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ALBANY, N.Y. - About one-third of professional mixed martial arts matches end in knockout or technical knockout, indicating a higher incidence of brain trauma than boxing or other martial arts, according to a new study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. University of Toronto researchers examined records and videos from 844 Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts from 2006 to 2012 for the study published this month. They found that 108 matches or nearly 13 per cent ended in knockouts. Another 179 matches, or 21 per cent, ended in technical knockouts, usually after a combatant was hit in the head five to 10 times in the last 10 seconds before the fight was stopped. "Were taking the premise with this that what you see on TV is one thing, but to kind of add scientific rigour to document it objectively," said Michael Hutchison, co-author and director of the concussion program at the universitys MacIntosh Sports Medicine Clinic. With the technical knockouts, or TKOs, they reviewed videos and found "an increasing number of repetitive strikes to the head" during the last 30 seconds of a match, he said. Professional mixed martial arts includes elements of wrestling, judo, boxing and kickboxing inside an enclosure with fighters wearing small, fingerless gloves and no headgear. Officials from UFC, the sports major brand, seeking approval to stage bouts in New York have argued that mixed martial arts has evolved over 20 years with many safety regulations to protect fighters, including mandatory suspensions after concussions. They say its safer than boxing, where fighters tend to take repeated blows from padded gloves, with no history of deaths or traumatic brain injuries sustained in the ring. Lawrence Epstein, chief operating officer of UFC, called the Toronto study "somewhat flawed" and said a forthcoming study by researchers who have enrolled nearly 400 active and retired fighters will provide better insight. "By partnering with the Cleveland Clinic, one of the worlds leading medical research institutions, on advanced studies aimed at not only preventing long-term brain injuries, but also identifying those predisposed to them, the UFC demonstrates true commitment to the safety of all professional athletes," Epstein said. Preliminary results from the Cleveland studies found athletes with higher exposure to head trauma — based on a formula including number of fights, years fighting and fights per year — were likelier to score lower on cognitive testing. Researchers conducting the free, ongoing assessments of fighters brain health are examining factors like genetics, lifestyle or head trauma exposure and susceptibility to injury. The Toronto researchers, who examined UFC matches, found the time from a knockout blow — often a punch to the jaw — until matches were stopped averaged 3.5 seconds with losers on average getting hit 2.6 more times to the head. With TKOs, they found that in the last 30 seconds before a match was stopped the loser was hit on average 18.5 times, 92 per cent of those to the head. Hutchison acknowledged that unlike the knockouts, which meet the criteria for brain concussions, they cant definitively identify the particular injury from a TKO. Professional rules say that happens when a referee stops a fight because one competitor can no longer defend himself. "We can accurately suggest ... this cant be good for their health," he said. Citing data from other research, the study said the mixed martial arts head trauma rate also outpaces football and hockey. The researchers proposed introducing rules like in boxing where a fighter gets a 10-second count and evaluated after a knockdown. They also proposed more training to help referees to identify fighters who are defenceless or have lost consciousness so they can stop fights more quickly. "Given that participation at amateur levels of the sport is growing rapidly, we expect to see high rates of traumatic brain injuries at more junior levels of amateur competition," the researchers wrote. "These points strongly argue for banning the sport in youth and for preventive strategies to reduce the burden of traumatic brain injuries in professional MMA fighters who elect to fight." Hutchison wasnt saying whether mixed martial arts should be legal or not, only that adults should know the risks so they can make informed decisions. People are inherent risk takers, and some do it with drinking, smoking, skydiving or other activities, but they should be aware, he said. Most states have legalized and regulated professional mixed martial arts although some are silent on the matter. New York is the only state that prohibits such fights and longstanding efforts to get it legalized recently stalled again for advocates hoping to gain access to Madison Square Garden and other New York venues. The state Senate has passed the bill for several years and put it in a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but it has not cleared the state Assembly. New York state Sen. Joseph Griffo sponsored legislation that would legalize the sport and subject amateur mixed martial arts to state oversight that would include more stringent rules and regulations like those employed by amateur boxing. Regulation would also help the state go after the underground fights with paying audiences that are occurring now, especially in New York City, he said. "I think everybody would agree the objective is to be very sensitive and do everything possible with preventing trauma to the head," Griffo said. "I dont think in any way that should prevent the sport." Nike Air Max 97 Plus Sale . With one penalty, Fourcade finished in 24 minutes, 58.2 seconds, just nine-tenths of a second ahead of Timofey Lapshin, who shot clean in the cold. Air Max 97 Plus Cheap .The Ottawa Senators winger was relegated to a corner seat in the locker-room to allow Daniel Alfredsson to return to his regular stall one last time. http://www.outletairmax97.com/nike-air-max-97-just-do-it-black-total-orange-white-at8437-001.html . The 18-year-old centre was the Senators first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The six-foot 196-pound native of Salmon Arm, B. Cheap Air Max 97 .C. -- Gleason Fournier scored the shootout winner as the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Abbotsford Heat 4-3 Friday in American Hockey League action. Cheap Air Max 97 Wholesale . The 29-year-old German, the 2011 overall World Cup champion, says she has decided "to end my career now.CALGARY -- Mike Cammalleri has had a knack for scoring game-winning goals for the Calgary Flames lately. Cammalleri has scored 10 times since the National Hockey Leagues trade deadline on March 5 and four of them have been winners, including his goal with 7.8 seconds left in the second period of Calgarys 4-3 win over the New York Rangers at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday. "I think it has a lot to do with team play," said Cammalleri, who also scored the shootout winner in Calgarys 2-1 win at home over the San Jose Sharks on Monday. "To get a game winner, you have to win the game. I would think that were doing a lot of things better as a group and thats putting guys in positions where they can do things like that." Joe Colborne, Mark Giordano and Kevin Westgarth also scored for the Flames (31-36-7), who tied a franchise record (set in 2005-06) with their 45th one-goal game of the season. They improved their record to 22-17-8 in those one-goal affairs. "Around the league, were well known," Westgarth said. "Its never going to be an easy game against the Flames. Obviously the season hasnt gone the way that we wanted it to. Playoffs is the goal. Were not there this year. Were looking to spoiler a lot at the end of this season and were looking forward to having a big next year." T.J. Brodie had a pair of assists for Calgary, while goalie Karri Ramo made 38 saves to improve his record to 14-11-4. Brad Richards had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (41-30-4), whose winning streak ended at five games. "We knew coming into this game that Calgary was a very good team at four-man rush and they proved it tonight," said New York coach Alain Vigneault. "We didnt do a good enough job coming back in our zone and picking up the rush and after the rush protecting the front of our net. That led to Grade-A opportunities and they capitalized." Brian Boyle and Raphael Diaz also scored for the Rangers, who sit in second spot in the Metropolitan Division, just one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers (39-27-7), who beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Friday. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist finished with 24 saves in the New York net. "Theyve been playing well," Lundqvist said of the Flames. "Theyve been beating a lot of good teams. Theyre a fast team. It doesnt matter if you play a team in the playoff race. Guys are playing for pride and for jobs and theyre going to come hard no matter what." The Flames took an early 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Colborne at 4:51 of the first period. After Curtis Glencross wired a wicked shot from the slot off the post, the puck found its way to Colborne, who backhanded a shot over the fallen Rangers goalie. Less than two minutes later, New York appeared to tie the game when Rick Nash threw a puck to the front of the net that bounced off of Martin St. Louiss skate and past Ramo. After review, referee Mike Leggo waved off the goal after it wass deemed St.dddddddddddd Louis intentionally directed the puck into the net with his skate. Giordano put the Flames up 2-0 at 16:49 of the first when he snapped a shot over Lundqvists glove hand, off the post and in. Late in the opening frame, Ramo made a great glove save to stop a point-blank shot by Derek Stepan, who was left wondering what the Rangers had to do to score. After stopping all 18 shots he faced in the first, Ramo allowed three goals on four shots early in the second. "They came back in the second with three relatively quick ones and that can deflate teams sometimes, but I think thats been a hallmark of our game is that response and the never-say-die attitude," Westgarth said. "Were at this point of the season playing big teams, playing teams with a lot to lose. Its a huge step in the right direction to be in every game and winning a lot of them." Boyle opened the scoring for New York at 2:12 of the second. After swatting a feed from Derek Dorsett off the post behind Ramo, Boyle easily tapped the loose puck in the crease into a wide-open net. Diaz tied the game 39 seconds later when his point shot deflected off Calgarys Kenny Agostino and Tyler Wotherspoon before finding its way into the back of the net behind Ramo. Richards capped off New Yorks goal-scoring spree when he took a pass from Carl Hagelin and beat Ramo with a shot to the top corner to put the Rangers up 3-2. Calgary coach Bob Hartley commended Ramo for keeping his composure after giving up the three quick goals. "He is so strong mentally," Hartley said. "Its almost like a boxer that takes a few good ones on the chin. You get wobbling but with Karri, hes solid, he stayed focused, than came back in the third period with big saves." Calgary tied things up again at 13:49 of the second when Westgarth knocked a loose puck in the crease past Lundqvist. Cammalleri then scored with 7.8 seconds to go before the second intermission when his shot squeaked through Lundqvists pads and across the goal-line. St. Louis had a great chance to tie the game just past the seven-minute mark of the third period, but Ramo made a sprawling save to deny the veteran forward. "I was able to read it pretty well," Ramo said. "Nash didnt really have any other options than to pass it because he was being tripped so I was able to read it." St. Louis has yet to score in 13 games since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning by the Rangers at the trade deadline. He has just three assists in that span. Notes: After taking a hit from Dorsett late in the first period, Calgary defenceman Ladislav Smid left the game with an upper-body injury and didnt return. a The Flames are now 19-7-3 when scoring first this season and 19-4-2 when leading after two periods. a Calgary forward Sean Monahan is stuck on 19 goals in his rookie season. He hasnt scored in 11 games. During that same span, Westgarth and Brian McGrattan have combined for five goals. ' ' '