Why fighters ears

This means training techniques such as takedowns, throws, pins, and submissions. This is very different from striking, because the two combatants are constantly in contact, whereas when striking, you only make contact when you hit. It is constant and repeated pressure and trauma, which is what you find in wrestling and jiu-jitsu. You see, head positioning is very important in grappling, because it can be used to control your opponent.

As the grapplers work towards gaining the dominant position, their ears are exposed to a lot of friction due to its importance in controlling an opponent. A perfect example of this is when two wrestlers have single collar ties, and are fighting for control, while their heads are ear-to-ear. Another way the ear gets hit is during takedowns.

When a wrestler goes in for a single leg, their ear is hitting the leg of their opponent, sometimes against the hard bone of the shin. Also, if a scramble occurs during the takedown, the wrestler could end up with his ear against the mat, or in another unexpected position. The NBC Olympics website has a great video where Olympic wrestlers explain what cauliflower is, and how it is caused.

Of course, there are many positions in which the ear will be hit during grappling exchanges, as these exchanges are closer and more dynamic than striking exchanges. So now we know the actions that cause cauliflower ear, but what is the scientific reason it happens? As you likely know, the ears are made of a soft tissue known as cartilage. Forgot your password? Get help. MMA Insight. February 6, Philip Hanna. Latest Posts. Vaccine Rule Change. The Worst Cauliflower Ears in MMA If you are a regular viewer of the UFC or have friends who train in grappling, chances are you have noticed something called cauliflower ear, or traumatic auricular hematoma as the doctors call it.

Frankie Edgar Frankie Edgar is as tough as they come, the former UFC lightweight champion and current top-ranked featherweight contender takes on all comers with expertly executed takedowns, dominant top control and relentless cardio. Randy Couture No list of cauliflower ears would be complete without the inclusion of this man.

Kazushi Sakuraba Coming in at number one is another true legend of our sport, Japanese native, Kazushi Sakuraba. Kevin Lee has been temporarily suspended by USADA after testing positive for a banned stimulant around the time of his last fight with Daniel Read more.

Main event winner Jonny Parsons is one This is not a terrible injury and you can heal it fast if you get medical care on time. But if you left the injury untreated, it can lead to bad and permanent deformity of the ear. And, we have to make one thing clear. Generally, wearing a headgear greatly reduces the chance of you disfiguring your ears. So if cauliflower ear is the reason that holds you back from joining the MMA classes, I have great news for you!

In this article, we will bring you closer to why MMA fighters get cauliflower ears and how you can prevent it. We will show you how you can train MMA without worrying much about disfiguring your ears. The reason is simple; MMA is a sport that involves striking to the side of the ear and grappling exchanges that rub off the ear, which are the two main causes of cauliflower ears.

The process of developing the Cauliflower ear is very simple in combat arts. The main causes of this type of ear deformity are frequent hits strikes to the ear or when the ear gets rubbed during the grappling exchanges.

A small blood clot gets created each time you get hit in the outer part of the ear. This blood clot forms between the connective tissue of the upper ear and cartilage. The clot stops the blood flow to the cartilage, which damages the tissue, causing it to die. As these tissues die, the ear will start healing itself by forming a much tougher fibrous tissue which results in an ear that looks like a cauliflower. The medical explanation of what causes cauliflower ears may sound complex.

He told me about being in Japan and the wrestlers there rubbing each other's ears and trying to give each other cauliflower ear because it was a cool symbol of dedication and perseverance there. That's a different take on it. That's kind of cool. As Strand pointed out, in some cultures a cauliflower ear is a status symbol, signifying the wearer is a participant in combat training. While some American wrestling programs encourage the use of head gear to prevent it with some success , athletes in other countries often seek out the required trauma instead.

Some people are more prone to it than others, though. I know guys that wrestled their whole lives—some of the toughest guys in the world—and they never had any problems. Their ears look just like yours. It can definitely affect training.

It can break open, bleed everywhere and be at risk for infection. It can also make things like sleeping comfortably or even wearing headphones a challenge when it's real bad.

Luckily, I don't have to be involved in the treatment of it. Their teammates usually help each other drain their swollen ears to take care of it. That's just part of being a fighter in this sport. A survey of more than college wrestlers done at Ohio State's Department of Otolaryngology indicated 39 percent will develop cauliflower ear. And, while the treatment can be straightforward, the consequences aren't something to be courted cavalierly. A study by the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine in showed athletes with cauliflower ear are more likely to have ear infections , possibly because it " may increase the probability of collection of pathogenic microorganisms in the ear canal and thereby increase the rate of infection in such ears.

Worse, the same study confirmed previous research that demonstrated an increased likelihood of hearing loss associated with cauliflower ear, symptoms some fighters such as Lawlor have experienced. While he's considering permanent reconstructive surgery when his combat sports career is finally over, that procedure can be difficult and involves reshaping the damaged ear tissue or replacing it with artificial cartilage or part of the ribs.

Most fighters, it appears, are content to wear the proof of their combat experience for the rest of their days. To Lindland, it's a potential deterrent to bad actors looking to cause problems. Now you can't miss it. I was up in Tahoe renting bicycles to ride the flume trails, and the guy was like, 'I don't know much, but I bet you could whoop my ass. I'm definitely not going to get it fixed.