Former UFC Foe John McCain: "The Sport Has Grown Up"

MMAPlayground.com » Community » MMA News Share Forum » Former UFC Foe John McCain: "The Sport Has Grown Up"
CornishMMA
11/21/07 7:40:29AM
The following is an excerpt from an article from The Daily Telegraph:

Senator John McCain, of Arizona, led the charge to ban these competitions from cable television, describing the events as "human cock fighting''. Now he has revised his opinion, saying: "The sport has grown up. The rules have been adopted to give its athletes better protections and to ensure fairer competition.''

LINK
mrsmiley
11/21/07 7:53:30AM
Don't let McCain fool you.When he says the sport has "grown up",he realy means big companys can make a profit off of it now.His wife is the heir to the Ainiser Bush (spell check) company,who was the biggest promoter of pro-boxing.Don't be suprised if in the next few years you see the Budweiser logos at future UFC events.
Jang
11/21/07 8:03:44AM
The rules have stayed exactly the same since he said that.
mrsmiley
11/21/07 8:17:49AM

Posted by Jang

The rules have stayed exactly the same since he said that.



Yeah not much has changed in terms of rules since McCain started his campaign against MMA.It's just profitable now and he will be looking for his piece of the pie.
mrsmiley
11/21/07 9:45:39AM
The bottom line is John mcCain claimed any transgression of the modern boxing rules was barbaric.He claimed UFC competition only appealed to the "lowest common denominator in our society",on the Larry king show.

Even Gold medalist like Jeff Blatnick (Greco Roman Wrestler) pointed out how ignorant some of McCaines claimes were when he started his compaign against MMA (around 95) stating"

"They didn't understand ground fighting."

and later stating

"They couldn't believe the concept of hitting a aman on the ground."

Even when weight classes were properly formed, gloves became mandatory,and more resrictions were made in how you could strike an opponent,McMain still claimed the sport was barbaric and needed to be stopped.It's only in light of the profits the UFC has made that he's changed his mind.
Because of John McCain MMA was almost deystroyed.He even caused Time Warner Cable to stop airing UFC events on PPV for a brief period of time.So let me ask you this.

If McCain only thought what the sport was lacking was a few changes in the rules,why,instead of asking for a new set of rules,did he go out to shut the sport down?

Extreame fighting was the first promotion to use gloves and weight classes,and still senators like Roy Goodard (McCaines buddy),made outrageous claimes stating Extreame fighting didn't even have referees for their fights.

It's all about profit and making money.Trust me,polititians like McCain couldn't put MMA under when they were against it,but they will do as much harm when they are for it.
nickcuc547
11/21/07 12:23:35PM
how is this bad, he made is "human cockfighting" claims when the sport was unsanctioned, now it is sanctioned so he has no problem with it. stop ripping the guy because he made a correct statement when the ufc was human cockfighting, and no he doesnt want to profit from it, that is just plain ignorance.
mrsmiley
11/21/07 12:52:41PM
Based on what grounds can you say that is ignorance?
His wife owned the company of the biggest boxing promoter.I can't see how anyone could be so blind as to believe McCain won't try to make a profit off of the sport he almost deystroyed.
Ogre365
11/21/07 1:55:35PM
Man **** McCain. I don't care what he says then or now. We survived when he was trying to destroy us and we are doing better then ever with or without his approval.

I wouldn't care if he fell to his knees and worshipped Dana White or kept talking shit about MMA till the day he died. **** him.
MaxOne
11/21/07 2:44:31PM
so, do we prefer that he is still out to shut it down?

seems like we complain and talk crap either way.

I'm glad he is making these statements in public.
TNunley
11/21/07 2:56:27PM

Posted by MaxOne

so, do we prefer that he is still out to shut it down?

seems like we complain and talk crap either way.

I'm glad he is making these statements in public.



So If I went up to you and said "You're a piece of ****", kicked you in the face, and went publicly saying you have no place in this country.... THEN.... went publicly and said... he's grown up now, he can stay.

Would that make it alright?

Your friends would have no grounds to question the sincerity of my statement?
MaxOne
11/21/07 4:26:53PM
I'd feel better about you now that you're okay w/me.

"I don't approve of this sport" isn't the same as "i don't approve of this person."

i dont' really care about his motives I care about the message he's sending to the country regarding MMA. The sport has progressed a lot since 1995.


a huge opponent is now publically okaying it.

Yay!
TNunley
11/21/07 4:38:08PM

Posted by MaxOne

I'd feel better about you now that you're okay w/me.

"I don't approve of this sport" isn't the same as "i don't approve of this person."

i dont' really care about his motives I care about the message he's sending to the country regarding MMA. The sport has progressed a lot since 1995.


a huge opponent is now publically okaying it.

