I won't argue with anybody (there's a d***head on another thread who supports cockfighting who tries to convince people this doesn't happen, but is happy to take everybody's free roos), but I will tell you what I know from experience. I don't want you to feel bad, but you asked a question, and I'd rather people know than support cockfighting unknowingly.
I grew up in a very country family (the indoor plumbing wasn't that old, and we hauled our own drinking water). My uncle was good friends with a guy who raised gamecocks. Back then there wasn't any such thing as chicken hobbyists, so spare roosters always ended up in the stewpot, and people weren't giving them away by the bundle, so they were a commodity. My uncle's friend would buy my grandparents' roos for a decent price, because he could use them to show off one of his birds without fear of hurting it, and he would make a lot more off the sale of his gamecock than what he spent on the baiter. Bantams would be no threat to a gamecock, but could still work to display the viciousness of the bird for sale.
That's what dogfighters do with non-fighting dogs. They use a kill and reward system, and work them up to arena-ready dogs.
And I despise anybody who takes pleasure out of another creature's pain.
