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27
Gustavo-Falciroli-vs-Soo-Chul-Kim
CAGE FIGHTING
For those unfamiliar with the sport, cage
fighting involves two fighters – of any
discipline – stepping into a caged “octagon”
and hurting each other as best they can.
Fighters are judged on how well they inflict
pain and suffering on their opponent, and
very few rules apply. But it is more than just
two pub fighters throwing haymakers in a
cage. Like any professional sport it involves
dedication, training and skill. Cage fighting
is officially the fastest growing sport in the
world. The most popular competition, UFC,
beams live fights each week to 150 countries
in 22 different languages to an audience of
millions. CQUniversity’s Professor Pierre
Viljoen is perhaps Central Queensland’s
biggest UFC fan. “I suppose people are so taken
with the sport because of the ‘reality’ of the
encounters – they only use four ounce gloves
and just about everything goes.”
LINGERIE FOOTBALL
Say what you like about the overtly
sexist sport of lingerie football, but it is hugely
popular, seriously competitive and it is big
business in the US. Like it or not, lingerie
football is officially the fastest growing sports
league in the US, drawing sell-out crowds and
attracting millions of TV viewers. And don’t be
fooled into thinking the players are just pretty
faces having a playful giggle on the field – these
girls are super fit, super competitive and superskilled
at their sport. It’s a shame they aren’t
taken more seriously!
ROLLER DERBY
Once popular in the 1950s, this grudge match
on wheels is making a huge comeback as an
underground cult sport for women. With the
trademark fishnet stockings and tongue-incheek
stage-names like “Cybil Disobedience”,
“Hanna Belle Lector” and “Elleanor Bruisevelt”,
it’s easy to see why this colourful game of
skill, speed and strength is snowballing in
popularity today. Sabrina “Rink Bitz” Toby
from Rockhampton Roller Derby says the local
league has gone from strength to strength since
starting over a year ago. “Some of our players
have progressed extremely well. We started
with a bunch of ladies with few skills – some
couldn’t even skate – and now have players
fully bout worthy.”
CHEESE ROLLING
Once a year for the past 200 years, a large,
round block of Double Gloucester hard cheese
is rolled down a seriously steep hill on the
outskirts of Brockworth in England. 50 brave
(or stupid) individuals fearlessly tumble 200
yards down the hill after it. The first to the
bottom with the cheese assumes victory, glory,
and presumably the cheese. It may not be a
new “sport”, but in recent years the spectacle
has expanded beyond the local townsfolk to
draw huge crowds from around the world. It’s
even taken off in Canada. Dairy farmers use the
event to market Canadian cheeses to the world.
ISSUE 13