French enthusiasts defy ban on Mixed Martial Arts

"MMA isn't a hooligan's sport," insists Bertrand Amoussou, a trainer at an upscale gym in a quiet Paris neighbourhood in Montmartre. Combining elements from boxing, judo, karate and wrestling, MMA is allowed across Europe except in France and Norway. "MMA suffers from its past image when it was pretty savage, with bloody fights resembling street brawls," said Taylor Lapilus, a former jujitsu champion.