Before the Action

This week was interesting when I came across a video clip with BJ Penn talking about trash talking in the UFC. Unfortunately I will not be able to give a link, as the video was quickly taken down. In the clip however, Penn talks about his upcoming fight with a man by the name of Nick Diaz.

Normally before fights in order to hype them up, the UFC will put on interviews of fighters either trash talking one another or explaining how they plan to win. In this clip Penn tells us that he does in fact respect Diaz as a mixed martial artist, and wants the best for him. He also claims that the UFC told him to trash talk, in order to hype the fight, and he did end up saying some things hence the reason he released his own video explaining it wasn’t true.

This concerns me because the “prefight interviews” are the only thing that a large amount of people see. When they watch these interviews they are bound to believe that mma is a group of violent, angry fighters. It seems to me that the organization should allow competitors to express their respect for an opponent. With that said, violence sells. People will look at the interviews and decide based upon how much the two seem to dislike each other, whether or not it will be a good fight.

My question is: Is this a safe marketing move? I understand that yes, the added violence will sell pay-per-views, and tickets, but will it damage the nature of the sport? If mma is perceived as a disrespectful, violent sport, it will likely never be widely accepted.

When writing this blog, I specifically had in mind people who view mixed martial arts as an untamed, angry brawl between two people that genuinely do not like each other. As I have done research however, I have found that there are other opinions that play along the same lines, but use other reasons as an excuse. Take this article for example http://www.ethicsdaily.com/mixed-martial-arts-new-entr-e-on-violences-menu-cms-14661.

This author of this article is a preacher who challenges the legitimacy of the sport.  Sheely argues that “mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting as mainstream “sport” has become another item on our menu of violence.” There are many illegitimate assumptions made about the nature of the sport in the article, that if true would in fact make the sport violent both physically and emotionally. Sheely believes “it is street-fighting with rules” and “the sport is violent and the violence spreads beyond the ring.” He does a wonderful job of reducing the sport to a minimalistic, one sided view that if true would make everyone feel uncomfortable with a sanctioned league. At the same time, he far under exaggerates the time and effort put in by fighters to train for an event. The preacher does not take into consideration that the best in the sport do not take this approach whatsoever. The current welterweight champion, George St. Pierre, says “Chess is all about using your opponent’s insecurities and weaknesses against him and strategizing a way to win. It’s exactly the same in mixed martial arts, only a little more physical.” Just because a sport is physical does not mean that it is spreading violence to areas outside where appropriate.

 He attempts to make his audience feel that all competitors aim to harm their opponent.  This is done through word choice. He uses phrases such as “competitors could kick and choke” and says the only way to lose is to “get knocked out or injured (snap) or pass out from being choked (nap).”  While these are legitimate ways to earn a victory, they are portrayed in a way that connotes pain and suffering, as opposed to methods to win.  Just like any other sport, the goal is to win, and there are certain rules by which the competitors must abide in order to do so.

 Sheely  recognized  “Some spectators cheered for specific fighters, but most cheered for a hard hit or kick to the head.” He is most certainly appealing to people’s moral values through this statement. He wants people to question; do people really just want to see violence? The answer is no. Football for example, is a physically violent sport that is well controlled to reduce the risk of injury on the field.  In both sports people will cheer more for a good move or play, than for the actual players. Just as people would cheer if a 60 yard run ended up in a touchdown, people will cheer for a well set up and executed head kick in mma. It is about the skill and execution people know is difficult. One must understand the game before they can appreciate it.

Sheely, Steve. "Mixed Martial Arts: New Entrée on Violence's Menu on EthicsDaily.com." EthicsDaily.com. 27 Aug. 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. <http://www.ethicsdaily.com/mixed-martial-arts-new-entr-e-on-violences-menu-cms-14661>.

"GSP Compares MMA To Chess." MMAOUTSIDER.COM. 25 Nov. 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. <http://www.mmaoutsider.com/?p=8732>.

Is it All Violent?

This blog was created to talk about the concepts of violence within the world of mixed martial arts, or mma. There are many areas that are overlooked when it comes to this or other combat sports.

Just in case it is unclear, mixed martial arts is a chance for people to train in multiple martial arts and compete against one another. These forms can include boxing, wrestling, judo, muay thai, karate, and several others.  It is arguably the fastest growing sport in the United States with amateur leagues as well as professional ones sprouting up all over the country, the most noted of course being the UFC.  The level of competition seems to be never ending when fighters from all around the world come to compete for their chance to win the title of world champion. 

The Webster definition of violence is: “1, Acting with, or characterized by, strong physical force. 2, vehement; passionate; furious.” No one will disagree with the statement that mma is physically characterized as violent. It in fact seems to be the perfect example for part one of the Webster definition. However, physical violence is but one part of the game. There is also an emotional side, and there are many who would disagree with the notion that all fighters are "furious" or "vehement". Do fighters competitors compete because they are violent people, or just for the thrill of the game? Many would say that the sport is pure competition, like a high intensity chess game.

              

I am looking forward to digging deeper into the subject and finding both the violent and non – violent areas in the world of mixed martial arts.