In the realm of professional sporting competition, the concept of sportsmanship entertains a wide range of concrete expressions. From trash-talking athletes that harp on colleagues and officials to highly-respected individuals that are distinguished for their game-time etiquette, the idea (or perhaps ideal) of good sportsmanship occupies its own niche in every particular sport.
One activity common to all sporting endeavors is that of conceding defeat to your opponent. In a combat sport, such as mixed martial arts, this can take many forms. Graciously accepting defeat in a postfight interview, acknowledging the better man on that day, and not making excuses, are but a few of the verbal forms that conceding defeat might take.
However, there is a more conclusive method of admitting defeat, and it is a feat that has come to symbolize the definitive way of losing a match: tapping out. The act of submitting to an opponent, either verbally or using one’s hand (or foot) has been practiced for centuries.
Whether it is a scuffle between siblings (where the term “uncle” is often employed to signify giving up) or a contest between two highly-skilled warriors, there is no more satisfying feeling than knowing that you made your opponent give up willingly (or unwillingly, as the case may be).
MMA is advertised as a sport where two world-class athletes enter the cage and proceed to punch, kick, elbow, and knee each other in the face for 15 minutes, before embracing at the end of a hard-fought battle.
There is no doubt that MMA has showcased some of the greatest sportsman-like gestures in all of sports throughout the past decade and a half. Many top fighters and champions are exceedingly humble and gracious to their opponents, more so than can be expected.
But I raise the question: Is refusing to concede defeat to your opponent, when they have rightly deserved it, a form of unsportsmanlike conduct itself? In other words, is it disrespectful or unethical to not tap out from a submission that you cannot escape? Better yet: Do fighters have an obligation to surrender when they have been placed into a compromised position?
Some fighters may refuse to tap because they see it as dishonorable, and some don’t do it because they don’t want to give their opponent the satisfaction of beating them definitively. Many also think that they can escape the submission, or try to wait until time runs out (more on this point later).
28 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment
Mike Barraza 10 months ago
Another great article Jad. You bring up an interesting point here.
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Kevin Curran 10 months ago
the response to your headline: No, its a display of pride.
Fantastic article though. Pick of the day.
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Dorothy Willis 10 months ago
Avery interesting article which you approached from many different perspectives. I loved it. ***** and POTD.
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Robert DesRoche 10 months ago
I disagree with your entire premise. However, this is still a great article. Very well written, good examples given, and an original and thought provoking topic.
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Jad Semaan 10 months ago
Thanks everybody for the feedback.
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Bkilla 10 months ago
I'm sorry but I disagree completely. This article is very well written, but the idea that a fighter has to tap if he's caught in a submission isn't practicle . You say through out the article that these submission leave "no chance for escape." Watch the Rich Franklin/Travis Lutter fight. By your standards Rich Franklin should've tapped because he was caught in a deep armbar. Watch on for another 10 seconds and Rich Franklin ESCAPES the submission and goes on to win the fight. There isn't any way to really gauge how tight a hold is unless you are the person that is in the hold. If the hold isn't putting a fighter in danger enough for him to feel the need to tap, then why would he?? And for cases like Sylvia/Mir, this is a contact sport. It is dangerous, and the fighters know that. He took a gamble in not tapping, and it cost him. I'm pretty sure these fighters are well aware of the risks when they walk into any MMA fight. Like I said very well written, just very off the mark in my opinion.
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Adam Schoonover 10 months ago
I think was referring more to a fight like Frank Mir / Tim Sylvia. Where Sylvia end up getting his arm broke instead of tapping when he really had no hope of getting out. Now I will say if there 10sec on the clock and you can hold out you should. This is part play in to strategy and a fighter sprit to endure. Not to be mistaken for fighter pride.
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Jad Semaan 10 months ago
I did say that a fighter should do whatever he can to escape a submission, and of course only they would know how tight it is. I also know that fighters are prideful and sometimes stubborn, but occasionally they unnecessarily put themselves in danger when tapping out could save them from injury (easier said than done) . I understand not tapping out to chokes, because no extensive damage is done, and limb submissions are much more dangerous. If a fighter thinks that he can escape, then of course he will whatever he can to get out, and that's to be expected.
For example, fighters know that leg locks (especially heel hooks) are very dangerous, and if you're going up against a leglock specialist, you need to be aware of the risks (see Imanari's fights, Rousimar Palhares, and Manny Gamburyan). I think that fighters try to hang on too long after getting caught in a leg lock, but by then the damage is done. It's a lot easier to gauge escaping an armbar, but with a heel hook you feel the pain only after your leg has been injured (because there are no nerve endings in your knee). It would be safer to tap early instead of risk getting injured in that situation (again, easier said than done, and only competitors would know).
Fighters don't have to tap, it's a personal choice. I certainly have no authority in telling pro athletes what they should or should not do. But sometimes submitting outweighs the benefits of not submitting. Tapping means conceding defeat, and if a fighter knows he can't escape the sub, wouldn't tapping be a sportsmanlike gesture? I know the winner won't get offended if his opponent doesn't tap, but it's a way of acknowledging a loss, which itself is part of good sportsmanship. But some fans won't agree with that, and I understand. It's about winning at all costs, and fighters who don't tap will have to bear the consequences.
