Analogs of Colloseum in MMA and video games exist, but they are not "real" enough for some people. In fact, the Colloseum is not big enough for some people, they want a bigger fight and glory. Like a war.

So while the article raises interesting points it's really proposing only half measures.

Of course, big conventional war is destructive, self-defeating, and cruel so it's no good.

So what I propose is to direct the drive for adventure into facing the "real" of learning and creating the way technology and science does it. I wish I learned how to communicate the heroic nature of this quest .