#1 Pound-For-Pound: The Fighters and the Sport

There has been an immense amount of publicity dedicated to the explosion of mixed martial arts in recent months and the addition of a title fight featuring two of the top light heavyweights (186-205 lbs.) in the world has only added to the hype. On July 5th at the Mandalay Bay Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who many experts believe is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, will defend his title against the extremely talented and hard working The Ultimate Fighter season 1 winner Forrest Griffin. Though this fight is highly anticipated and will draw a lot of attention from the mixed martial arts world it will share the spotlight with the first of four free events presented by EliteXC on CBS. Because of the growing anticipation of these two events and other major events set to take place in late April and early May, this week I decided to explore the blogosphere in order to gain an understanding of what exactly is at stake for mixed martial arts and the fighters competing in the events. The first post I found, "the risk and rewards of 'Saturday Night Fights'", is published by Denny Burholder at CBS Sports: Community. In this post Burkholder examines the risks and rewards of the Saturday Night Fights presented by CBS and ProElite, Inc. and he discusses the factors that could be modified to appeal to more viewers. The second post I came across, "Silva asserts himself atop Sherdog pound-for-pound rankings", is published by ESPN: Mixed Martial Arts in association with Sherdog. The post ranks the ten best pound-for-pound fighters in the world with facts and opinions defending the given rank of each of the ten fighters. For your convenience I have left my comments on the two posts below, but they also can be found directly on the author's blogs.

"The risks and rewards of "Saturday Night Fights'"
Comment:
To begin, I would like to thank you for your well written and insightful arguments discussing the importance of a successful event on May 31st. I could not agree more with your ideas concerning the magnitude of the event and have expressed many similar ideas in my previous posts. As you said, "if EliteXC makes a lackluster showing before a bunch of first-time viewers, they could turn those people off to ever watching MMA again" therefore, I believe we will be able to determine the success of the event based on the ratings of the next three events. The first event may not receive the sought after ratings but, if the following three events have higher ratings than the first, we will know that a positive message was delivered to the viewers and that the message was spread to those that were not able to see the first event by those that viewed. This idea can work both ways. If the first event has the highest ratings we can assume that the viewers did not respond well to the fights and/or the dancers, DJ, and commentators as you mentioned and elected to pass on the opportunity to watch the next three events. You also stated that the success of the event will be evident in the recognition of EliteXC fighters, an increase in ad sales, the fighters' incomes, and the willingness of fighters to leave the UFC and join EliteXC. I completely agree with all of these arguments. If the first event is considered a success, the fighters that competed in the event will receive instant recognition from the new mixed martial arts fans because they could very well be the only fighters those fans have seen in competition. Due to that recognition many fighters in the UFC may be more willing to leave the organization, if they will be paid a similar salary, in search of national exposure, thus forcing the UFC to raise the salaries of its fighters to prevent them from venturing off to EliteXC. Also, with high ratings we could see many companies invest in EliteXC in order to have their services and products advertised in remaining three events.

"Silva asserts himself atop Sherdog pound-for-pound rankings"
Comment:
First I would like to thank you for your well researched and informative opinions on the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. It is evident in your work that a lot of time and effort were put in to the development of this list that serves as a useful source for mixed martial arts fans and bloggers. I agree with a majority of the list and appreciate your ability to refrain from a bias in favor of any one mixed martial arts company when ranking the fighters, but I do have a few concerns. The main concern is the placement of Fedor Emelianenko (pictured above) as the third best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. I agree that he possesses fighting abilities that can be considered second to none and that with two decisive victories over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira he has earned a position on this list, but if you chose to exclude Randy Couture from this list for not fighting you must give Emelianenko a lower ranking for not fighting qualified fighters. If you look at Emelianenko's previous two fights you will see victories over Matt Lindland, who has competed as a middleweight or light heavyweight for a large part of his career, and the inexperienced Hong-Man Choi that took place seven long month apart. Meanwhile, Randy couture has only been retired for several months and has posted wins over former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia and the very explosive and dangerous Gabriel Gonzaga. Therefore, because of the size and talent level of Emelianenko's last two opponents and the fact that Couture was emitted from the rankings, I would have ranked Emelianenko no higher than fourth on the list and given Georges St. Pierre (picture on the left) the third spot having defeated Josh Koscheck and the greatest welterweight of all time Matt Hughes in his last two bouts. That being said, I would like to know where you would place Georges St. Pierre on this list if he is able to avenge his loss to Matt Serra on April 19th. If he can dominate the fight, as he did in the third Matt Hughes fight, and leave no doubt in the minds of the viewers that he is the number one welterweight in the world, I believe he deserves at least the second spot on the list, making a possible, but unlikely, match up with the best middleweight and pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Anderson Silva, even more appealing.