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Bkilla 10 months ago
Yea, I guess as far as injuries go it really depends on the submission and of course the fighter dishing out the submission. I understand where you're coming from on tapping out of respect, but I don't think its a respect issue. If they really needed to tap they I think most fighters would. Either way very well written man
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Patrick McDonough 10 months ago
Very well written article but what do you think about forrest griffin he had his arm broken in a fight because he didnt tap but then came back to knock the guy out it seemed for him winning the fight was worth more than an injury he sustained
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Patrick McDonough 10 months ago
Very well written article but what do you think about forrest griffin he had his arm broken in a fight because he didnt tap but then came back to knock the guy out it seemed for him winning the fight was worth more than an injury he sustained
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Jad Semaan 10 months ago
Yeah, Griffin proved just how tough he is after that performance. I think a few other fighters wouldn't mind sacrificing a limb to ensure a victory; it's their arm after all. You just gotta do what it takes to win, and if sacrificing an appendage is what it takes, then I'm sure there are many who would accept that proposition. MMA fighters are some of the toughest dudes on the planet, and you simply have to applaud the kind of grit that Griffin showed in that match.
If a fighter doesn't tap, it's their choice, but if they still manage to pull off the victory, it's hard to argue against them. It has to be hard on their opponent, knowing that you broke the guy's arm and still lost the fight, but it just shows how difficult some guys are to put away.
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Nick Colon 10 months ago
Very nice article Jad...my POTD for sure. However, there is one thing in your article I don't necessarily agree with: "more conclusive method of admitting defeat, and it is a feat that has come to symbolize the definitive way of losing a match: tapping out." With this, I personally know what you mean, but the truth is tapping out hasn't always been so definitive. With "Phantom Taps" being discussed, and the ever famous C.B. Dollaway fake tap, I think sometimes they cause more trouble than the words "I quit". Matt Hughes was smart, and he did both...hehe. Anyways, what do you think? Is tapping out always so definitive? Oh, and to answer your article, it's not disrespectful, quite the opposite actually. It means that you have the heart to endure whatever pain the other will inflict on yourself, much like the noted Griffin-pride mentioned above me. IMHO.
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Jad Semaan 10 months ago
I meant that when a fighter clearly taps, he has acknowledged defeat via his own free will. Usually, you can't help being knocked out by a punch or kick, and somebody can always argue against a bad stoppage or a biased decision. But when you tap, you have nobody but to blame for losing but yourself; you can't say it was the judges or referee's fault. That is why I said that tapping out is a definitive clear-cut loss.
Of course there are instances where the fighter argues that he didn't tap, and this causes controversy. Then again, a broken limb is very definitive and hard to argue against too, so that is a conclusive way to end a fight, similar to a jaw-dropping knockout. But fighters don't willingly get knocked out, and tapping is a conscious decision. That is why I think making your opponent submit from his own accord is more definitive and satisfying than winning by knockout, though many will disagree with that statement.
To be sure, refusing to tap does show a lot of heart and tenacity. I was curious about the opinions of others in the MMA community, which was one of the reasons why I wrote the article.
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Nick Colon 10 months ago
agreed...
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Dominick DeBonis 10 months ago
The article is well put togheter, but saying a refusal to tap is unsportsmanlike is ludicrous. That's like sayin a player that hits a walk-off home run in baseball is disrespectful because he should have conceded defeat or in boxing when someone gets up after a knockdown.
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Dominick DeBonis 10 months ago
The article is well put togheter, but saying a refusal to tap is unsportsmanlike is ludicrous. That's like saying a player that hits a walk-off home run in baseball is disrespectful because he should have conceded defeat or in boxing when someone gets up after a knockdown.
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Mike Leanza 10 months ago
By you saying everyone should tap when deep into a submission hold, that could have changed alot of things. Sean Shedrk would have been submitted in the first round of his first title defense against Hermes Franca. Franca had a Guillotine in as deep as you can get around Sherks huge neck but Sean got out of it.Think about it. I for one would not have been too excited with Hermes/Penn for the undisputed title.
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Alex Richards 10 months ago
I think refusing to tap is disrespectful to your own body (if you're in danger of permanent damage).
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Fortun Kimura 10 months ago
I think saying you didn't lose after you clearly didn't win (Rampage saying Forrest didn't beat him later) is more disrespectful than not tapping. You have to take into consideration that this is a super-human person that refuses to tap. He is not someone from off the street. Most people would tap from sheer pain. The ability to control yourself and not tap while your your body is breaking is no easy feat. Many great fighters have refused to tap. I think even Helio Gracie. That said, I would tap. But I can't speak for people who don't tap. I don't know what they are thinking.
