Which is the more violent sport, NHL or MMA?

The NFL and MMA are both regarded as being violent sports, and to some degree they both are, however the way in which the two sports are violent is completely different. Comparing them directly is difficult due to the fact that they are very different, and the aims of competitors within the sport are different also. However in different ways both could be considered to be more violent, meaning that stating which definitively which is more violent is impossible.

The main goal in mixed martial arts is purely to hurt your opponent, either knocking them out, incapacitating them or forcing them to submit from the fight. In this respect MMA is a lot more violent than the NFL. After all in the NFL the eventual aim is to get the football for your team, and to get a touchdown. Although blocking and tackling are a part of this, after the tackle has been made, the opponent is released, and the plays generally only last a few seconds. In a mixed martial arts bout, the fighters are purely attacking each other with no other goal for five minutes at a time, and there is no mercy shown for a hurt opponent.

In terms of injures to its participants, football is seemingly a lot worse than MMA, both in the immediate and long term. The lifespan of football players is known to be generally a lot shorter than that of the rest of the population, and the injuries that they regularly pick up tend to be a lot more debilitating than those in MMA. Having said that MMA is still a fairly young sport, and there are probably going to be injuries and long term damage further down the line, although this hasn't really started to happen widely as of yet.

The protection offered to athletes in either sport is fairly extensive in either case, as both are allowed certain forms of protective equipment and both have a referee on hand. In MMA the referee is free to step into the bout at any time and stop the clock, which is usually done when one fighter isn't mounting any offence or defense of their own. In football this woks in a similar way in theory. Although because the sport is a team game, and that there are set plays, any damage is usually already done by the time the referee steps in.

Both sports allow protective cups as well as gum shields, although football players are also allowed helmets, padding and support clothing. Mixed martial artist tend to only be allowed to wear shorts and occasionally things such as knee or ankle wraps. Although the impacts in MMA are a lot more visual, they are in fact probably not as damaging as those in football, which of course also can't be avoided as they can in a fight. The fact that these impacts are also repeated many times during each game is also another factor, because of course martial artists tend to try to avoid being repeatedly punched if they can help it.

The weight classes are another factor in MMA that football doesn't have, which can often mean that more significant damage is done in the NFL. In an MMA match, you are always put up against someone of comparable weight, and usually skill to yourself, meaning that the damage is usually limited by the fact that your opponent is a similar size to you. In football however, because of the different roles that are needed throughout a team, you might find yourself being tackled by a much larger opponent, meaning the damage done can be a lot more serious and lasting.

Although the NFL and MMA are both considered t be violent sports, there are also several other sports which at the very least are comparable violent. Rugby for example is similar to NFL in many respects, although no padding or helmets are allowed, as well as the games being constant, not split into plays. Hockey is another sport where impact damage can build up over time, and of course boxing can leave lasting damage also.