Yep, I Really Do Like Mixed Martial Arts!

I've been a fan of mixed martial arts since I was in graduate school. It started with boxing. I remember the first time I saw a match, it was in 1997 and it was Oscar de la Hoya vs. Pernell Whitaker for the Welterweight title. I'd never seen anything like it. I knew boxing existed, of course, but I had no idea how exciting it could be. I was mesmerized. 

After the fight, I did what I always do when something piques my interest - I went in search of information. The internet was nothing like it is now - a decade ago, social media was limited to listservs and discussion groups. I quickly found a boxing listserv and learned everything I could...and as is often the case when exploring a new area of intrigue, I was exposed to new concepts like mixed martial arts, and names I'd never heard, like Couture and Shamrock and Gracie. 

Then one day, when I was home visiting my family, my dad showed me the Ultimate Fighting Championship - the octagon. It was incredible! Two guys, both from completely different styles of fighting, duking it out, no holds barred. I thought it was brilliant. 

If you've ever talked to someone who knows a martial art, you've likely had the conversation about which martial art is better. Kung fu artists say kung fu would win over karate; karate guys say karate is better than street fighting. Street fighters just knock you out. But the point is, all these different guys back then had different fighting styles and were just testing them against each other.

One of my favorite fighters back then was Tank Abbott. He was a giant, goateed street fighter whose experience was pretty much winning a lot of bar fights. Today, MMA is so different - most fighters are well-rounded, with an emphasis in ju-jitsu and wrestling. It's not about which style is better - that question has been answered. Today it's all about the quality, skill, and heart of the fighter, and I don't think Tank Abbott (or many of the fighters from "back in the day") could stand up to the level of competition we see now.

That said, MMA is still a fascinating sport - a rare combination of massive skill and unfathomable heart. I never really competed in anything athletic, so I don't always understand continuing to compete, even when one is severely injured. But I still respect the fortitude it requires for someone like, say, Urijah Faber, to stay standing through almost an entire fight with two broken hands, and still make a good showing. 

When it comes to the UFC and how brilliantly Dana White has transformed that company,White's business acumen and the genius in utilizing the media and reality TV to bring MMA to the media are an inspiration for entrepreneurs. And anyone who's ever been bullied has to get a little satisfaction out of MTV's "Bully Beatdown," where bullies endure three rounds with an MMA fighter, in the hopes of winning $10,000 (produced by Mark Burnett, no less).

Many say that MMA is barbaric, and some have want it banned. If you've ever watched one of the bloodier fights, it's hard to disagree with that assessment. I can't entirely explain my own interest in it, as I tend to be about as nonviolent as it gets and I consider myself to be fairly cultured and at least somewhat refined. But what I do know is that I respect and appreciate the skill, conditioning, athletic and prowess of MMA fighters, as well as the historic nature of watching two powerful warriors face one another in hand-to-hand combat.