Comments on: The Sean Salmon Debate http://www.mmaopinion.com/blog/2009/09/03/the-sean-salmon-debate/ MMA Opinion and Cheap MMA Gear Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:45:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Bob Donaghy http://www.mmaopinion.com/blog/2009/09/03/the-sean-salmon-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-9057 Bob Donaghy Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:45:59 +0000 http://mmaopinion.com/?p=3852#comment-9057 I'm sorry, but no. Salmon put his arm back in, which is another way of saying it was out when he decided to end the fight. He was not in danger of injury or even of losing when he decided it was time to give up. The problem isn't that Salmon decided to accept a loss, it's how he executed his decision. Fighters don't have to go on in the face of certain injury, fighters quit from exhaustion (physical or mental) all the time, and that's only reasonable. They simply stop fighting. Sometimes they step away, sometimes the referee halts the action. The difference here is Salmon acted with conscious intent to cause himself to lose. Had Salmon not put the arm back in, but simply stood up and announced he was done, there would be no controversy (at least not this one). I’m sorry, but no. Salmon put his arm back in, which is another way of saying it was out when he decided to end the fight. He was not in danger of injury or even of losing when he decided it was time to give up.

The problem isn’t that Salmon decided to accept a loss, it’s how he executed his decision. Fighters don’t have to go on in the face of certain injury, fighters quit from exhaustion (physical or mental) all the time, and that’s only reasonable. They simply stop fighting. Sometimes they step away, sometimes the referee halts the action. The difference here is Salmon acted with conscious intent to cause himself to lose. Had Salmon not put the arm back in, but simply stood up and announced he was done, there would be no controversy (at least not this one).

]]> By: Brandt DeLorenzo http://www.mmaopinion.com/blog/2009/09/03/the-sean-salmon-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-9030 Brandt DeLorenzo Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:40:58 +0000 http://mmaopinion.com/?p=3852#comment-9030 Actually, Bob, it was a conscious decision to stay healthy. I agree that what Salmon did was wrong, but I know that other fighters have given up long before they were done. Tim Sylvia against Big Nog, anyone? He's smart enough to never admit that he was afraid of getting put to sleep in that guillotine, though. Also, unless he intended to throw the fight before it began, he's not guilty of a criminal offense. He's guilty of not fighting in a MMA fight and probably should re-evaluate his decision to be a MMA fighter if he won't commit to each and every bout. Actually, Bob, it was a conscious decision to stay healthy. I agree that what Salmon did was wrong, but I know that other fighters have given up long before they were done. Tim Sylvia against Big Nog, anyone? He’s smart enough to never admit that he was afraid of getting put to sleep in that guillotine, though.

Also, unless he intended to throw the fight before it began, he’s not guilty of a criminal offense. He’s guilty of not fighting in a MMA fight and probably should re-evaluate his decision to be a MMA fighter if he won’t commit to each and every bout.

]]> By: Bob Donaghy http://www.mmaopinion.com/blog/2009/09/03/the-sean-salmon-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-9029 Bob Donaghy Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:21:26 +0000 http://mmaopinion.com/?p=3852#comment-9029 I don't think you read carefully enough. Salmon put his "arm back in to give him the win". This wasn't a conscious decision to end the fight when his position was untenable, it was a conscious decision to give his opponent the victory. There is no way to construe this as legal. Also, it wasn't a promoter in England, it was the trainer at Wolf's Lair. Salmon had been paid to be a training partner for Bisping. If he was injured in the Cleveland fight, he would be unable to fulfill his obligation. The trainer was perfectly within his rights to set the condition. Salmon is flat out wrong in this. He's busy now backpedaling to the Ohio Commission. I wish him good luck with that. His sole defense seems to be a poor command of written English and a unwillingness to proofread his blog posts. I don’t think you read carefully enough. Salmon put his “arm back in to give him the win”. This wasn’t a conscious decision to end the fight when his position was untenable, it was a conscious decision to give his opponent the victory. There is no way to construe this as legal.

Also, it wasn’t a promoter in England, it was the trainer at Wolf’s Lair. Salmon had been paid to be a training partner for Bisping. If he was injured in the Cleveland fight, he would be unable to fulfill his obligation. The trainer was perfectly within his rights to set the condition.

Salmon is flat out wrong in this. He’s busy now backpedaling to the Ohio Commission. I wish him good luck with that. His sole defense seems to be a poor command of written English and a unwillingness to proofread his blog posts.

]]> By: Zac Robinson http://www.mmaopinion.com/blog/2009/09/03/the-sean-salmon-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-9021 Zac Robinson Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:33:25 +0000 http://mmaopinion.com/?p=3852#comment-9021 Interesting points Brandt, especially regarding the distinction between giving up and throwing the fight. Technically he did throw the fight because he allowed himself to lose, but it wasn't with crimial intent. I'd be interested to hear from the Wolfslair/England side. They may have had other reasons for telling him he couldn't come back, or maybe they didn't really tell him that at all? Interesting points Brandt, especially regarding the distinction between giving up and throwing the fight. Technically he did throw the fight because he allowed himself to lose, but it wasn’t with crimial intent.

I’d be interested to hear from the Wolfslair/England side. They may have had other reasons for telling him he couldn’t come back, or maybe they didn’t really tell him that at all?

]]>