The Confession of a MMA Convert
by Zak Woods on Feb 10, 2010 10:51 AM EST
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A reader on Twitter recently asked me what were the best fights to show a friend in order to convert them into a MMA fan. While that story is still in the works, there is an alternative--go to a live event.
That is exactly what Andrew Sharp, a senior editor at SB Nation, did and the results, well, just read for yourself:
But a note to "serious" people everywhere: Mixed Martial Arts is a sport that, in so many different ways, demands to be taken seriously. Taken seriously by the fighters, by promoters, by advertisers, and most of all, by the fans-the Mixed Martial Arts obsessives that have made MMA and the UFC the fastest growing sport on the planet.
People see the UFC as an organization promoting these barbaric cage matches, bastardizing the sports of boxing and wrestling, and turning them into pure bloodsport. The athletes train hard, yes, but can they really compare to other pro athletes? Someone like Randy Couture may be tough, but so is Ray Lewis-can Randy Couture also run a 4.6 40-yard dash? These are the arguments that sports fans use when they're dismissing MMA as a perversion and a waste of time. Much ado about nothing.
It may be insanely popular, but so are the Black Eyed Peas. And look at all the fans, wearing those ridiculous Affliction shirts. We're supposed to take this seriously? What the hell is a tap out?
This is how people like me have ignored the rise of Mixed Martial Arts over the past decade. It's like there's this awesome party going on, and nobody can be bothered to show up and check it out.
And it's our loss. I went to a fight this weekend-UFC 109, which wasn't even supposed to be a spectacular card-and despite some serious skepticism, it took all of five minutes to be converted.
Interesting that Andrew gravitated towards the Affliction shirts, I think we might have a poll about that...
But Sharp's story is a typical one for any MMA convert or any sport fan for that matter. Just think about some of your own favorite sports memories. I bet a lot of them involve going to a live event.
Check out the whole article (it is pretty fantastic)
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Before the first season of TUF (when spike was free with basic cable), I didn’t know what MMA was and for a time I thought the UFC was MMA that is until I got Internet. I had seen previous clips of the barbaric fights of the early UFC only through tainted news coverage. When TUF came on, at first I was like damn, not another reality show with some wanna be fighters. I think it wasn’t until the second episode when bobby knocked out louden was that I got hooked. So, in my case I didn’t have to waste extra money to go to a show to becoe hooked. However, with the way TUF is now (the kimbo show) it may attract people for the wrong reasons.
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