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[strikeselect]

It's easy to watch, it's brutal, and it's primal. Compare that to boxing which is much more tactical and strategic.

Because MMA and cagefighting are for unskilled fighters while boxing requires years of perfecting your craft.

ITT: People who know nothing about MMA comment on MMA.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Not at all, ignorant post maybe.

Just seems like any guy who's in good shape can join, infact I remember a friend of mine who's a fan told me of a non fighter who joined and earned millions, but I admit I know next to nothing about it.

Do you realize how many scrub, journeyman, crap boxers are parading around fighting in at shitty indian casinos in the middle or nowhere or at country fairs? It's exactly the same as MMA in that regard. Hell even some of the boxing that gets aired on local sports networks and ESPN isn't top of the line. Being a pro boxer doesn't require some sort of extreme dedication, discipline or exceptional skill. Being a GREAT pro boxer does, but so does being a great MMA practitioner.

 

[Kusagari]

Because MMA and cagefighting are for unskilled fighters while boxing requires years of perfecting your craft.

 

[industrian]

Personally I think MMA should be illegal (probably boxing too) because it's barbaric and the brain injuries suffered today will start impacting former fighters years down the line.

And your thoughts on American Football and Rugby?

 

[Heel]

I'd say MMA has its share of absolutely barbaric moments, but that goes for most sports, including those not centered around combat.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I haven't really gotten into it (I like boxing) but MMA is a very "pure" sport in that if you win, you win. There are very few rules and arbitration. As an athlete, I find that incredibly attractive.

Aesthetically, it hasn't done all that much for me, but I hope I can get over that.

Pro Football would have to go first.

 

[Stabby McSter]

what the fuck, that was the free-est hit ever

 

[Plywood]

Stupidity and alcohol.

No.

I find MMA boring because it often devolves into two really tired guys not moving around much holding each other on the floor.

I don't understand why people find it fun to watch two men hug on the ground for half an hour. Every UFC or MMA fight I've ever watched starts with them circling each other for twenty seconds, until somebody goes in for the huggibears and we watch them embrace on the floor until the bell rings and they get ready to do it again for another couple of rounds.

From what I've seen the refs are pretty quick to stop the fights, at least in the UFC.

What surprises me is that people even find this sport entertaining, half of the fights I've watched they were either hugging each other on the floor or against the cage.

Never was a fan. It always devolves into a sweaty grappling match on the floor.

Uninformed opinions from people that have never watched more than a few matches of people with no TDD.

Boxing will forever be the better sport. You're right OP, it's pretty sickening to watch someone being punched in the head while knocked out. I asked my MMA friends about this, and they said its because the fight isn't over until the ref calls it. As if an unconscious man on the floor is going to fight back. The resulting cheers from seeing an unconscious man being elbowed and punched in the face is unbelievable.

What Natural said.

MMA also has the worst fanbase of any "sport.". At least it makes it easier to avoid them in public when they insist on wearing those ugly Tapout shirts.

There is an "awful" side to any and every fanbase.

I don't know why people enjoy it. I find it sickening.

There are far more worse possibilities for injuries in other sports.

 

[Guevara]

And your thoughts on American Football and Rugby?

Don't know about Rugby but I personally can't watch football anymore. How can you be a fan of a player and watch them slowly destroy their brains to the point that they are in a depressed state for decades and/or kill themselves?

If you're wondering, I pretty much just watch baseball and soccer.

 

[TheExodu5]

Uninformed opinions from people that have never watched more than a few matches of people with no TDD.

I've watched 4 events. 90% of the matches I've seen are boring grapple matches. Too little excitement for me.

I'm not really bashing the sport though...I'm just not really a sports guy. I enjoy hockey, and I enjoy watching Starcraft 2 (yeah, you can laugh at that one). That's about it.

 

[NaturalHigh]

Don't know about Rugby but I personally can't watch football anymore. How can you be a fan of a player and watch them slowly destroy their brains to the point that they are in a depressed state for decades and/or kill themselves?

If you're wondering, I pretty much just watch baseball and soccer.

