The New Warriors: A Brief Intro to MMA and the UFC

           The term mixed martial arts is a new and controversial topic in the sporting world. Its utterance on popular sports forums, news and media outlets, and among the general public can evoke dichotomous images of blood, violence and barbaric brutality, while at the same time conjuring quite opposing ideas of skill, respect, and the beauty of the human form in top physical condition, depending on who you ask.
          For the former, simply ask popular and controversial political commentator Bill O’Reilly, host of the Fox News show The O'Reilly Factor, a man who has made his distaste to what he refers to as “human cock fighting” apparent and—at least in his view—inarguable; for the latter, turn to the ever-vocal President of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), the self-made and self-promoted Dana White, who has responded to such adversity over the past several years with harsh words, a never-back-down attitude, and the successful pioneering of the UFC into one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. After all, when one thinks MMA—as Dana White will often remind us—one thinks UFC.
          While there is little doubt that the sport will be forced to combat its volatile socio-political image over the coming decade, it is apparent that—like it or not—MMA appears to be here to stay, with popular promoters such as the aforementioned Zuffa-owned UFC as well as clothing designers-turned fight promoters Affliction claiming the undivided attention—and prime time ratings in the male 18-49 demographic—that only the NFL, NBA, and occasionally NCAA programs were thought capable of. The sport’s ability to gather these shocking ratings is surprising to some, but its ability to do so consistently—as can be substantiated with the impressive PPV numbers and live TV audience ratings published by the UFC and the now-defunct EliteXC, which aired several record-breaking, albeit controversial shows on CBS in 2008—has taken the sporting and entertainment world by storm. 
          Easily the most essential piece of the “success” puzzle, however, and one that is—surprisingly—often neglected amid the droning, business-oriented discussions surrounding the UFC, EliteXC, Affliction, CBS, and Spike TV is the unique position of the fighter himself. It goes without saying; MMA cannot exist without its fighters, just as the NFL cannot exist without its athletes, and just as professional boxing cannot—and may not, if you ask certain MMA pundits—survive without its stars.
          What separates the MMA fighter from the professional boxer in the mindset of a media commentator such as Bill O’Reilly is exactly what has endeared him to a fan base of mixed martial arts aficionados whose loyalty to their sport rivals that of a tigress to her newborn cub. The MMA fighter, from reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre to local New England standout Joe Lauzon, typically carries himself or herself—let’s not forget rising female stars Gina Carano and Tara LaRosa—nobly but with—Ken Shamrock and Brock Lesnar notwithstanding—a verifiable, modest, and personable out-of-the-cage persona, something that top boxing contenders Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Roy Jones Jr. seem to lack, even in their greener days.
          This humble writer can attest to the likewise humble nature of many of the fighters currently eking out a living—and trust me when I say that a fighter’s equally-modest pay scale in no way reflects the work he puts in to rise to the level of UFC contender—in the small suburban gyms where they train, having met a few fighters—Joe Lauzon and Jorge Rivera to name a couple—in my time bouncing around from facility to facility. 
          Mixed martial arts is a science more than it is a sport, and the athletes competing in the cage, ring, or UFC Octagon are scientists—contrary to what many boxing pundits will have their competitors believe—by no stretch of the imagination. It is a constantly evolving dance that balances violence with skill, strength and speed with balance and coordination, brute force with careful planning as well as frenetic training with natural ability in a way that no other mode of modern competition does. They are the new warriors, and as long as the heart of the fighter mirrors that of the fan, the sky is the limit to how far this sport can and will go.