[JDwg]

I'm been wondering what is the MMA scene in other countries. It is pretty obvious that it is big in the US and JAPAN, but what about other countries? Especially Europe.

Well Im from Finland and I can say that we have MMA here. AKA "Vapaaottelu" = Freefighting. Pro and Amateur MMA is legal here and we use the Unified rules (sama as the UFC).

And we have some decent events here too, like Fightfestival and The Cage. (WAR Rupponen!!) But their production values are not that big...

But the MMA press coverage is pretty much non-existent (If dont count the FIGHTER magazines and other martial arts publications). Our own mma events, UFC or any mma organisation doesn't make any headlines at all. So MMA is pretty unknown to the general public.
And we don't have any MMA events on tv either...

But back to my question: So how is the MMA in other countries? Like Sweden? Is it still illegal there? And has UFC really exploded in the UK? Please discuss, but no flaming or bashing please!

[YeahBee]

Sweden: Legal now on a 1 or 2 year trial basis

so you finns use the unified rules now, that is abummer the old finnfights were cool. I I have thought about why not any finns are on an international MMA level (UFC or PRIDE)

Norway, Sweden and Denmark have our fighters, not many but there are and Finalnd has a longer history with it, do you know why?

[Leg lock]

Originally Posted by YeahBee

so you finns use the unified rules now, that is abummer the old finnfights were cool. I I have thought about why not any finns are on an international MMA level (UFC or PRIDE)

I thin the unified rules came to be so it would be safer. And i think that rupponen would have gotten to big leagues if he wouldnt have lost to sean salmon. Rupponene has trained whit dan henderson and have always shown great promise. I think he will be in the big leagues someday.

[JDwg]

Originally Posted by YeahBee

Sweden: Legal now on a 1 or 2 year trial basis

so you finns use the unified rules now, that is abummer the old finnfights were cool. I I have thought about why not any finns are on an international MMA level (UFC or PRIDE)

Norway, Sweden and Denmark have our fighters, not many but there are and Finalnd has a longer history with it, do you know why?

Yeah Ive heard those FinnFights were pretty brutal with headbutts and other crazy stuff.
Its too bad that no finnish fighter has made it to the big leagues; Kampmann in UFC, Hansen in Pride FC... I hope Rupponen will be fighting in the UFC one day! If that would happen MMA and UFC would really make a break through in Finland.

But what is the dial with the trial? What happens after that? MMA will be legal if no one is killed during that time? And is pro boxing still illegal in Sweden?

[Epkor]

Tony Halme fought in UFC 13 :D

[JDwg]

Originally Posted by Epkor

Tony Halme fought in UFC 13

Well yeah... He didnt have much of chance against Couture.
I think he took that fight after he lost his first Finnish pro boxing title fight. He wanted "redeem" himself by fighting in the UFC. Well Tony lost in the UFC. But he won the pro boxing title about a year later.
He was definitely a "boxer" going to fight, but he had some experience in Shooto in japan. Too bad he did not got the chance to use his Shooto experience...