How come cro cop and fedor never get cauliflower ears?

Question

is it because they dont practice brazilian ground fighting or is it because they rarely ever get hit?

Answer 1

It probably has more to do with preventive care.  Such as wearing head gear and such.  i train BJJ and I go through lengths to keep my ears from getting mashed up.  Some of the guys I train with think that its like a badge of honor or something but Id rather keep my ears as they are.

Answer 2

agreed, preventative maintnance can do wonders for cauliflower ear.

Also Cro cop probably doesnt get it because he only has to get hit once before he gets KO'd

Answer 3

You can avoid cauliflower ears by draining them, preventing them from happening, even if you do heavy grappling.

Answer 4

I agree with Drew.  

My understanding is cauliflower ear comes from the destruction of the cartilage in the ear and the body's reconstruction of this tissue as best as possible.  During this reconstruction, the body "attempts to make the damaged area stronger" in anticipation of further damage--similar to how a bone "grows back stronger" after a break.  The reconstruction is also very random, resulting in the disfigured shape.

Wrestlers/grapplers/fighters attain this through a lack of preventative measures--not using headgear during grappling and sparring.  Not enough evidence exists to say Cro Cop and Fedor do not have cauliflower ear because they don't grapple or get hit.  This may be the case, but it may also be that they utilize proper head/ear protection or that their trainers train them in a way that such injury is not sustained.

I've always been taught to train with minimal injuries, that way I'm always in optimal shape for a fight; these guys probably do the same.  Or, as Drew said, we all just like our ears. =)