NHL and Ultimate Fighting Championship have two things in common- rivalries and bloodbaths. Interestingly, while UFC is a physically dominant sport, Ice hockey isn’t, but regardless, coming to blows is legal in the sport.

The fights are so grave, it even shocked a UFC star himself, who was witnessing the National Hockey League Players go for it on the ice. Notably, violence has been a prominent part of the sport for centuries.

UFC star Bradley Scott reacts to NHL bouts

Former UFC middleweight champion, Bradley Scott, is well aware of cauliflower’s ears and superman punches; however, he was still shocked when he saw the same on the ice. Bradley appeared on ”The Fight Bible” YouTube channel for a special episode. Show host, Joe, hosted the show ”UFC Fighter Reacts to Ice Hockey Fights! NHL Knockouts.”

Scott was stunned how ice hockey athletes were allowed to fight on the field, compared to other non-violent sports like football. Notably, Joe and Bradley watched a couple of deadly fights on the ice. Moreover, Scott revealed he can’t even run on ice, let alone think about fighting on the ice. He said, “Running on ice? I couldn’t do that, but I can’t even run on a road alone on ice.”

NHL isn’t primarily a fighting sport like UFC or boxing, so how are athletes allowed to fight while the referee stands and watches? Here is the reason why.

Why are players allowed to fight in NHL?

The fights are so intense and gruesome in NHL, that a player has even faced the worst that could happen, death (Bill Masterton, 1968). Albeit, violence still prevails in the sport. In fact, it’s an integral part of the sport.

Interestingly, the NHL officials have classified fights as a part of the ‘code’. The referee is the one who handles the fights and gives out penalties and suspensions to players if needed. NHL officials want players to settle their disputes on the field itself, and hence it’s a part of the game. Once the referee detects a fight emerging, he asks everyone else apart from the aggressor and instigator to stay on the field, and none of them are allowed to take their helmets off intentionally.

The fight is stopped as soon as one player hits the ground. While it might sound absurd to many, it attracts a huge fan base, including people who just watch ice hockey for the fights. What are your thoughts on the NHL’s legal violence?

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