How is MMA reported in the USA? |
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Rich78
MMA Regular
Career record: 113-81
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Newcastle, England
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I only ask as since UFC 70, the majority of British newspapers that have reported on it have came out with some absolute garbage. Mainly referring to it as no holds barred cage fighting etc. and I'd be surprised that any of these 'journalists' had any knowledge of this whatsoever as most of them are reluctant to even refer to it as a sport.
Just wondering if it's reported in a more respectful way in America or is it still frowned upon by the vast majority?
Heres an example report, even going as far as to refer to the way fighters can PIN each other to win!?!?!?!?!
'Just as the Romans had the gladiatorial arena, so 21st century civilisation has the Ultimate Fighting Championships - so-called because, in this chicken wire, bumper-topped ring, almost anything goes.
There's a list of fouls, including 'eye gouging' and other shameful behaviour, but otherwise the extreme martial arts sport allows all manner of attack - and with a modern-day arena crowd baying for blood, the opponents are visibly twitching to deliver.
The non-televised prelims of welterweights and lightweights seem to result in a variety of pins and submissions, but to be honest I'm struggling to watch.
I'm slightly more comfortable viewing the action on the big screens, but even then I'm wincing and shuddering with each crack and thwack.
At one particularly aggressive shoulder drop I retch without thinking, then apologise to myself and those either side of me. It's a grim business. And a lucrative one. Judging by the banners and accents in the crowd (there's lots of shouting - both supportive and derogatory, especially when half-dressed women do a circuit of the ring brandishing round cards and grinning maniacally), people have travelled far and wide for this.
Between each bout there are adverts for WFC DVDs on the screens too - WFC was banned in Britain until recently, but now it seems to be here with a vengeance.
Immediately before each fight the opponents introduce themselves in pre-recorded bursts on the big screens. They're dead-eyed statements of intent, but the crowd roars approval for British fighters.
The name of this tour is 'Nations Collide' and competitors are from all over the globe. How about a nice multinational tea dance? I catch myself saying 'Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear' to myself over and over like Miss Marple on a particularly bad murder case.
As the evening progresses the weights get heavier - and the action goes live. The arena is full by this time and the noise intensifies. It's all more than a little unnerving, not to mention gruesome.
Especially with an advert continually broadcast on the big screens mentioning 'blood spilling down'. I'm finding it difficult to be here, and it's only going to get worse with the heavyweights and main card.
I look around, wondering if anyone is here looking at the 'skill' involved, at the speed and accuracy of these men, or is it just the blood they want?
Fewer rules as to the exact nature of the fighting surely mean it is actually more of a spectacle than a sport - if you're restricted only by extreme fouls, how can you really assess anything other than a knockout? A win or a lose. Blood simple.
UFC isn't as 'daft' as WWF, in that there are genuine injuries being sustained here, but surely its 'sportsmanship' can be questioned?
Either way, for me it's all way too disturbing, and a case of never again'
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Post #1 4/25/07 11:14:50AM
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xchickox
In Full Mount
Career record: 220-127
Season: 46-24 (#1331)
Location: Stoke-On-Trent
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that guy sounds like a right idiot who doesn't have a clue what he is talking about, i think the only thing on that night that could have made you wince was the gonzaga high kick (which was amazing), this is the best sport in the world and people who dont call it a sport are just idiots, i'm from england so i dont know the usa reporter perspective
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Post #2 4/25/07 11:45:02AM
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crimethinc
MMA Regular
Career record: 81-61
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: St. Louis, MO USA
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Pre-Zuffa, MMA was regarded as NHB Cage fighting and compared to a human cock fight. It was also banned in 38 states. But within the last decade with the rule changes and promotion genius of Dana White MMA has become accepted and thanks to Spike TV jettisoned into the mainstream. There is still some negative reporting just like there is for violent movies and video games, but it doesn't really get that much heat nowadays like it used to. But, outside of the venue towns it doesn't really get much reporting at all.
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Post #3 4/25/07 1:21:39PM
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Mastodon2
MMA Sensei
Career record: 183-108
Season: 32-23 (#4471)
Location: Newcastle England
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Im from England and Ive heard about the negative press reaction in some retarded conservative newspapers. If it was such a "Bloodsport", UFc would never have gotten booked into the MEN arena, which regularly hosts other sports such as Ice Hockey and Basketball.
Some journalists thought it was gonna be like WWF and thought it was going to be real, even that journalist meantions WWE. I suppose he is neglecting to note that per 1000 "competitors", Pro wrestlers have more serious injuries and minor injuries than MMA fighters, because of the ridiculous nature of their sport, that is always trying tp push boundaries of how many tables a man call fall through, or how high a stage he can be thrown off.
Completely uninformed journalism like this is sickening, and it panders to the uneducated. If someone wrote an article calling Rugby a human bull stampede or something, the Rugby organisations would be up in arms.
With talk of Dana wanting to do more PPVs in England, and even maybe a TUF: UK, England needs an MMA body to handle the press like this, and make the sport more visible, even to idiots like that journalist, who must live under a rock.
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Post #4 4/25/07 1:28:13PM
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rameydl8
Standup Guy
Career record: 148-92
Season: 15-9 (#6098)
Location: ohio
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sound like all thes journalist have no clue what the ufc is...they just want to make a big scene
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Post #5 4/25/07 6:43:51PM
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chentay2112
MMA Regular
Career record: 63-46
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: manchester, england
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what an absolute load of crap what event was he at???????
how can he call himself a journalist when that is an absolute load of rubbish
1. when have pins ever been involved
2. i never saw anyone with banners
3. surely having different accents at an event like this is a good thing as it shows this is a universal sport
surely the fact that the crowd reacted whenever a fight went to the ground shows they understand the skill involved????
idiots like this shouldent be allowed to write reports on real sports they should stick to chess or tiddlywinks 
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Post #6 4/25/07 8:53:03PM
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Kisame
MMA Regular
Career record: 140-109
Season: 28-19 (#4562)
Location: Louisiana,Usa
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We actually dont have much mma coverage at all in the U.S.A. If any.
I have to get all of my MMA news online
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Post #7 4/25/07 9:08:09PM
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WarWagon Never Die!
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Career record: 173-125
Season: 34-36 (#3376)
Location: talkin trash to the garbage around me
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From what i see, it's treated badly by the "regular" press everywhere. Boxing guys are trying to say it sucks and is boring, everyone else says blood sport. Minds are being changed the more they see we are becoming less and less of a minority. I remember the days when I loved this sport that was so underground, now it has become more of a mainstream anomaly. One day it'll be thought of world wide as rugby, or soccer, or foofball, or basketball, or hockey.... or w/e....War MMA! War JTWW!! War JT!!!
_______________________________________
There can be ONLY 1 WarWagon
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Post #8 4/29/07 12:36:08AM
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methodman_90
MMA Regular
Career record: 84-41
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: UK
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It pisses me off that they are trying to crush the fan base and make it sound like its not a sport and it is made up of street fighters. There is money to be made in the sport so thats why boxing promoters are crosing over into MMA
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Post #9 4/29/07 10:02:48AM
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Winslow
Banned
Career record: 35-21
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Grassvalley CA
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there just desperate journalist looking for a story.
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Post #10 5/2/07 12:33:55PM
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