Mixed martial arts — without the wire cage and the blood — bids to make the Olympics

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Mixed martial arts — without the wire cage and with less blood and mayhem — could be coming to the Olympics. It’s a long shot. However, a version of the sport — let’s call it “MMA Light” — is being contested at the two-week Asian Games . The campaign to get the sport into the Brisbane Olympics in 2032 is being led by Chinese billionaire Gordon Tang. “We have developed a rule set specifically focused on the safety and well-being of athletes, and aligned with Olympic values,” Tang said. “The debut of MMA at the Asian Games is an important step in that journey.” Tang heads the Federation of International Mixed Martial Arts, one of many groups lobbying to represent a very fractured global sport.

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