Yay!



nickcuc547
11/21/07 5:22:10PM

Posted by mrsmiley

Based on what grounds can you say that is ignorance?
His wife owned the company of the biggest boxing promoter.I can't see how anyone could be so blind as to believe McCain won't try to make a profit off of the sport he almost deystroyed.



that comment right there proves your ignorance and your cynicism, im not even going to comment.
FantasyFighter
11/21/07 5:33:20PM
Regardless of rules changes and whether or not it was sanctioned then or is now, whatever. The UFC has become more established now. I think the UFC has passed its infancy stage and McCain, whether he is pro or anti UFC, can no longer greatly impact the sport.

The thing to takeaway here is that its always good for the sport when we make new fans or supporters. It can only help.
pv3Hpv3p
11/21/07 5:47:17PM

Posted by mrsmiley

Don't let McCain fool you.When he says the sport has "grown up",he realy means big companys can make a profit off of it now.His wife is the heir to the Ainiser Bush (spell check) company,who was the biggest promoter of pro-boxing.Don't be suprised if in the next few years you see the Budweiser logos at future UFC events.



I don't get what you're saying here... Do you honestly think that the UFC and Zuffa wouldn't want to have huge companies poor money into their organization for sponsorships? Much like the fighters, thats where half of all the cablingy comes from, man???

Don't you think Budweiser logos would look good in the ring? I mean it's not as classy as Mickey's fine malt liquor, but...
pv3Hpv3p
11/21/07 5:49:21PM

Posted by Jang

The rules have stayed exactly the same since he said that.



But it's now officially sanctioned, take that for what it's worth
wrona666
11/21/07 7:23:25PM

Posted by nickcuc547

how is this bad, he made is "human cockfighting" claims when the sport was unsanctioned, now it is sanctioned so he has no problem with it. stop ripping the guy because he made a correct statement when the ufc was human cockfighting, and no he doesnt want to profit from it, that is just plain ignorance.




Well to me i would think that it is ignornant to think that politicians arent out to make money.......If you ask me that seems to be the only thing that they do care about.....
mrsmiley
11/21/07 9:35:47PM

Posted by nickcuc547


Posted by mrsmiley

Based on what grounds can you say that is ignorance?
His wife owned the company of the biggest boxing promoter.I can't see how anyone could be so blind as to believe McCain won't try to make a profit off of the sport he almost deystroyed.



that comment right there proves your ignorance and your cynicism, im not even going to comment.



Because you can't make a comeback.You can't prove he won't.
mrsmiley
11/21/07 9:39:32PM

Posted by pv3Hpv3p


Posted by mrsmiley

Don't let McCain fool you.When he says the sport has "grown up",he realy means big companys can make a profit off of it now.His wife is the heir to the Ainiser Bush (spell check) company,who was the biggest promoter of pro-boxing.Don't be suprised if in the next few years you see the Budweiser logos at future UFC events.



I don't get what you're saying here... Do you honestly think that the UFC and Zuffa wouldn't want to have huge companies poor money into their organization for sponsorships? Much like the fighters, thats where half of all the cablingy comes from, man???

Don't you think Budweiser logos would look good in the ring? I mean it's not as classy as Mickey's fine malt liquor, but...



.What i'm getting at is McCain wouldn't support a new radical sport,until it becomes a profitable venture.Which their's nothing wrong with just that,but he tried to stop it.In stead of just saying,hey,we need a better system for this sport,he wanted it totaly abolished from history.
jiujitsufreak74
11/21/07 9:50:17PM
even though i detest MCcain's statements on the old UFC, i find it hard to believe that the UFC is the same as it was when he was criticizing it. remember, the rules were different and there weren't any rounds or too many forms of regulation or even organization for that matter. i am not denying mr.simleys accusations, if anything i think he has a pretty valid point, but to say the UFC is the same as it was back in '95 is as ignorant as McCain's comments.
mrsmiley
11/22/07 2:23:40PM
Your right.The sport has changed to a degree.I just questioned why McCain would not lobby for rule adjustments in the first place..My biggest concern (and I don't mean to sound like and ass on this thread,but i do feel strongly about it) is about a lot of the fighters.Guys like Pat Militech and Frank Shamrock fought against guys like McCain who claimed they were barbaric and human cock fighters.Fighters today don't have to struggle like they did just a few years ago.Back then,you had to fight TO fight.As a long time fan of the sport,I would hate to see guys like John McCain,who did everything in his power to stop the sport,come in and promote products and gain a bigger profit from MMA than the fighters who fought against him.While I never ment to imply this will happen beyond a shadow of a doubt,i'm just saying it wouldn't suprise me.Budweiser logos might look cool in the octagon,but if it comes at the price of guys like McCain pocketing more money than a guy like Militech would ever see from the sport,I'm inclined to say no thanks.
FrankTheTank1181
7/20/08 8:48:37PM
A politician flip-flopping his views?? Never seen that happen before.
GrandMaster313
7/20/08 10:19:08PM
I think its a load of crap!!!! This is just an attempt to help secure votes before election!!!!! These politicians are all the same
Quasar
7/20/08 10:32:21PM
Dont let this guy fool you he just wants your vote.