ORGANISERS of cage fighting in the UK called for the controversial sport to be ranked among Olympic disciplines.
They say British fighters could dominate the combat sport - a form of mixed martial arts (MMA) - as it grows internationally.
Promoter Gary Shaw said: "The hope of myself and my company is that it will become an Olympic sport.
"These are highly skilled athletes. The fact that it is held inside a cage should not detract from the skill level that's needed."
Mr Shaw is head of the live fight division of US-based company ProElite, which owns the UK's Cage Rage Championships.
Andy Geer, co-founder and promoter of Cage Rage, wants MMA to become the "equivalent of a decathlon of combat sports".
He said: "It's basically a combination of Olympic sports anyway: boxing, wrestling, judo and tae kwan do.
"We've just got to keep pushing the sport until we get the recognition we think it deserves."
He added: "Over six million people in this country currently practise martial arts.
"We come from a strong fighting background as a nation."
The British Medical Association argues that MMA events can cause traumatic brain injury, joint injuries and fractures.
The doctors' organisation has called for a boxing ban, to include mixed martial arts.
Safer
But Mr Shaw, also known as a boxing promoter, said: "My background is in boxing and in a lot of ways it (MMA) is safer than boxing.
"The matches are stopped a lot quicker, so nobody stands around for 10 or 12 rounds getting beat up."
Supporters also argue that the sport has taken steps to regulate itself and improve its image.
Random drug testing will be introduced for Cage Rage competitors in the UK next month.
Mr Geer said: "There are a lot of people around who don't understand the sport.
"I'm still surprised quite regularly by people who say, 'Oh, there's no rules' and believe that."
A spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee said she could not comment on the likelihood of a sport winning inclusion in the Games until an official request had been made to enter.
Cage Rage 24 takes place at Wembley Arena on December 1 and will be broadcast on Sky Sports 3.
Is cage fighting suitable for an olympic sport? Have your say below.
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I would welcome it - there is nothing better than a bunch of sweaty men beating each other.
They can introduce Dwarf Tossing too whilst they are at it.
Why not have bear baiting, cock fighting and goat throwing in it as well?
i think its the best idea ever .. being a cage fighter i have the view of it beeing an great way to stay fit and how to defend yourself .. these two idiots dont have a clue what there talking about it does have rules... and its not safer than boxin i admit that and pluss ya dont get beaten to death .. you just tap when you've had enuf
Lol at the "cock fighting" comment.
Considering people die from Boxing and it's an Olympic sport, I don't see why a sport that's almost undeniably safer shouldn't be included.
Maybe there wouldn't be such a fuss if all the ignorant, sensationalist press over here called it by it's proper name (Mixed Martial Arts) and people also realised it can be held in a "cage" or a ring.
Don't forget that a lot of the martial arts that make up Mixed Martial Arts are Olympic sports - i.e. Wrestling, Judo and Boxing, while other key parts of MMA like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are highly respected martial arts.
The only thing that should stop MMA from becoming an Olympic sport is that it doesn't have much in the way of amateur competitions, which is the form that would probably be included in the Olympics (like Boxing).