They know the sacrifices they are making. This is why they get paid BUTT LOADS of money.

 

[alr1ght]

what the fuck, that was the free-est hit ever

I've watched 4 events. 90% of the matches I've seen are boring grapple matches. Too little excitement for me.

The last free show on FOX was amazing. Track it down.

 

[SUPREME1]

MMA is so much safer than boxing.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

worst KO ever IMO is:

Still safer than being an NFL lineman for 4 quarters though.

 

[Hunter S.]

The mma fights are often called too early and that is what can be boring. Many of the fighters can take blows and recover. I like it because it is one of the sports you have to be the most fit to be the best. That said, fuck Jones Bones. You get me ufc fans.

 

[The Faceless Master]

most of these responses are totally trolling. that's exactly what i'm telling myself as i hit submit.

 

[HappyBivouac]

Most people have natural bloodlust. They love to watch people hurting each other.

I'm a condescending prick for talking this way, I'm aware, but I've always felt apart from this phenomenon and weirded out by it. I remember fights would happen outside my high school cafeteria and people would just flock to watch the spectacle. It seemed fucked up to me then and it still does. I've never experienced that desire to watch people fight. I get repulsed by it.

 

[SUPREME1]

Boxing will forever be the better sport. You're right OP, it's pretty sickening to watch someone being punched in the head while knocked out. I asked my MMA friends about this, and they said its because the fight isn't over until the ref calls it. As if an unconscious man on the floor is going to fight back. The resulting cheers from seeing an unconscious man being elbowed and punched in the face is unbelievable.

Ugh, this really doesn't happen.


There might be an instance when a fighter gets in an extra blow or two before the ref gets in there, but yeah... you're making it seem as it's common. That's pretty dishonest.

 

[NaturalHigh]

Most people have natural bloodlust. They love to watch people hurting each other.

I'm a condescending prick for talking this way, I'm aware, but I've always felt apart from this phenomenon and weirded out by it. I've never experienced that desire to watch people fight. I get repulsed by it.

I HATE seeing fights in person. But when it is their job to hurt people I feel better about it. Once again...they are getting paid for it and it is their choice to be there.

Watching to dudes throw down at a party saddens me to no end though.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Watching to dudes throw down at a party saddens me to no end though.

Next time this happens just start yelling "WOOOOOOOOOOORLD STAAAAAAAR!"

 

[RiccochetJ]

The mma fights are often called too early and that is what can be boring. Many of the fighters can take blows and recover. I like it because it is one of the sports you have to be the most fit to be the best. That said, fuck Jones Bones. You get me ufc fans.

I'm sad that Hendo got hurt. Although I'm interested in seeing if Belfort can do anything. The whole situation is getting embarrassing though.

 

[DOBERMAN INC]

Do you realize how many scrub, journeyman, crap boxers are parading around fighting in at shitty indian casinos in the middle or nowhere or at country fairs? It's exactly the same as MMA in that regard. Hell even some of the boxing that gets aired on local sports networks and ESPN isn't top of the line. Being a pro boxer doesn't require some sort of extreme dedication, discipline or exceptional skill. Being a GREAT pro boxer does, but so does being a great MMA practitioner.

As I said, my post was ignorant and coming from a brief encounter with the sport, I apologise.

 

[industrian]

Don't know about Rugby but I personally can't watch football anymore. How can you be a fan of a player and watch them slowly destroy their brains to the point that they are in a depressed state for decades and/or kill themselves?

If you're wondering, I pretty much just watch baseball and soccer.

Rugby is like American Football (AF) without the padding and helmets, and a completely free-running game (like soccer) as opposed to the stop-start nature of AF.

But it's all ok to let your kids play this when they're 10 years old. It's ok to egg on high school kids to do "hard" tackles and smash other high school kids. However if you tell someone "yeah, my 12 year old does muay thai and BJJ and wants to be an MMA fighter" they call the cops.

 

[dekline]

most of these responses are totally trolling. that's exactly what i'm telling myself as i hit submit.