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Nathan Poole 10 months ago
First im kinda late in seen this article so my bad. Now to the point. Lets go back in history were martial arts first orignated, Japan. Back in the day with samuri and all that good stuff it was considered dishonorable to be defeated. If you were defeated and you happened to live through the fight or battle you typically took your own life shortly after because of the shame you have brought your family and yourself. So i think that by not tapping and continuing to fight till unconciousness is a sign of strenght and unrelentless honor. What really counts is how you act once you wake up, which hopefully isnt like an asshole. Because if thats the case then everything Ive just said would be bullshit.
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Jon Pierson 10 months ago
Well, I read the whole article and have concluded that you've never stepped into a ring. I really don't think it's only a matter of pride, when guys don't tap. I train in BJJ and have for some time. If I get caught in a "compromising" situation I won't tap until the submission is fully locked. You've brought up the Tim Silvia break which was a big red flag for me. An armbar is a submission that applies pressure to the elbow resulting in hyper extension. Big Tim's arm was broken at the forearm. It very well could have been that he felt he could muscle out of the position without realizing that his arm was about to get snapped off and taken home. If you train, you know that sometimes you just don't tap until you wake up on the floor with everyone peering at you.
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Nathan Poole 10 months ago
Um ive actually trained with some well respected fighters and I dont like to tote my own horn. I just have a different point of view. See Im aspiring to be a Navy SEAL and one the SEAL traditions is to never give up which is my mentallity in anything I do wether it be just a regular workout or in a fight. In my mind fighters of any art are warriors and true warriors never give up even if you do look like a fool to everyone else. Training on the other hand is completely different. Of course you will tap in a training exercise, it would be stupid not too. It's the real battle that counts.
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Danny Burnham 10 months ago
I don't believe a fighter is obligated to tap, for the same reason I think it's ok for a football team losing by 20 in the fourth quarter to onside kick. If there is still time on the clock, you should still be in the game. Nothing wrong with tapping, (or not onside kicking) but a guy shouldn't be "expected" to.
The flip side to that coin, which would make a great follow up article to this one: Is it ok to go ahead and break a guys arm if he won't tap?
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Nathan Poole 10 months ago
I agree with you there is no obligation, unless your training. I also think it would be acceptable for the other fighter to break any part of his body that he feels neccesary to win. Again, MMA and martial artists all around the world are warriors and their battle grounds are the streets, rings, and cages. Once you step on the battle ground it's an all out war. Survival of the fittest.
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chris feaver 10 months ago
it i8s not a show of disrespect...its a pride or sometimes stupidity thing..sometimes u just actually think u have a chance of escaping...if a fighter refuses to tap and then gets injured in the process the only one to blame is himself...if u are dumb enough to risk your career and income because u cant accept a loss then its just too dam bad...this is fighting and except for the case of Fedor..lol...your going to lose at some point...its no big deal accept it and fight again
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Joseph Lupoli 9 months ago
Good article, Jad. Fighters who are too proud, stubborn, or disrespectful to tap out eventually weed themselves out of MMA. Potential career ending injuries either push fighters out the door or they get smart and play ball. And that tends to send a message to other fighters: If you want longevity, if you want to stick close to the real money and glory, lose the denial and eat the losses. Tap the hell out!
Also, the saved-by-the-bell from submissions problem in American MMA should be addressed: Why not try the former Pride FC system by implementing one 10-minute round and two-5-minute rounds and see what happens?
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Josh G 5 months ago
I think on the first paragraph of the second page, you didn't mean to say there was "a set of unwritten rules" that is "eschewed"--that means avoided.... I assume you meant something like "adhered to." One of the rules of writing is don't use a word unless you know what it means and how it should be used. Otherwise, it's a decent article. However, I don't entirely agree with your conclusion. Almost any kind of contest, especially such as a fight between two men, involves for each of the participants a significant degree of pride and a certain amount of confidence in his ability. I think those factors figure into the decision of an MMA fighter not to "tap out" but I don't believe that choice indicates merely an overweening sense of pride or overestimation of his ability, or disrespect for the opponent or his skills. The "never quit" mentality of a true fighter may, for better or worse, trump common sense when he's being beaten, but courage and perseverance often don't seem reasonable in context without the benefit of hindsight. Presumably the fighter is singlemindedly pursuing victory, and when faced with such an adverse situation, to not test the limits of his physical strength or mental toughness would abandon that goal and belie his training and sense of self. Plus, perhaps not often, but enough times to be worth a gamble, trying to outlast or fight out of getting beaten up or a submission attempt results in the fighter in jeopardy coming out on top. He may also be hanging on as part of a strategy or in hopes that the other fighter injures or tires himself out, becomes frustrated and deviates from a good gameplan, or loses the battle of wits or wills; we've all seen things like that happen to fighters who seem to have the upper hand in a fight. Also, I think a fighter realizes that delivering a fight-stopping injury or incapacitating an opponent is a legitimate part of the game--they aren't playing chess or fencing--and as definitive a win as by a "tap out." A fighter's getting knocked out or choked out or otherwise taken out of the fight but not giving in isn't being arrogant or disrespectful to your opponent, it's doing what a true fighter expects one to do--battling it out until one can't fight anymore.
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