Somewhere in the last few years, I have become a big MMA fan, watching UFC, Bellator MMA and even Titan FC fights. I’m not quite sure how it happened, but it did and it’s perhaps the sport I enjoy watching most. With that said, I’m glad to see it getting more coverage, especially with UFC being aired on ESPN and Titan FC fights available for streaming on FightPass.
While I do not necessarily consider MMA a sport — I see it more as an art, especially as it is Mixed Martial Arts — it deserves more recognition in the sports world.
I had the opportunity to watch a Fight Night live, and since then, my respect for the art and sport has only amplified.
When it comes to MMA fights, people are either for them or completely against them, claiming they’re too violent for their taste. However, in my eyes, while some fights can get pretty bloody, I’m more in awe at the mental strength and physical training these men and women go through to step inside the cage. These men and women are putting in hours and dedicating their life to this sport, more than any other sport.
Sure, you can get injured in basketball, baseball, soccer or football, but in these sports, you’re not going one-on-one with another player. You’re part of a team and that can strengthen you.
In MMA, you’re entering that cage alone, hoping to come out a winner or at least not endure severe damage. Many people say football is the most dangerous sport, but they’re wrong. Your chances of extreme injury as a football player just don’t compare to your chances of extreme injury as a fighter, and that is why MMA deserves more respect.
I understand that not everyone enjoys watching this sport, but we should all at least be able to agree that these men and women are warriors. Would you be able to prepare yourself mentally and physically to step into a cage with someone and only be allowed out if time is up, you defeat them or they defeat you? It is not easy.
A few years ago, I took kickboxing classes, and the fortitude that came with it is still with me. I am nowhere near the level of mental and physical strength these fighters are, even the amateurs, but those kickboxing classes taught me that you must not only strengthen your body physically, but you must learn to control the emotions that come with punching a bag or striking with another person.
These men and women are preparing for war, and for our entertainment. They’re also getting paid way less than some professional athletes who are doing way less than they are. It’s just not fair.
MMA is becoming more recognized and is gaining respect — and I’m so glad to see it — but it’s still got some ways to go before it is viewed in a better light by our society as a whole.