It's the only thing that makes sense really

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

It's the only thing that makes sense really

One would hope.

 

[Fox Mulder]

I don't understand why people find it fun to watch two men hug on the ground for half an hour. Every UFC or MMA fight I've ever watched starts with them circling each other for twenty seconds, until somebody goes in for the huggibears and we watch them embrace on the floor until the bell rings and they get ready to do it again for another couple of rounds.

That's a result of the shitty scoring used now. Japanese MMA in its prime was more entertaining to me, it was built to be. The UFC rewards lay and prey, which can lead to awfully boring fights.

 

[industrian]

I remember fights would happen outside my high school cafeteria and people would just flock to watch the spectacle. It seemed fucked up to me then and it still does. I've never experienced that desire to watch people fight. I get repulsed by it.

No idea if this was a local thing, a Scottish thing, a British thing or a worldwide thing, but when fights occurred at my high school, other students would just gather in a big circle around them and spit on them, throw dirt on them, etc. It's why I got decent at rugby: it was the most effective way to drop a mofo on their neck or steamroll them into the ground without any issues arising.

 

[Emerson]

Never was a fan. It always devolves into a sweaty grappling match on the floor.

I have always thought this, and then I decided to watch a UFC event and now I enjoy it. There is grappling, and I still don't find it all that exciting. But there's way, way less of it than I ever thought there was.

 

[SUPREME1]

No idea if this was a local thing, a Scottish thing, a British thing or a worldwide thing, but when fights occurred at my high school, other students would just gather in a big circle around them and spit on them, throw dirt on them, etc. It's why I got decent at rugby: it was the most effective way to drop a mofo on their neck or steamroll them into the ground without any issues arising.

I'd have called the cops on your folks.

 

[industrian]

I'd have called the cops on your folks.

I also played cricket in high school.

 

[B wzy]

for the unintiated, here's an example:

Here is MMA legend Dan "Hendo" Henderson in the white trunks knocking out some random chunky scrub from Russia. I can't even remember the guy's name, maybe someone can help me out. Anyway, notice how after Hendo knocks the dude's block off and his fat, out of shape carcass slams to the mat, the ref immediately steps in to stop it. If this were boxing, he would have been given a standing 8 count to gather himself and proceed to potentially suffer more damage and blows to his already sensitive brain. If it were football, he could have lied to his coach about his symptoms and be allowed back in the game to, again, cause more damage to his tender brain. MMA saved this Russian can's life so that he could be healthy enough to grace future shitty cards with his presence.

That "chunky scrub" you described is actually one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. I hope your being sarcastic.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Fedor-Emelianenko-1500

 

[slit]

I like watching people voluntarily beat the shit out of each other.

I'm sick, I know.

So when more "civilized" people look down on it, I'm not offended in the least.

 

[AstroLad]

Here is MMA legend Dan "Hendo" Henderson in the white trunks knocking out some random chunky scrub from Russia. I can't even remember the guy's name, maybe someone can help me out. Anyway, notice how after Hendo knocks the dude's block off and his fat, out of shape carcass slams to the mat, the ref immediately steps in to stop it. If this were boxing, he would have been given a standing 8 count to gather himself and proceed to potentially suffer more damage and blows to his already sensitive brain. If it were football, he could have lied to his coach about his symptoms and be allowed back in the game to, again, cause more damage to his tender brain. MMA saved this Russian can's life so that he could be healthy enough to grace future shitty cards with his presence.

Isn't Dan Henderson a former Olympian? Is it pretty common in MMA to match up American Olympians against sloppy fat amateur "tough guys" from around the world so they can annihilate them? Hard to say it's much of a sport then -- more of a circus sideshow.

 

[SickBoy]

While I'm not a fan, I don't have a problem with MMA... but I do question the comments stating as a fact that the sport is safer than Sport X or Sport Y.

The UFC is still pretty young and I'm not sure there's the body of evidence to support that claim.