Repercussions: CBS and ProElite, Inc. Initiate Action

On February 28th, 2008 a deal was made between the CBS Television network and ProElite, Inc. in which the two companies agreed to a multiyear contract that would bring mixed martial arts to a major broadcast television network for the first time in the sports short existence. CBS and ProElite, Inc. decided to air four two-hour live primetime EliteXC events within the upcoming year (the first of which will take place on May 31st) and, if the events are successful, all those involved in the sport will enjoy the benefits that include an increase in the number of mixed martial arts fans, a destruction of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) monopoly, negotiation leverage for fighters, and future contracts made between other mixed martial arts companies and broadcasting networks. This agreement was finalized just over a month ago yet many repercussions in response to its development are already evident in the mixed martial arts world. In this short amount of time several popular fighters have left their previous employers and agreed to more favorable contracts with other mixed martial arts companies, the popularity of fighters competing in organizations other than the UFC has increased, and discussions between mixed martial arts corporations and mainstream television networks regarding future commitments have occurred, all of which are examples of the recent positive effects this deal has had on the sport.

On March 28th the former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (pictured on the right) and former International Fight League heavyweight contender Ben Rothwell elected to leave their previous employers (the UFC and IFL) and sign contracts with Adrenaline MMA. Adrenaline MMA is a unique organization that allows its fighters to compete in events promoted by other groups, presenting marquis fighters with the opportunities to experience financial success and compete against the best fighters in the world. These two advantages brought forth by Adrenaline MMA would entice many fighters to join and, as a result, the fighters are gaining some negotiation leverage with mixed martial arts companies, especially the UFC, when discussing future contracts. Because two popular fighters have decided to fight for different associations in 2008 all employers are forced to listen to the demands of the fighters in order to prevent them from joining their competitors, resulting in propitious contracts, higher salaries, and improved fighter treatment and accommodations.

Since February 28th the popularity of fighters that do not compete in the UFC has grown and been recognized by many fans and followers of mixed martial arts. On March 29th Frank Shamrock, mixed martial arts pioneer and legend, fought Cung Le in San Jose, California for the StrikeForce (owned by ProElite, Inc.) middleweight championship. At the conclusion of the epic night Shamrock lost his title as StikeForce champion to Le as the underdog was able to score a technical knock out over the favored champion after the three captivating rounds, but more surprising were the numbers processed after all the fans and fighters had returned to their homes. When all was said and done the event made ProElite, Inc. over $1.1 million in ticket sales from the 16,326 fans that were in attendance, numbers that provide a valuable representation of the growth in popularity the EliteXC and StrikeForce companies and their fighters are undergoing. Those that watched the event were also able to see a center cage interview of the emerging mixed martial arts superstar Kevin Fergusen (pictured on the left), better known as "Kimbo Slice", who will be featured in the free EliteXC event on May 31st. Slice was made famous by his paid, winner take all street fights (found on youtube) and is known for his vicious knock out power and strong chin (meaning it is difficult to knock him out), but the street fighting legend chose to try his hand in mixed martial arts, with the help of coach Bas Rutten, in hope of gaining popularity, competing against the best fighters in the world, and increasing his profits. The decision has led to personal success for Slice (he earned $175,000 for his last fight), but the addition of a household name to the EliteXC heavyweight division to go along with the stellar fights with intriguing background stories like Shamrock vs. Le has developed a great interest in the both ProElite, Inc. companies. The popularity of these fighters, the entertaining and exciting events, and the growing interest in EliteXC and StrikeForce could result in tremendous ratings for the CBS events, which would solidify the organization as a legitimate contender to the UFC.

Perhaps the greatest repercussion of the deal made between CBS and ProElie, Inc. would be the discussions occurring between mixed martial arts companies and major broadcast television networks concerning deals that will bring the sport to mainstream television. It was rumored that National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and StrikeForce were discussing an agreement that involved airing mixed martial arts events in 2007 and early 2008. The rumors were put to rest on March 27th when both companies announced that, beginning on April 12th, NBC will air a weekly 30 minute show from 2:00-2:30 A.M. E.T. on Saturday nights featuring previously recorded fights and fighter profiles. Though these fights will not be live, the exposure the sport will receive and the recognition the SrikeForce fighters will experience will no doubt be positive and aid StrikeForce as an organization and mixed martial arts as a sport, because the more popular and familiar fans become with StrikeForce and its fighters, the more the mixed martial arts will grow as a sport and as a business.

