Many blogs focusing on mixed martial arts tend to focus more on news and happenings within the mixed martial arts community. With the UFC being the most recognized and highest level of competition at least within the United States, if not the world, most blogs are concentrated around this league. The two blogs I found are indeed very similar, but it is the subtle differences between them that mean the world as far as determining what audience would visit them.
The first blog is called bloody elbow. This blog seems to be centered around attracting big time mma fans, and relaying the latest and greatest news to them. There are posts about all the upcoming bouts, and general opinions circulating the web. As I said before, this would cater more to the fan that is very into mma. The reader definitely has to know about the rules of the sport as well as some history to fully grasp the blog. They don’t seem to care to much for catering to an uninformed crowd.
The second blog I chose, mmamania, does indeed focus on the same aspects, as far as news goes, but they present it more in a way for the general observer to enjoy. This blog is more filled with video clips, and repeated stories varied slightly for a different approach. It allows the audience to understand what is happening and follow along much easier than bloody elbow. This blog is definitely geared more toward the casual fan.
Neither of these blogs looks to be reaching anyone outside the United States, Canada, and perhaps the UK. The audiences are different in that bloody elbow is for individuals more involved with the sport, and mmamania is geared toward casual observers. It is impossible to say that either of these blogs are trying to reach actual fighters, but bloody elbow would be more geared toward this audience
Daniel, your topic of violence in mixed martial arts is a very appropriate one, as the sport is basically completely centered on various forms of skillful violence. Also, I definitely agree on your analysis of the rhetorical situations that the two blogs you have chosen are involved in. As a person who is not particularly in to MMA, I definitely noticed the difference between the two blogs that you pointed out. “Bloody Elbow” does seem to cater to more hardcore fans, while “mmamania” seems to reach out to the more casual observer, like myself. I look forward to reading more about this controversial sport and the effect of it’s violence in society.
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