Here's an interesting read: http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/09/28/bloody-sport-bad-reputation/

 

[Bel Marduk]

I don't mean to sound condescending. It's not the actual exchange of blows that bother me but when a man drops down (knocked off before he hits the ground awkwardly), I'm genuinely worried for him. But then his opponent gets on top and volleys punch after punch into the motionless figure on the ground whilst the crowd cheer? What am I missing here? How do fans reconcile the excitement of the contest with seeing someone on the floor in such a state?

Well.. the guys are kind of hot.

 

[blainethemono]

 

[GloveSlap]

What do people enjoy about pure competition based on a combination of the best hand to hand fighting techniques that different cultures have perfected over the course of human history? Hmm, I don't know.

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Isn't Dan Henderson a former Olympian? Is it pretty common in MMA to match up American Olympians against sloppy fat amateur "tough guys" from around the world so they can annihilate them? Hard to say it's much of a sport then -- more of a circus sideshow.

No that's Japan. Oh man those matches are fun, besides its more like pro wrestling.

 

[alr1ght]

this was the worst knockout i've seen in person

 

[Az987]

That "chunky scrub" you described is actually one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. I hope your being sarcastic.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Fedor-Emelianenko-1500

He knows who he is. He's a Fedor denier just like 3/4 of the rest of MMA-GAF.

 

[Dysun]

Because fighting is human nature and appealing.

MMA is the most pure form of fighting

 

[smurfx]

That "chunky scrub" you described is actually one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. I hope your being sarcastic.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Fedor-Emelianenko-1500

no sir the greatest fighter ever is giant silva.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FjmOw46nYk

 

[industrian]

That "chunky scrub" you described is actually one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. I hope your being sarcastic.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Fedor-Emelianenko-1500

I hope he got a Gold Medal from the EPA for all the recycling he did.

 

[captmorgan]

MMA also has the worst fanbase of any "sport.". At least it makes it easier to avoid them in public when they insist on wearing those ugly Tapout and Affliction shirts.

Id rather hang out with a MMA fan boy any day of the week instead of some mouth breeder neck beard console fan boy.

 

[A Pretty Panda]

 

[Rayis]

I like the homoeroticism, hot muscled hunks on top of each other grinding, panting and sweating

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

MMA-Gaf is full of inside jokes, memes and troll posts so I'm not sure if all the people calling Fedor a random fat dude is a joke or people being serious but playing a huge joke on non-MMA fans.

 

[GungHo]

I love knockouts in boxing, but I hate knockouts in MMA. In fact, I hate MMA in general. I honestly don't know why.

They can be brutal, but also possess a fair amount of artistry at a high level.

Because MMA and cagefighting are for unskilled fighters while boxing requires years of perfecting your craft.

I understand that this is what you think of when you think of MMA. After all, it's etched in every man's mind.

Over the past two decades, though, we have moved beyond that barbarity and have built a sport populated by men who strategically engage each other in a contest that is as much mental as physical.

Well... most of us.

 

[Panzon]

I'm shocked at some of these responses. I'm sure many of you are either trolling or you simply have no idea what you're talking about. If you ever train MMA or any form of martial arts for that matter, you will instantly "get" why its so good

 

[Plywood]

I've watched 4 events. 90% of the matches I've seen are boring grapple matches. Too little excitement for me.

I can say for the most part I don't see grapple matches that often but every sport has its boring moments.

Most people have natural bloodlust. They love to watch people hurting each other.

I'm a condescending prick for talking this way, I'm aware, but I've always felt apart from this phenomenon and weirded out by it. I've never experienced that desire to watch people fight. I get repulsed by it.

If anything people should be more comfortable with two people fighting in a controlled environment vs. any of the number of street fight videos you can find on youtube or anywhere else.

It should be clear that MMA is not a street fight. Organizations such as the UFC operate under unified rules. There are judges and a scoring system. Not every match ends in a KO, TKO, or submission. There is also a ref in the ring to make sure the two people facing each other obey the rules at all times(goes without saying that refs aren't perfect). Still, I don't see why people always feel the need to badmouth MMA when other sports have their athletes suffer much more neurological or physical damage to the praise of their fans.