There’s been alot of internet debate and general conjecture about what happened at the main event of ICNZ 14. In the main event bout between NZ’s Doug Higgins and Australia’s Luke Hume, the bout was stopped with the result being a disqualification of Doug Higgins.
This obviously caused some upset between the home town crowd and caused some friction and debate thereafter about why Doug was DQ’d.
The official ruling was that Doug had broken an official rule “No throwing an opponent onto his neck or head (spearing or spiking)”, whether recklessly or maliciously it constituted an intentional foul.
At this stage the bout was paused so that Luke could be inspected by the medical team, who in turn evaluated that it would be unsafe to continue without more comprehensive inspection and advised hospitalisation. Luke’s C-spine was immobilised with a stiff-neck collar and he was transported to hospital. Luke subsequently recieved further treatment in Australia and remained in the collar for 4 days. Luke is expected to make a full recovery and we look forward to seeing him back for the re-match in due course.
At ICNZ we take this rule very seriously and all fighters are advised fully of our interpretation of the spiking rule and consequences of breaking the rule. The unsafe practise of deliberately impaling your opponent to escape a position needs to be eradicated.
In the short time BJJ and MMA have been in NZ there has already been at least two moderate to serious spinal injuries. One in BJJ and one in MMA, both resulting in verterbral fractures or breaks, and both resulting in differing degrees of spinal chord injury.
Haydn Clasby has been in a wheelchair since his BJJ spiking accident in 2009.
Most recently a teenage wrestler from Taranaki was injured in an Australian wrestling competition and now faces long term paralysis as a result of a slam on his head. Connor McColl was only 15 years old when a days competition went wrong and he was left with a broken vertebra and dislocation between two discs in his neck.
The team at the Industry Of Combat will be taking donations to assist in Connor’s recovery and rehabilitation at ICNZ 15. We will also be accepting contributions online, and updating as we hear more about Connors condition and prognosis.
Whilst we all acknowledge the risks, and admire the reality of MMA competition we must also realise that this is still a combat SPORT. To spike, in any situation, is potentially crippling or worse, we cannot as athletes endorse the use of spiking in any situation within Mixed Martial Arts in New Zealand.
Bank Details:
National Bank
Account Name: Connor McColl
Account Number: 06-0649-0144164-00
