Best Video

Cage fighting: The 'disturbing' new kids' sport?

A videotaped fight between two 8-year-olds in England starts a battle outside the ring

The video: A British Mixed Martial Arts promoter recently posted video of a slate of matches on YouTube, but just one of the fights sparked widespread outrage. It featured two 8-year-old boys cage fighting in front of a hooting crowd in Preston, in northwest England (view a BBC news report below). Police say they are investigating "whether there were issues surrounding the safety of children," and claim that while they knew the Greenland Labour Club was planning a fight night, they didn't know kids would be getting into the ring. A promotion at Sharefight.com, however, has photos of several boys, fists raised. The father of one of the boys told the BBC that he'd rather have his son in the ring than on the street. "He wants to do it, so leave him to do it," says Nick Hartley. "He'll never get hurt. It's a controlled sport."

The reaction: Obviously, this is "disturbing," says Sunny Chanel at Babble. I'm OK with "golf, karate, softball, or maybe even a little polo. But cage fighting?" What "brutality." What malarkey, says Jake Hughes at Bleacher Report. These kids weren't even throwing punches and kicks. They were just wrestling, which makes this "perfectly legal." It would have been better to give the kids padded headgear and gloves, says James Furbush at Hypervocal. But let's be honest. If the video had been shot "at a local karate academy or a boxing gym" instead of inside an octagonal cage, it probably wouldn't have produced "the same visceral and angry reaction." Watch a BBC report on the controversy:

Recommended

6 worthwhile homes in Iowa
House.
Feature

6 worthwhile homes in Iowa

Actually, it is nice to be rich
Piggy bank with pennies falling on top.
Feature

Actually, it is nice to be rich

The Check-In: The world's best airport, an Autio adventure, and more
The waterfall at Singapore's Changi Airport.
Feature

The Check-In: The world's best airport, an Autio adventure, and more

The Week contest: Clothesline drone
Drone carrying package.
Feature

The Week contest: Clothesline drone

Most Popular

The truth about alcohol
Alcohol being poured into a rocks glass.
Briefing

The truth about alcohol

Russia's spring Ukraine offensive may be winding down amid heavy losses
Ukrainian tank fires near Bakhmut
Attrition

Russia's spring Ukraine offensive may be winding down amid heavy losses

North Korea claims 800,000 people volunteered to fight against the U.S.
North Korean soldiers march in a parade in 2018.
A Frightening Figure

North Korea claims 800,000 people volunteered to fight against the U.S.