MMA and boxing execs, Senators McCain and Reid team up to support brain health study
Less than 20 years ago, Senator John McCain was a staunch opponent of mixed martial arts going as far as calling the UFC 'human cockfighting', but in 2014 he will team up with the promotion -- including luminaries from other prominent combat-sports organizations -- for an ongoing study to help fund research at the Cleveland Clinic to better understand head trauma and injuries suffered by fighters.
This Tuesday, Feb 4, McCain along with Senator Harry Reid from Nevada will help introduce a new funding and support provided by the UFC, Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank Boxing, and Viacom (Bellator, Glory) to the Cleveland Clinic for a project called Professional Fighters Brain Health Study, which will continue efforts to study and understand the kind of stress put on the human head during combat.
The efforts will combine forces and put aside past differences between the UFC and the other top combat-sports organizations to help fund and support the project at the Cleveland Clinic.
A special presentation about the ongoing efforts will take place on Tuesday in Washington DC featuring UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta along with Senators McCain and Reid as well as UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, top contender Glover Teixiera and executives from the Cleveland Clinic as they introduce the groundbreaking research and the support being given to continue funding the project.
