While games and sporting events have been put on hold due to the pandemic, Dana White, the President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has done everything in his power to keep UFC fights occurring. Given this is really the only sport that I consistently watch, I am more than grateful to say that my sports-watching has not been put on hold due to COVID-19. Moreover, we’ve gotten to witness UFC fights without loud audiences, hear the fighters’ corners better and be more present in the fight itself.
Oftentimes, people are very opinionated about the UFC and the fact these men and women are beating each other up for a chance at a title. It’s compared to boxing and WWE, but really, there’s nothing like it. There’s more to this sport than just punches, kicks and wrestling. I mean, what other sport is as full-contact as MMA?
These men and women are going to war, not just physically, but mentally. It takes a lot of strength and discipline to prepare for a fight in the octagon — something some people don’t seem to realize. Preparing for a fight means that you are training every day, maintaining a diet — especially since you need to make weight — and preparing your mind for the fact that you have to go into the cage and fight with all you’ve got. Truthfully, it’s an art form. In fact, UFC is made up of ‘mixed martial arts.’
Each UFC fighter has a different body, strengths, and style of fighting. Like any art form, their craft is unique to them, and when they’re in it, they’re giving it their all. Fighters have an array of styles to go off of: wrestling, kickboxing, muay thai, karate, taekwondo, sambo, boxing, brazilian iiu-jitsu, judo and so much more.
While watching UFC fights is definitely not for the faint of heart, it is an admirable sport that more people should appreciate and see as an art form. This is a sport that requires a lot of mental fortitude and no two fights are ever the same. These men and women are not just kicking, throwing, batting or dribbling a ball. They are putting their lives at risk for a chance at making it big, for a chance at a title fight and financial freedom for themselves and their families.
The UFC has stayed strong through this pandemic, making viewers and fighters strong too. We’re lucky to be witnessing a sport that’s growing and full of passionate individuals. Dana White gave us the entertainment of Fight Island and ensured that everyone who was present had been tested for COVID-19, had negative results and quarantined away. No other sport has been as dedicated to their craft and this is something that should not go unmentioned. For the most part, we’re all fighting something in our day to day lives. These individuals are taking it one step further.
