Edger-
As a surfer and a martial artist, I would not put either at less risky as far as injuries go.
I have sustained injuries in training for marital arts. Tweaked knees, ankles, bumps, bruises, black eyes, bloody noses. These were all minor. The more serious injuries, I incurred a stress fracture while running(I was away on business in Turkey and ran on a seaside stone path-big mistake) to train for a fight, and also I seperated my shoulder last summer-type 3 ac separation. Stress fracture has mostly healed-still see a spot on MRIs but this was likely caused because I am flat-footed and I needed orthotics. The shoulder separation has been a bit more hindering but the physical therapy should bring me close to full strength(or as close as I will get) by this summer.
That said- let me list some of the surfing injuries I have had.
Don't know what I would call this but some kook on a longboard couldn't make a section and lost his board which landed square across my spine. I couldn't move for a while and held onto my board. I got a friend to help me get in, where I then laid on the beach for 45 minutes almost moitonless because I couldn't move well-hard to explain. Only ended up with a bruise but had the surf been a wee bit bigger this could have been disatrous.
I have had my fins slice me everywhere, reef cuts, urchins, etc, been wrapped in my leash to the point of pain, and almost drownded more than a few times(FWIW I hate leashes so I almost didn't list that one, they have nancified the waterman that surfers once were). But that is all in good fun. I've gotten stiches in my ear cause my board split it in two(don't surf too hung-over after too much cheap centroamerican beer). I have been run(scared) out of the water by sharks, gotten infections in my ears and sinuses from dirty water, and had countless rash/sun burns and rubs on the bottom.
My most serious injury, in my life to-date has been a fractured radial head in my right arm received while pursuing my favorite pasttime, surfing. I stuck it out at the last second to keep from breaking my neck, heard it crack underwater and then sidestroked into the beach. This injury resulted in very costly surgery and a very long(longer than the shoulder so far) recovery process.
I could apply the same type of logic you used to berate MMA/UFC to someone who drowns while surfing and say, "real cool. Go drown for a ride on a farrking wave." So while MMA may be risky and/or violent, don't let yourself be fooled, surfing is just as risky, maybe more so. Probably has to do with the fact that the ocean is more powerful than any trained fighter, there are all sorts of hazards in the line-up including more and more surfers every year, plus throw in the risk of shark attack and you try telling me that surfing is less dangerous/risky than MMA. Sure a knee-high point break is a walk in the park, but I just have a lot more fun when there is more risk involved because the waves get bigger and more critical which equals more fun when you make one.
The common factor between them: FUN. Both are a blast to pursue.
On a different note, the UFC is a BRAND, registered trade-mark for the sport of MMA. Dana "Boxing is dead" White can't claim his heavyweight champs are superior until he signs Fedor and either Fedor wins or someone beats him.
I'll give it to Dana though, he is a helluva promoter.
