French enthusiasts defy MMA ban

Mixed Martial Arts not allowed in France but amateur fighters, fans still flock to rings

Mixed Martial Arts is trying to shrug off its image as an ultraviolent, inhuman and even degrading sport in France, where it is banned for pros but loved by amateurs.

"MMA isn't a hooligan's sport," insists Bertrand Amoussou, a trainer at an upscale gym in a quiet Paris neighborhood in Montmartre.