillion dollar MMA industry" line, probably because of the UFC sale.

 

[Wild]

it might not have been because of the actual fights he was in.

Sparring is something that many in this business have been concerned about for a long time. Guys going 3-5 rounds a couple of days a week. I dont care if they're going 50% and wearing headgear...the brain is still getting bounced around. But sparring is an essential part of the sport too, so I get it. Just wish guys & gals would cut back to 1 day a week and keep the intensity down. I think many are beginning to go this route.

 

[benjo0101]

Oh dear. This not only sucks, but scares me. I don't wanna see people having diagnosable CTE at 25...

Great post. Depressing though, not only did he lose his life in an awful manner, the post mortem tells us he would have suffered as his life went on. Damn.

Goodridge is a wonderful reference. Search out interviews with him, they're both informative and kinda heart wrenching. He didn't really have any choice but fight even though he knew he was deteriorating.

 

[ECC170]

I was lucky to never got totally knocked unconscious but I swear sometimes my mind don't work as well and it isn't the weed...My short term memory is no where like it use to,be and a jumble my words BAD...Im not saying I'm bad off but there's no way after all the wars in wrestling and having a shit Ton of fights it didn't alter my brain some...

 

[stielar]

I don't remember who was the idiot I argued over Donald Cerrone. I was arguing I hope someone puts some sense into him and convinces him that his current lifestyle of uncontrolled drinking combined with fighting 4-5 fights per year, is prone to fuck him up sooner or later. Whoever that idiot was, he was being a smartass telling me maybe I should be Cerrone's wife etc ,etc.

 

[Porkchop]

Sad reality for the people in this sport. They burn the candle at both ends - destroying their bodies and minds.

 

[benjo0101]

I was lucky to never got totally knocked unconscious but I swear sometimes my mind don't work as well and it isn't the weed...My short term memory is no where like it use to,be and a jumble my words BAD...Im not saying I'm bad off but there's no way after all the wars in wrestling and having a shit Ton of fights it didn't alter my brain some...

Very honest. And very very interesting. *doth cap*

 

[Jesus X]

Diego sanchez seems to talk a little punch drunk ,sad stuff football players who have CTE went completely nuts junior seau suicide hit close to home.

 

[nuraknu]

IMO on the one hand it's very sad and scary, and on the other, Rocky V demonstrated the dangers of being a fighter long before Concussion. But the publicity about this will certainly encourage people to go easier in training and retire earlier. It also makes Kadyrov look worse. Hopefully this news makes it back to him and he chills out on this stuff with kids.

Additionally: vindication for Raging Al. He made the right move. He wasn't getting paid enough to sustain damage.

 

[BJJMMA]

Ok I'm going to play the Devil's advocate a little here. Is anyone really surprised? Yes it's horrible. No it's not fun seeing guys go punch drunk. Yes we do need to look at safety but in the end, just like football, it just a violent sport. It's not like these folks looked at MMA or boxing and said I bet that's good for my mental health. No they looked at it weighed the costs and gains and made a choice. Just like I did with football. Now we are more informed on football now than before but combat sports? We all know this is more than a possibility.

 

[ErikMagraken]

It's a little surprising to see CTE in someone so young but not a shocking revelation.

Shocking or not, I think its important for these facts to be highlighted in the combat sports community. These are dangerous sports and the risks should never be whitewashed. I applaud articles discussing the realities of CTE being featured so that fighters can know the real risks of the sports they choose to participate in.

 

[BJJMMA]

It's a little surprising to see CTE in someone so young but not a shocking revelation.

Shocking or not, I think its important for these facts to be highlighted in the combat sports community. These are dangerous sports and the risks should never be whitewashed. I applaud articles discussing the realities of CTE being featured so that fighters can know the real risks of the sports they choose to participate in.

i agree. I am a football coach and am thankful parents and kids make much more informed decisions on this. Awareness is everything. Maybe it cuts down on sparring and stuff who knows.