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“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile, but that it is indifferent. If we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death, our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” - Stanley Kubrick
I used to watch it maybe 4-6 years ago before I got bored.
PRIDE was a much more interesting promotion than UFC anyway, it didn't take itself as seriously as the UFC does and there was a much greater degree of showmanship, making it more fun to watch.
MMA to me answers who's the toughest guy on the planet. I've seen some discussion about gladiators and what not in this thread, and you can probably go back to the beginning of time and people have always had some interest in who the toughest guy was. MMA essentially answers that. That's why I like it so much more than boxing. The HW champ in the UFC would absolutely murder the HW boxing champ. That makes boxing less interesting to me. Just like wrestling would be, or a BJJ tournament, karate, judo, etc.
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Originally Posted by Hugh Mann
I don't take enjoyment from watching a couple of muscular, sweaty, half-naked men rolling around on a mat playing grab-ass. Some guys do, apparently. My theory is that it is so popular among 18-28 year old males, and basically no other group, because it provides them with a safe avenue to satisfy their latent homoerotic desires without risking exposure to the homophobia that's so rampant among young males.
Cue the Not Sure if Serious Joker Meme. If you're not a fan that is completely understandable, but I can assure you that closet homosexuals do not make up the majority of the MMA audience.
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Originally Posted by Buck Aki Berg
If I ask someone "What shows do you watch?", "What sports do you like?", or "What do you do for fun?" and UFC appears somewhere in the answer, I mentally deduct $10,000 off what I think they make.
It's one thing to watch it if it happens to be on, but I find the people who actually follow UFC in any meaningful way (to the extent that they consider it an "interest") to generally be fairly one-dimensional individuals.
No question, as with anything, there are going to be stereotypes in terms of your typical UFC fan. And I think to a certain degree they're true. You go to a UFC expo say and you're gonna see a lot of fairly similar looking people. I think you're making quite an overgeneralization though.
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Originally Posted by Vince McMahon
I like watching it but I need something to draw me in. I need entertainment in building the fights and that's probably why Chael Sonnen is my favourite fighter. I'll watch anything he's involved in. He entertains me and draws me into it. GSP is GSP, I'll watch when he's involved too but otherwise, I'll watch it if there's nothing else on. I enjoy it, but I'm not a rabid fan of it.
This is exactly what the sport needs more of. There used to be a lot more personalities a few years back. Chael is really the only relevant personality left. I wish more guys like that would come along. Unfortunately for the UFC it doesn't appear that is happening, and they can't force it or manufacture it because then their credibility takes a hit.
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Originally Posted by LSnow
I watch boxing, but UFC is not a real sport.
What do you mean by that exactly?
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Originally Posted by RichterBromont
This
What'd Bernard Hopkins fight at like 170? You get any welterweight on the UFC roster and take them to Bernard's "hood", and they would whoop anyone's ass there, starting with this clown. One of these guys in "panties" could teabag Bernard as they were snapping his arm in two, and Bernard couldn't do a damn thing about it. He might be singing a different tune after that.
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Originally Posted by disfigured
There's a reason they called boxing during its golden age "The sweet science". While there's an element of that in UFC there's not nearly enough to hold my attention. Your strengths and assets as a fighter can't be exclusively showcased against that of another fighter's in UFC types of leagues.
It's a regressive version of pugilistic sport. Nothing wrong with that, a game of checkers can be just as fun as chess, but when viewing I'd rather watch chess.
You make fair points, and you obviously like boxing more than MMA, and that is fine, but to use your analogy, boxing would be checkers, and MMA would be chess. All of the stuff you mentioned in boxing, footwork, speed, power, height, reach, lefty/righty, feints, combinations, etc., MMA has all of that, but guys also have to worry about various kicks, being taken down, and all kinds of different submissions. Now I completely understand how if you don't follow the sport closely two guys rolling around on the ground can seem dull, but to those who are very knowledgeable when it comes to wrestling/BJJ, there is a ton going on there to appreciate.
