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DR. GARY
FURNESS WEC 48 Revisited
© Marc Wickert
All
photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) #48 has been hailed as one of the best MMA events in some time, and Knucklepit was fortunate to catch up with ring physician Dr. Gary Furness to chat about the BIG night. Due to his previous experience at the Arco Arena and with WEC, Dr. Gary did most of the pre-fight arrangements for stationing of paramedics, coordinating ring access with security, arranged a post-fight location for physical exams; however there were two other physicians working WEC 48, and the 11-card show was divided among the three men on a 4/4/3 division. Dr. Gary regards WEC 48 as being the best event he has attended. “WEC/UFC is a great organization to work with. Their personnel are all experienced; they spare no expense or time in protecting their athletes; and I never feel I am being second-guessed if I decide to send a competitor for sometimes expensive, post-fight tests or treatment,” says Furness. “Likewise, I have worked dozens of events with the CSAC (California State Athletic Commission) officials and inspectors. There is a very pleasing mutual respect and enjoyment of working together. The refs and judges were of the highest level: Herb Dean, Doc Hamilton, Josh Rosenthal, etc… And again, I enjoy a very good working relationship with them. “The above is true for all the major events I have worked in Northern California. What made this WEC special was the quality of the athletes – all 22 were in absolute peak condition; the great matchups were very competitive from top to bottom; and this show included the single best bout I have witnessed: Leonard Garcia vs. the Korean Zombie (Chan Sung Jung). Photo of Dr. Gary Furness please Brendan Gary, which was your favorite bout on the card? “Korean Zombie vs Leonard Garcia. If you can YouTube one fight from 2010, this one should be it. Fantastic battle, including great technique, varied attacks and great defense, and tremendous heart on both sides. I am so glad they got $65,000 extra each because it was well deserved.” The one you least liked? “None. Even the "quick" fights like Henderson vs. Cerrone were exciting.” Do you feel Aldo’s strategy was pretty much the same as Matt Hughes’s strategy against Renzo Gracie, where Matt attacked Renzo’s lead leg with vicious leg-kicks? “Similar, only more brutal. I think it was Maurice Smith who made Tank Abbot quit. Aldo was extremely accurate with power on a relatively small target against Faber, who trains with very top-notch Muay Thai practitioners.” Does it surprise you that so many top-class MMA fighters are still not checking leg kicks effectively? “Yes. I mean, it looks easy right? I think when a well-rounded MMA athlete has hard leg-kicks available, and at the same time the opponent is worried about takedowns, strikes, etc., it’s much easier said than done. On the other hand, I do not know why such kicks are not utilized more often.” Which match surprised you the most? “Faber vs. Aldo. The crowd, as always, was going nuts for Faber, but Aldo did not miss a beat. Aldo's manager, Robert Roveta, told me a funny thing: Since Aldo speaks little English, he did not understand what all the yelling was about. Aldo just dismantled Faber, and took very little risks or damage himself, which is kind of like the way Machida has fought so many of his opponents. The fact that Faber completed all five rounds is testimony to his mental and physical toughness.” Were there any medical problems? “Fortunately, nothing more serious than simple bone breaks. What I mean by that is fractures not requiring an operation, placement of hardware, etc.” Can you tell me about the two attached photos, please, Gary?
Was it a hard event to work from you position as ring physician? “No, it was not. Many factors: how well conditioned the athletes were, adequate support staff, professional attitude from trainers and coaches… What I mean here is if I suggest a trip to the hospital for a variety of reasons, such as complicated laceration, IV fluids, brain scan… it is always much easier if I don’t have to argue with coaches and trainers. Those arguments I always win, but it is easier when everyone is on the same page, and there were not any serious injuries.” What were you thoughts on the Garcia vs. Jung split decision? “For what it is worth, like one of three judges, I had Jung winning rounds one and three. Two judges had him only winning round one. It was razor close, and I certainly could see the decision going for Garcia. Gary, could you give a descriptive sentence on each of the below bouts, please?
Gary, which events do you have coming up? “I have shows to work the next two Saturdays. Both are becoming increasingly common and they use a ring, whilst featuring MMA, Muay Thai, and boxing – pretty cool for fans. “There is also going to be a Strikeforce in San Jose in late June, and UFC 117 on August 7 in Oakland. I hope I get to work those shows too.” Gary, is there anything you’d like to add? “I am very, very fortunate to have this position with the CSAC. Best seat in the house, and I get to interact with a great group of athletes, two to three times per month. I am a lucky guy.”
DR GARY FURNESS Part 2 Behind the Scenes of UFC 73
" Do you also attend the bouts in case of an emergency in a fight, or do other doctors take care of emergencies? "In California, ringside physicians
are solely responsible for the athletes. We do of course respond to
emergencies: an unfortunate example was the fatal fall of a man at the Arco
Arena during UFC 73. "Pre-fight, the athletes range from withdrawn, to outgoing/friendly. Post-fight, assessing the winner is easy. And sometimes they have sustained more damage than the loser (e.g. Jorge Gurgel at UFC 73). They are happy to have won, and never hesitate to be checked out. "The mood of the losing athlete, though, is more difficult. There is a combination of anger, frustration, embarrassment and pain from damage inflicted by their opponent. Minimizing symptoms/damage is very, very common here. Some athletes bark at you, and one hundred percent of the time they apologize later. Trying to help a losing athlete is a challenge."
What other events have you worked
besides UFC and IFL? What is rubbed on a fighter's face
before a bout? And who applies the substance to their faces?
Without giving names, what
circumstances have made it necessary, in the past, for you to rule a fighter
out before a match? "I was the lead doc for the Chris
Lytle match, and the two championship bouts."
