Coming up on two years of blogging I can't believe it's taken me this long to blog about MMA. For those that don't know, MMA is mixed martial arts. I love MMA. It's easily my favorite sport and I'm pleased to have been a fan for twelve years now! The sport has erupted in popularity recently and it makes me happy and a little sad at the same time. Being into something that few people understand or know of makes it a bit of a special thing, almost as if it's a unique club or some kind of a secret. It's similar to being into a band that few have heard of. Then the band makes it and everyone knows who they are. They are still great but now everyone knows it and it becomes a little less special. MMA has gone through the same sort of thing in the past couple of years. I hear people talking or read articles and think to myself, "I liked it first".
Still though, I'm glad MMA is taking off. I'd rather it go through what it's going through than remain an underground thing. In a way it makes me less of a dork or oddball for liking it (that's arguable). As it becomes accepted, arguments in favor are made on their own and the sport doesn't really need people like me anymore because it has made it. Influential people are talking about it and athletic commissions are accepting as legitimate. A combination of many things has taken the sport to all time heights and I couldn't be happier about it. Now, my choices for MMA entertainment are beyond what I had ever hoped. There are over dozen well known companies and hundreds of smaller ones. The athletes are training specifically for MMA instead of adapting a discipline they adopted prior to mainstream MMA existence. The increase in competition has made the sport more interesting than ever.
Let's hope the popularity bubble doesn't ruin the sport by over regulating or over saturating. Saturation is already happening but I think it's still healthy at this point. There is room to grow and I'm not concerned about that just yet. Even though the top ten lists in each of the weight classes focuses on the main few companies, breaking into the mainstream isn't impossible by any stretch. Standouts and stars abroad are getting their shots in the bigger shows. The titles in the larger brands matter, which is important to me. I mark out for belts and championships an always have. The promotions are learning about what sells but they don't cram it down our throats. The pure competition of the sport still rules supreme even though we are subject to the occasional squash match ups and freak show bouts. Those are entertaining in their own way. Story lines are developed and unfold. Style clashes are still prevalent. Stars definitely exist. The bigger names are getting compensated now too, fortunately. There are faces and their are heals (good guys and bad guys). There are lot's of reasons to tune in if you like the general premise.
Having never blogged about MMA I'm flooded with plenty of ideas of topics to write about but for now I'll settle for simply proclaiming my appreciation for the sport. Settling in for a good show with friends makes for a good time. The fight game is interesting in many ways and ranks among my favorite forms of entertainment overall. The pure competition is largely unmatched in other sports. I'm looking forward to the near and distant future of what the sport will offer. The most interesting news (big news as well) is the UFC and Pride merger. I think we all knew that was coming but it opens up so many possibilities for cross-promotional super bouts. I was sad to see Pride as we know it go away forever but that sort of thing will happen, it's just business. Let's just hope the spirit of Pride is maintained to some degree.
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