It's not that the athleticism itself is "simple", it's that the lack of rules creates a more simplistic way of circumventing strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Where as in other sports you're forced to work within the confines of rules with the assets you have. Game plans and strategies in sports with more rules are more complex and create more things for the fans to be interested in.
Just saying........
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Originally Posted by saskriders
Not enough structure to make it enjoyable, rules are there for a reason.
During the Olympics, Taekwondo (sp?), Judo, and all those other fighting events are fun to watch though, because they have rules, and therefore structure.
I don't know who told you guys that the UFC doesn't have rules, but it's not true. There are rules.
There's actually a fair amount of rules in the UFC. when it first started there were almost no rules, and that perception has carried on to this day.
Now there are a lot of rules geared to protect the fighters.
No punching/hitting in the back of the head.
No head kicks to a downed opponent
No ball kicks
No eye gouging
No head butting
I think the rules for fighting are actually 3 or 4 pages long.
Also, it should be noted that MMA fights are generally safer than boxing matches. You wouldn't think it, but the fact that the refs call fights when a fighter is hurt, defenceless or knocked out prevents a lot of injuries. Boxing lets guys get knocked down multiple times, and as long as they can stand up and say, "Yes" before the ref counts to 10, they can keep fighting. Having guys fight in thsi state only leads to an increase chance of brain injury.
Sorry for going off topic, butI just wanted to clear that up.
I'm not a big UFC fan, as stated previously, but I would watch that over boxing. Boxing is one sport that I have nto been able to enjoy. Punch, punch, hug. Punch, block, hug.
I think UFC requires more strategy than boxing because you have to prepare for multiple styles of attack.
Also, it should be noted that MMA fights are generally safer than boxing matches. You wouldn't think it, but the fact that the refs call fights when a fighter is hurt, defenceless or knocked out prevents a lot of injuries. Boxing lets guys get knocked down multiple times, and as long as they can stand up and say, "Yes" before the ref counts to 10, they can keep fighting. Having guys fight in thsi state only leads to an increase chance of brain injury.
You make fair points, and you obviously like boxing more than MMA, and that is fine, but to use your analogy, boxing would be checkers, and MMA would be chess. All of the stuff you mentioned in boxing, footwork, speed, power, height, reach, lefty/righty, feints, combinations, etc., MMA has all of that, but guys also have to worry about various kicks, being taken down, and all kinds of different submissions. Now I completely understand how if you don't follow the sport closely two guys rolling around on the ground can seem dull, but to those who are very knowledgeable when it comes to wrestling/BJJ, there is a ton going on there to appreciate.
Perhaps not the best of analogies on my part.
Let me put it another way using just chess . Sure in UFC all things can be used, but that would be like every piece being a queen. Where as in boxing and other more traditional pugilistic sports you're restrictied to how you can move, which is only further restricted by what type of fighter you are. You have to work within the confines of what assets you have (pieces on the board), and adjust to win.
Not that it doesn't go on in UFC and MMA matches, but it's not nearly as deliberate and calculated as it is in boxing. Strikers can try and grapple and Grapplers can try and strike (box) at any given time. If someone is a Southpaw in boxing you're stuck with that the majority of the fight and there's very little you can do to negate it. If you're hurt in boxing you can only clutch for a few seconds as a respite, etc etc.
@Zorf
It's the rules that restrict movement and major ways of inflicting damage on an opponent in boxing (and other pugilistic sports) that make them more of a thinking man's sport. Not necessarily the ones that exists across the board in all of these sports (rabbit punching, low blows, thumbing, etc etc), those are universally considered a deterrent to the quality and safety of the sport and the combatants.
And yes I agree, because of the standing 8 and gloves, boxing is more dangerous in the long run due to repeated blows. My argument/view isn't about violence due to the lack of rules, it's about the reduced diversity and complexity for the viewer due to the lack of rules.
