Ninjadude

You guys have heard of muscle heads. Well knuckle heads are those who dig and practice MMA.

I just want to point out something to all of you; MMA is a brutal sport.

I have practiced martial arts all my life. And since the first UFC's I was hooked. But I have to say, sometimes I am ashamed to love this sport. I'm ashamed enough that I dont buy MMA clothing, so nobody knows I like MMA.

When I see how the fighters on The Ultimate Fighter behave, I dont really want to be associated with this sport. What is MMA really but a legal way to discharge your frustrations on somebody without going to jail...

What does MMA say about its atheletes. Are they responible with their healths, exposing them selves to brutal beatings? Is it a smart choice to be an MMA fighter? How about long term brain injuries? What about morality? And really what do you find spiritually, when your pass time is bashing peoples heads in.

I ask myself these questions. Most of the times I like MMA, but I also think it is a shameful thing at times. How and why do we let ourselves indulge in such violence, and think its OK and normal?

CornbreadBB

On a purely physical level, it beats running up and down a field trying to throw a small object into a larger netted object. It's also better than running into 300lbs+ men to grab an egg shaped ball to run down another field. Also beats trying to hit a small ball with a stick so you can run some more. Once again, better than a sport that allows you to throww punches to juts the head repeated times and the body once in a bit, and then a little bit of hugging.

However, a sport where you have to use multiple disciplines, timing and intense training all year round....that's something I can get behind. I'd much rather wear a Pride t-shirt than a NY Knicks jersey down to my knees.

Don't even get me started on the spiritual level that is involved with some martial artists.....

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Mirage445

Tell Diego Sanchez he isn't spiritual...




























or crazy.

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"You have a big word for a guy who don't have a gi right now." - Renato Laranja

D.P.

Excellent post man.

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BWoods

I wouldn't call MMA a brutal sport at all. Is it vicioral? Probably. It has a very animalistic and primitive appearance but MMA fighters are on a whole different level of spirituity than 99% of the other athletes out there. They put their bodies and minds to the test in the single longest running contest in human history, fighting. Two men going to battle is just an expression in other sports while in MMA its a reality and a requirement for victory.

Its not about harming or hating the other fighter as much as it is about breaking their spirit. Do fighters get injured? Yes, but so do basketball, football, soccar, boxing, baseball, and numerous other participants of other sports. Just because you're throwing a ball into a hoop doesn't mean Kobe Bryant isn't going to throw an elbow into your face, ask Steve Nash.

There are inherent risks with any sport, yet we only shun MMA? Because its fighting? Because blood doesn't always stop the action? Don't be ashamed of being a fan, rather, educate your friends and any other nay-sayers. I often speak to people who question my taste in MMA and I explain to them how a fighter can win without even throwing a punch and how fighters are very articulate and intelligent people despite their appearance. I've personally made fight fans out of 5 or 6 people I work with who only showed a minor interest or an negative view on the sport.

Everyone has their tastes and opinions, agree to disagree or look for a middle ground. Never be ashamed to be a fan. If a particular fighter is a doofus then point that fighter out to people and tell them that this isn't what the sport is about. There are plenty of idiots in other sports as well, MMA isn't immune to having idiot participants either.

That's enough ranting from me.

Ninjadude

I agree with you post, but not the last part about getting started on spirituality. MMA is not spiritual, and modern martial arts aimed at competing aren't spiritual either...

name goes here

If two people are fighting with consent - it's just a sport. Without mma and other martial arts - the only people who know how to fight are people who assult people - ie criminals. With mma ordinary non criminal people can learn how to protect themselves. Of course criminals learning mma is a prob - but I think the positive outweighs the negative.

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catosynister

Have you seen Machida or GSP? What happens before and after every fight you watch those two in? That's just to name a few. Modern day MMA fighters are very spiritual, are all of them? No. But most? Yeah.

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Nap, Tap or Snap. It's up to you.

Squirrelfighter

I guess its all perception. If you think MMA is just a bunch of jackasses slugging it out, then fine, don't watch it. Its so much more than that. I've been doing martial arts for years, principly Kenpo Karate and Jujitsu and I've done straight up Art competitions as well as MMA. And for a person like me, there's so much strategy that goes into it, and physics and so many other defining factors.

In training I think about the physics behind every movement of my body, and its effect on my balance as well as what further movement it provides opening during each movement. I'll spend hours designing a simple three-step routine with only one or two strikes involved, perfecting it. Strategically I spend as much time as possible training with fighters who use the same art as my oppoents, weight roughly the same, and move in similar ways. And train outside of that with my primary training partner, who uses Freestyle Mantis form Kung Fu.

The point of that rant being, strategy weighs heavily into mixed martial arts, so does the very foundations of physics. Sure when a couple shitty fighters go at it, its boring and frustrating to watch. But when you see skilled mixed martial artists engaging in battle, its almost beautiful.

And spiritually speaking, if you don't believe in the martial art and give yourself fully over to it, you won't experience any spiritual trascendance. But I have a hard time believing fighters who's trained in an art for most of their lives aren't spiritually balanced.