“Usman’s Feet Were Spasming”: Parallels Drawn Between Tua Tagovailoa’s Horrific Injury & Kamaru Usman, Ben Askren, Alistair Overeem KO Has Fans Convinced That MMA Isn’t the Most Dangerous Sport

When it comes to devastating knockouts, few sports can boast the efficiency that MMA has. Contact sports like boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, and karate all leave the avenues open for knockouts, but MMA combines them all. People get knocked out while standing on their feet, laying on the ground, in a clinch, or even while shooting for a takedown. The unpredictability of a wild knockout that comes at the most unexpected time is part of what makes mixed martial arts an exhilarating sport to witness.

MMA fans love fights that have crazy finishes. They are always looking for entertaining fights to watch and compare. In a recent post, MMA fans on Reddit compared the tackle of an NFL quarterback with a fighter getting KO’d.

MMA fans compare NFL QB’s concussion to a knockout

NFL team Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently suffered a concussion during their game against Cincinnati Bengals. In a picture of the concussed Tagovailoa, we could see his fingers on the left hand spasming. MMA fans on a UFC subreddit compared the quarterback’s reaction in the picture to that of a fighter after getting knocked out. Fans mentioned the viral KOs of Kamaru Usman, Ben Askren, and Alistair Overeem.

The caption read- “Have we ever seen a KO where the fighter’s fingers do something similar to what Tua’s did last night?” Responding to the post, several listed knockouts from MMA where a fighter reacted similarly.

One fan said, “mostly the toes do that, usman’s feet were spasming, same with the reem when Francis killed him.” “Askren’s feet too,” added another fan. “Or Blaydes after he got knocked out by Lewis,” mentioned another fan, adding to the list.

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In a very valid response concerning the safety of fighters in MMA, a redditor commented:

“This is a very valid point and the reason why football and boxing and even hockey to an extent can lead to CTE more than MMA. But at the same time some fighters get flash KO’d multiple times in a night in MMA. Makes me think of that Johnny Walker vid where he got knocked out like 4 times.”

Another fan said, “And don’t like mma sh*t talkers find out rugby and football have way worse cases of CTE and brain injuries when it comes to the players, long term and short term. I’d much rather get punched in the face than be steamrolled by a man in a full set of gear any day of the week.”

NFL vs. MMA: Which is the more dangerous sport?

Fans have always compared and contrasted the safety of athletes in the NFL, MMA, and other sports. According to an article from Bleacher Report, there is no discernible way to say that one sport is more dangerous than the other. Understanding concussion is a complex process, and the extent of each injury varies from the next.

The article describes how both sports have grown to improve athlete safety. Fighters have reduced hard sparring sessions and improved their techniques to give more damage without receiving much. They have also stopped taking unnecessary risks. According to UFC fighter Ovince Saint-Preux, who has done college football, “Rule changes work because any time you reduce contact, it’s helpful.” He also added that you get more time off in MMA than in football.

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So that’s food for thought next time you see a Francis Ngannou K.O. What do you think about athlete safety in MMA and NFL? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.