/
I think it's most evident in that most UFC fighters are very similar. Yes there's a few who carve out niches and have their strengths, but few are "unique" in the way they fight. Where as in boxing Tommy Hearns was not like most fighters.Ray Leornard was text book. Jake LaMotta was well a "Bull". Ali and Fraser were polar opposites yet the juxtaposition of their styles within the restricted confines of the rules of boxing made it work for a vastly more entertaining experience as a viewer. Not to mention because of the lack of restrictions on movement and offense (kicking/grappling), there's very few UFC fighters who are graceful or have any finesse in their styles. Sure there are some who have a more controlled and calculated way of fighting, but there's very little the sport does to showcase these talents.
Hey I'm a Neely/O'Reilly type hockey fan, and I often say to myself I could easily still watch hockey with a league of their clones. But truth be told I'd probably hate it and so would most (hockey fans).
Believe me I tried, and watched a lot of MMA/UFC matches and still do occasionally with "the guys". There's just not enough content there to make it interesting from a viewers/fan perspective. Not for me anyway. Sort of like Rugby. Vastly more physical than most sports, but with few restrictions (rules) about the field of play and interaction between the players, any kind of appreciation beyond that physicality is mostly lost.
To me it's the action movie of sports (UFC specifically). It's exciting, but the plot is nearly always the same and predictable. Occasionally its fun to sit through one, but I'm not going to the theater 3 nights a week to see a new one.
I'm not saying it's crappy, or bad, just trying to explain why it just doesn't do much for me, without belittling it.
Not to mention because of the lack of restrictions on movement and offense (kicking/grappling), there's very few UFC fighters who are graceful or have any finesse in their styles. Sure there are some who have a more controlled and calculated way of fighting, but there's very little the sport does to showcase these talents.
Let me put it another way using just chess . Sure in UFC all things can be used, but that would be like every piece being a queen. Where as in boxing and other more traditional pugilistic sports you're restrictied to how you can move, which is only further restricted by what type of fighter you are. You have to work within the confines of what assets you have (pieces on the board), and adjust to win.
Not that it doesn't go on in UFC and MMA matches, but it's not nearly as deliberate and calculated as it is in boxing. Strikers can try and grapple and Grapplers can try and strike (box) at any given time. If someone is a Southpaw in boxing you're stuck with that the majority of the fight and there's very little you can do to negate it. If you're hurt in boxing you can only clutch for a few seconds as a respite, etc etc..
Fair enough. I really do think if you learned the nuances of MMA you might appreciate them as you do in boxing. But don't get me wrong, I don't know them either, I typically just let Joe Rogan tell me what exactly's going on.
I find it hilarious that people who talk about how they don't want to see two naked men wrestle on the ground don't see how ironic, ignorant and telling their comment really is.
I couldn't care less about UFC. The 'sport' in it holds no draw for me, I have no interest in watching two men beat the crap out of each other. I appreciate that these fighters have mastered many forms of martial art but I have no desire to watch them exercise their skills on another person. Similarly I don't care for boxing whatsoever, nor do I like fighting in hockey.
The UFC organization itself seems about as crooked as boxing, which is another reason I don't care to watch.
Most of the UFC fans I know are interested in it because they are gamblers. They bet on the fights. Being that I don't gamble that part of it doesn't draw me in either.
I don't take enjoyment from watching a couple of muscular, sweaty, half-naked men rolling around on a mat playing grab-ass. Some guys do, apparently. My theory is that it is so popular among 18-28 year old males, and basically no other group, because it provides them with a safe avenue to satisfy their latent homoerotic desires without risking exposure to the homophobia that's so rampant among young males.
Really, this is really what you think.
Playing grab-ass, really.
Really, this post is amazingly awful.
Should I at all be surprised that someone mentioned homophobia and homoerotic desires so soon in the the thread? Nope, no I shouldn't.
Not enough structure to make it enjoyable, rules are there for a reason.
During the Olympics, Taekwondo (sp?), Judo, and all those other fighting events are fun to watch though, because they have rules, and therefore structure.
Umm, learn more about the sport before making statements about rules.
