Why I love the UFC: Confessions of a Closet MMA Fan.

I like to pretend that I’m a fairly sophisticated person. I read good books. I enjoy classical music. I enjoy the theater. I love expensive food! I’ll talk economics or politics with whomever ever will listen. But, alas it appears I’m just a brutish redneck at heart. Why, you might ask? I love mixed martial arts (MMA). Specifically, I am fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). Now of course I couldn’t actually pull off any mixed martial arts moves. (My fighting strategy consists of rolling up in the fetal position and screaming for my mommy.) Nevertheless, I love watching the sport. (Yes I said sport.) It all started about four years ago when I happened to be flipping channels one night and I landed on the Spike TV channel. I normally don’t watch Spike TV, in fact at the time I didn’t even realize that was the name of the channel, but this time instead of flipping right past it I stopped. I stopped because I saw two men (the announcers said their names were Forrest Griffin and Stephon Bonnar) in what looked like an octagon shaped cage locked in an epic battle of wills. According to the announcers these two men were fighting for a contract with UFC as part of the UFC’s reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”. It was clear that both of these men wanted this contract very, very badly. They were hitting each other with all manner of kicks, punches, and wrestling takedowns. Neither man would give an inch. This went on for three five-minute rounds. It was absolutely amazing to watch such display of determination and stamina. When the bell rung signaling the end of the final round the crowd exploded, cheering the super-human effort displayed by both fighters. Simultaneously both fighters embraced and raised each other’s arms in a show of respect. (The judges declared Forrest Griffin the winner, but because this remarkable performance was the work of both men the UFC awarded both men contracts.)

I was awe struck by this performance. I had just witnessed two athletes, evenly matched in skill, locked in battle of wills, both desperate to win the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of being a professional fighter. Neither fighter relented and both were utterly exhausted when they were done. And despite the fact they had just spent fifteen minutes locked in hand to hand combat, both men showed tremendous respect for their opponent the moment the matched ended. This was both compelling and inspiring. I was hooked.

After the fight I immediately went on Netflix and rented all the UFC videos I could find. The more I watched the more intrigued I became. Before I had stumbled upon the Griffin/Bonner fight, I had always believed that “cage fighting” was appalling and barbaric. I was alarmed that anyone would pay to see such a thing. After immersing myself in the UFC I have learned that “cage fighting” has evolved from its barbaric beginnings into a very disciplined and sophisticated sport.

The men who fight in these matches are not bar room brawlers or lawless thugs. In most cases these are men who are extremely accomplished athletes. This is especially true in the upper echelons of the sport. The UFC’s current and former heavy weight champions both competed at the Olympic level in wrestling. The current light-heavy weight champion is a black belt in Brazilian Jujitsu and Karate. The middleweight champion is a champion in both kickboxing and jujitsu. The elite fighters have training regimens that would make NFL players pass out from fatigue.

The fact that the top fighters in MMA are masters in multiple disciplines means that the strategies for these fights can be extremely complicated. In addition, multiple disciplines means there are a variety of ways a fight can come to a conclusion. This adds to the suspense of the matches. It also lends itself to upsets. If fighter A has a style/discipline that is uniquely suited to exploit fighter B’s weakness, then fighter A can upset fighter B even if fighter A is the overall inferior fighter. This is fairly rare in match ups between top fighters, but it occurs just frequently enough to enhance the drama and anticipation during a fight.

Another positive element of the multi-discipline nature of MMA is the fact that it brings masters of the different fighting styles from all over the world to compete. As the sport grows the quality of the athletes improves and because the pool of talent is literally worldwide. Consequently the sport is always evolving which makes MMA all the more intriguing to follow.

In the end, I know this sport is not for everyone. Ultimately it is a violent sport and the fact of the matter is blood is spilled and the competitors seek to inflict pain on each other. (However, the sport is arguably safer than boxing, professional football, and hockey. But I’ll save that for another blog entry.) So, I understand those who shun the sport and those who simply find it distasteful. Nevertheless, I choose to see it as the perfect combination of discipline, skill, aggression, strategy, and determination. I see men who have the courage to push themselves to their limits mentally and physically in the ultimate test of will.

Am I simply seeking to rationalize my own bloodlust and aggression? Have I become desensitized to the brutality? Am I glorifying violence by cheering on these men as they seek to inflict pain on one another? Maybe, maybe not. I really don’t know how being a fan of the UFC reflects on my personality or psyche but honestly I don’t care, because I’m hooked.