Was Arum right about MMA?

[BezO]

Thread needs a "somewhat" option.

I agree with Arum except that I think he's generalizing a bit too much.

For it to be Mixed Martial Arts, those athletes are generally lacking in the striking department. Strikes are taught in martial arts.

Of course it's preference, but I don't enjoy the ground game all that much. When it's 2 skilled graplers, constantly attacking & counter attacking, it's cool. But there's generally a lack of action for my taste.

I won't get too much into the racial make up of fans as I don't have any statistics. But I think it depends how you define fan. I only know very casual fans of MMA. We'll watch replays of fights.. basically free viewing when we come across it. But to my knowledge, I don't know anyone that has attended or paid to watch an MMA fight. But I've been to many fight (boxing) parties and attended 2 fights. And I have friends that have been to boxing matches. Almost all of my friends are Black & other people of color.

 

[The Infamous]

Thread needs a "somewhat" option.

I agree with Arum except that I think he's generalizing a bit too much.

For it to be Mixed Martial Arts, those athletes are generally lacking in the striking department. Strikes are taught in martial arts.

Of course it's preference, but I don't enjoy the ground game all that much. When it's 2 skilled graplers, constantly attacking & counter attacking, it's cool. But there's generally a lack of action for my taste.

I won't get too much into the racial make up of fans as I don't have any statistics. But I think it depends how you define fan. I only know very casual fans of MMA. We'll watch replays of fights.. basically free viewing when we come across it. But to my knowledge, I don't know anyone that has attended or paid to watch an MMA fight. But I've been to many fight (boxing) parties and attended 2 fights. And I have friends that have been to boxing matches. Almost all of my friends are Black & other people of color.

Other than the striking comment, what do you agree with?

@ the bolded. Strikes are taught, but so are submissions [submission defense], wrestling [takedowns and takedown defense], etc. It's difficult to become really good in one art form when you have many others to worry about. Striking is just one [major] piece of a bigger puzzle. Also, they [some] are lacking because a good portion of MMA fighters don't come from a proficient striking background. Their knowledge and training in striking can be limited. There are a lot more fighters who come into MMA as elite wrestlers and BJJ practitioners, versus the few who come in with elite striking.

 

[BezO]

Other than the striking comment, what do you agree with?

@ the bolded. Strikes are taught, but so are submissions [submission defense], wrestling [takedowns and takedown defense], etc. It's difficult to become really good in one art form when you have many others to worry about. Striking is just one [major] piece of a bigger puzzle. Also, they [some] are lacking because a good portion of MMA fighters don't come from a proficient striking background. Their knowledge and training in striking can be limited. There are a lot more fighters who come into MMA as elite wrestlers and BJJ practitioners, versus the few who come in with elite striking.

Somewhat with the racial/ethnic make up of fans. I think Arum was offensive & too general, but I get what he's saying.

Maybe part of it is that most of us can only compare MMA athlete's grapling skills to other MMA athlete's. But as a casual fan, it seems most of their grapling skills outweigh their striking skills.

Maybe if boxing weren't the older, more popular sport, we wouldn't be looking for the advanced punching (& defending) skills.

Maybe some of it is perception. I know some arts are heavy on throws, limb manipulation, etc., but many are known for strikes. I guess, like you said, many MMA fighters have roots in the grapling arts.

I think the sport would be more popular if skilled striking were a bigger part. Outside of the offensive generalizations, I agree with Arum.

 

[The Infamous]

Somewhat with the racial/ethnic make up of fans. I think Arum was offensive & too general, but I get what he's saying.

Maybe part of it is that most of us can only compare MMA athlete's grapling skills to other MMA athlete's. But as a casual fan, it seems most of their grapling skills outweigh their striking skills.

Maybe if boxing weren't the older, more popular sport, we wouldn't be looking for the advanced punching (& defending) skills.

Maybe some of it is perception. I know some arts are heavy on throws, limb manipulation, etc., but many are known for strikes. I guess, like you said, many MMA fighters have roots in the grapling arts.

I think the sport would be more popular if skilled striking were a bigger part. Outside of the offensive generalizations, I agree with Arum.

I'm not white and the friends I watch MMA with are not white either. MMA fans being 'skinhead white guys' is a terrible generalization. That's like me saying basketball fans are all just a bunch of blacks. The fighters themselves are very diverse in race and ethnicity as well. Only 2 of the 9 current UFC champions are white.

He's wrong about the chin comment as well. And he's of course wrong about the 'homosexual' comment.

 

[semtex]

The days of majority white MMA fanboys are slowly dwindling. Three out of the eight current UFC champions are white (4 if you count Dominick Cruz ) but whites are certainly not dominating MMA anymore. This is getting more black people's attention.

 

[The Infamous]

The days of majority white MMA fanboys are slowly dwindling. Three out of the eight current UFC champions are white (4 if you count Dominick Cruz ) but whites are certainly not dominating MMA anymore. This is getting more black people's attention.

Cruz is of Mexican heritage breh. Who's the 3rd white champion? Ronda Rousey? With Rousey, that's 9 champions and 1 interim champion [Renan Barao] in total. Only 3/10 being white [GSP, Weidman and Rousey]

 

[Roman Brady]

The days of majority white MMA fanboys are slowly dwindling. Three out of the eight current UFC champions are white (4 if you count Dominick Cruz ) but whites are certainly not dominating MMA anymore. This is getting more black people's attention.

with more diversity in the ufc champions yeah whites are dropping mma like an bad habit.But to make some kind of parallel that because they are less white champions that automatically means all the whites that follow the sport are being overtaken by a slew of ethnic minorities is just baseless.Whites will always be the majority race in the ufc fan base regardless of the creed of the champs. There might be more minorities taking notice now to say the days of chuck liddell but there is no dramatic shift taking place

 

[BezO]

I'm not white and the friends I watch MMA with are not white either. MMA fans being 'skinhead white guys' is a terrible generalization. That's like me saying basketball fans are all just a bunch of blacks. The fighters themselves are very diverse in race and ethnicity as well. Only 2 of the 9 current UFC champions are white.

He's wrong about the chin comment as well. And he's of course wrong about the 'homosexual' comment.

I have to check that. I have a friend that is heavy into MMA, training and fighting. I know he attends fights of others from his camp. Wouldn't be surprised if he paid to view.

I have a closer friend that used to box & kick-box but he's like me in terms of watching MMA.

Outside of that I only know coworkers/associates that pay to view or attend fights, and they're all white.

I don't recall the chin comment and don't agree with the gay comment. I commented on what I agree with.