DR.
GARY FURNESS “MMA
Is Physically Demanding
©
Marc Wickert photos
© Patrick Furness
Doctor
Gary Furness is a family-medicine specialist in Santa Rosa, California.
His training allows him to care for patients of all ages – and the
majority of problems that his patients usually have, although Gary says
he has recently stopped delivering babies.
Whilst
the good doctor doesn’t practice a martial art – believing his
medical practice provides sufficient full-contact encounters, he is
totally involved in MMA as a fan. Here Gary tells us a little about how
his obsession first became apparent: “Initially by watching early
Ultimate Fighting Championships. Then after a break, my wife and I were
lucky enough to witness UFC 40 live, and I got really hooked,” says
Dr. Furness.
Gary
explains how his appreciation of the sport then led to his becoming a
ringside physician. “It took some luck. Through one of my patients I
got to know Dave Terrell, just prior to his Matt Lindland fight. By
helping Dave with some medical forms and tests, my interest level rose.
And in MMA, if you know someone who knows someone, connections are
made.”
In
this capacity as ringside physician, Gary was then asked to attend some
MMA events in California, earlier this year. “They were two Gladiator
Challenge shows in Clear Lake, and I will be working a further three
shows in November in Northern California.”
As
readers are no doubt aware, there has been some misinformation and media
sensationalism in the press, at the expense of mixed martial arts. Some
of this reporting has been due to the ignorance of the persons covering
the stories, who have obviously not carried out any research into the
sport, but have chosen the easier approach of just ridiculing MMA.
Then
there is the open criticism by some members of boxing organizations who
see MMA as a direct threat to the already dwindling crowds at boxing
events. On an international scale, the big title boxing matches are no
longer pulling the big crowds. And so many boxing officials have been
publicly trying to discredit the sport they believe to be taking away
their supporters.
So
we’ve decided to ask Doctor Furness to add some clarity to the sport
that continues to grow like wildfire throughout the world.
Gary,
how does the fitness of MMA fighters compare to that of other athletes?
“I
have been impressed with the conditioning of almost all the athletes,
although the super-heavyweights have tended to be a bit overweight. Even
for two-round fights, most guys are in great cardiovascular
condition.”
What
are the medical requirements for an MMA fighter?
“For
general health, they require normal blood pressure and heart rate,
normal vision in both eyes, and a lack of history with brain injuries.
Each fighter is also checked for recent orthopedic injuries.”
Are
fighters drug tested?
“Some are, but not enough. At present, in sanctioned California and Nevada events, anyone fighting for a title is tested, along with a couple in non-title matches who are randomly tested. I am not sure why all fighters are not tested, but I hope this changes soon.”
Is
MMA barbaric?
“I
think it’s a very demanding physical sport, but I sure do not regard
it as barbaric. The rules in place at sanctioned MMA events tend to help
fighters who may get into trouble. And you hear a lot more about
controversial quick stoppages rather than fights lasting too long. But
it’s a combat sport and injuries certainly do occur.
“I
think the major difference between MMA and boxing is the absence of
takedowns in boxing. And I think the ‘standing eight-count’ and
multiple knockdowns are what cause the injuries. ”
How does MMA stack up against other sports for safety – boxing, football, car racing, rock fishing…?
“I
think the track record for MMA is much better than for boxing: At
present no athlete has ever died at a sanctioned MMA event. And football
has much more devastating orthopedic injuries.
“The
layers of protection in MMA are good: The fighters can give up (tap
out), the referee can stop it, or the corner can throw the towel in.
Also, if asked about a cut or eye injury, the ringside physician can end
the match. Compared with boxing, the lack of a ‘standing
eight-count’ makes a huge difference in fighter safety.
“Car-racing
fatalities speak for themselves. And Australian rock fishing must be
tougher than in California, where the worst injury is a hook in the
hand.”
At what age should kids get involved in MMA, or different aspects of it: BJJ, Thai boxing, etc?
“To
help teach discipline and cardio-training, starting at six to eight
years old should be fine. Emphasis should be placed on technique,
training, and respect for opponents rather than participating in any
full-contact activities.”
With the MMA gloves being 4oz and boxing gloves being around 14 oz, is there a misconception by the general public that the heavier gloves protect the boxer more against becoming punch-drunk or sustaining brain injuries?
“I
think there is a misconception that boxing is safer. The big gloves look
safer to some, but the way the sport is, the bigger gloves truly are not
safer. Larger gloves cut down hand injuries to be sure, but allow
multiple blows to the head. That is what boxers do – multiple blows to
the head.”
Because there are so many ways of winning in MMA – submissions etc, do MMA fighters generally take fewer head shots?
“Depending
on the organization, MMA athletes can get hit by fist, elbows, or kicks
to the head: All are potentially bad news. But when an MMA athlete is in
trouble, that is it – fight stopped. And of course, many matches
involve no strikes to the head at all.”
How do the bones respond to all the striking? Does it make the bones stronger? Do they strengthen from exercise in the same way muscles do?
“Interesting
questions. We know that exercise will help prevent osteoporosis in the
elderly. However, I do not think that is the case in MMA. The repetitive
training of using your hands properly to potentially not break them is
probably the main benefit of training.”
Dr
Gary, is there anything you’d like to add?
“If
I were designing MMA rules, I would do away with soccer kicks and stomps
to a downed opponent, that are allowed in PRIDE, and elbows to the head
allowed in UFC.
“My
level of appreciation for the complexity of MMA has greatly increased
this past year. And I hope I can continue to be involved in the sport.
“If I could change one thing, I would prefer to do away with elbow strikes to the head, because there is a very high percentage of MMA fights ending through cuts to the head caused by elbow strikes.”
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