By VINCENT HUYNH

Melbourne is in the grip of combat fever in the build up to cage fighting superstar Ronda Rousey’s bout with Holly Holm at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

AS UFC's popularity soars in Victoria, so is membership is in combat sport clubs, such as MMA (mixed martial arts), boxing, and martial arts.

But the nation’s peak medical body has reaffirmed its call for a ban on anyone under 18 taking part in combat sports, just weeks after a boxer died after a boxing match in NSW.

Filipino boxer Carlo Magali KO’d NSW boxer David Browne Jr in the final round of a super-featherweight title fight in September. The 28-year-old father of two was rushed to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition and remained in a coma until his family turned off his life support.

AMA president Prof Brian Owler, who has long opposed boxing, said head injuries that appeared minor could become serious without warning.

“Even when fighters are not knocked unconscious, repeated blows to the head are inherently dangerous,” Prof Owler said in a statement.

The AMA has recommended a ban on all combat sports for anyone under 18, and a ban on boxing in the Olympic Games.

“Doctors witness the loss of life and quality of life as a result of injuries incurred in boxing and other combat sports,” Prof Owler said.

“We must put an end to this carnage.”

Prof Owler said he was concerned combat sports could normalise violence for young people.

“Children and young people may be particularly vulnerable to the promotion of ‘sports’ that encourage interpersonal violence,” he said.

But more Victorians are now signing up for combat sports. Immersion MMA is a mixed-martial arts club that provides lessons in grappling for children aged eight to 14.

It also gives teenagers an opportunity to train with adults.

The club’s Brazilian jiu jitsu coach David Marinakis said the AMA was overstating the risks of combat sports.

He said the risk of head trauma in other sports, such as Aussie rules and rugby, was higher, but much less talked about.

“I think it’s a bad rap … why would they target [combat sports] when there are worse things out there?” he said.

An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found the rate of hospitalisation in combative sports was much lower than Aussie rules.

Mr Marinakis said safety measures, such as increased coaching staff on mats to control fights, showed event organisers and trainers placed importance on safety.

“Can people get hurt doing a physical sport? Of course they can, you can get hurt walking outside,” he said.

“It’s about managing that risk, and making sure that you have enough coaches on the mats, having an environment where everyone looks after each other.

“Are you telling kids to ‘get in there and beat him up’, or are you trying to promote something a bit more positive?”

He said MMA developed a child’s confidence, responsibility, healthy diet and exercise, rather than just fighting.

“It’s really the soft skills, the confidence, the responsibility, the discipline and looking after and respecting people is really important … and I think that’s overlooked, I think that’s really overlooked.”