The Exploration of Mixed Martial Arts: Essential Sites and Resources

In order to further aid the readers of this blog I have once again decided to explore the Web in search of valid, useful mixed martial arts information. I have added ten extremely helpful and essential meta-sites (found in the linkroll), all of which meet the Webby Awards and IMSA criteria, that I hope allow my blog to serve as a repository and a resource. The International Fight League, Strikeforce, Pro Elite, King of the Cage, and Pancrase: Hybrid Wrestling sites all share similarities regarding the style of the site and the content found in the stories and promotions, differing only in the fighters, events, and stories they cover. Each site promotes and supports the events and fighters under contract in their respective organizations however the main difference between the sites are the layouts. Often times the layout of the site can determine its validity. The International Fight League, Strikeforce, and ProElie sites are a bit more professional in appearance, beneficial, and far easier to navigate through than both the King of the Cage and Pancrase: Hybrid Wrestling sites that use somewhat unprofessional fonts and backgrounds and, more importantly, lack a solid, convenient, and easy to use navigation bar. MMAFighting, Sherdog, and CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing are three very valuable, unbiased, and information-packed sites concerning mixed martial arts found on the Web. The MMAFighting and Sherdog sites contain the top stories in mixed martial arts, without favoring any mixed martial arts organization or company in particular, and include fighter rankings for each weight division as well as a list ranking the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The major differences between the two sites are the more professional appearance of the MMAFighting site and the easy to use forum found at the Sherdog site that allows the reader to voice his or her opinion concerning the most recent events and news in the mixed martial arts world. CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing is a nice site, but because the site covers mixed martial arts and boxing it is unable to present the reader with all the latest stories and announcements in mixed martial arts. The final two additions to my linkroll, On the Mat and Ultimate Grappling Magazine, offer interesting coverage on recent events and news in mixed martial arts and, unlike many other sites, include instructional videos and articles that allow both the up and coming fighter and the average fan to obtain advice, training tips, and strategies from the best grapplers and strikers in the world.

A Deal Is Made: CBS and ProElite, Inc.

In the past week mixed martial arts possibly made its greatest advance in the effort to solidify itself in the mainstream sports world. On Saturday March 1st in a fight that lived up to both the well deserved anticipation and hype, unlike many boxing matches have been able to do in the previous years, Anderson "The Spider" Silva defeated Dan Henderson via a rear naked choke at 4:52 in the second round. As a result, the Pride Fighting Championships (Pride FC) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight belts were unified and Silva (seen on the left) earned the title of undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Though this fight was a groundbreaking event for many reasons, The CBS Television Network made even bigger news on February 28th when a contract was arranged between CBS, a major television network, and ProElite, Inc., "a Los Angeles-based leading entertainment and media company that produces world class mixed martial arts (MMA) events." The two companies have agreed to a multi-year pact that will bring mixed martial arts to a mainstream television for the first time in the sports brief history.

According to representatives from both organizations, "CBS will broadcast four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite's EliteXC fight division, as two-hour live primetime specials targeted for Saturday nights," and if these events are successful everyone involved in the sport will enjoy the benefits. As a sports fan and believer in mixed martial arts, the fastest growing and most entertaining sport in the world, I am thrilled with this contract because it represents a major advance for the sport, allowing mixed martial arts to demonstrate its popularity, dismantle the monopoly the UFC has created, give the fighters negotiation leverage with the UFC, and could possibly result in future contracts made between other mixed martial arts companies and broadcasting companies. CBS and ProElite, Inc. will provide the average sports fan with an opportunity to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the sport. These free events could have a significant impact on the number of mixed martial arts fans and convert followers of the sport to believers in the sport.

This agreement could also disrupt the domination the UFC has established over the past decade. Before CBS and ProElite, Inc. came to an agreement on the contract the uFC was by far the most successful mixed martial arts company, receiving over $222 million in pay-per-view sales in both 2006 and 2007 and coverage from the major sports news channels (ESPN, ESPN2). However, with this union EliteXC will experience great amounts of exposure that could give the company the opportunity to become a legitimate contender to the UFC. That being said, the success of EliteXC could lead to negotiation leverage for the fighters. At this point in time, fighters are unable to successfully negotiate contracts with the UFC and are forced to fight for very little pay because there is not a company that can offer the same exposure, quality, and fame as the uFC, but if these four events are successful and develop a fan base for EliteXC we could see improvements in each of these categories. Finally, the covenant could produce future agreements made between major broadcast television networks and mixed martial arts companies. Should the events aired on CBS reach out to new viewing demographics, receive good ratings, and prove that mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, more contracts could be made between other networks and mixed martial arts organizations (UFC President Dana White has expressed great interest in reaching an agreement with sports television powerhouse ESPN).

Though this is a great advance for mixed martial arts one could argue that the contract could hinder the progress of the sport. Poor ratings and/or a bad representation of the sport may discourage networks from making deals with mixed martial arts companies in the future. If the fights do not receive the expected ratings and fail to prove that investing in mixed martial arts is an intelligent business move the results could be devastating. The broadcasting networks would be hesitant to contracts with mixed martial arts companies because f the fear of losing money which could keep the sport out of the mainstream sports world for years. Another fear is the possibility that the fights and fighters will not represent the sport well. In a scenario where the fights are boring, slow, and uneventful viewers will be unable to notice the differences between mixed martial arts, the sport often described as intense, exciting, and action packed, and boxing. There is also the possibility, though it is a rare occasion, that the fighter will not represent the sport well by intentionally breaking a rule that prevents serious injury to his opponent (for example, a kick to the head of a grounded opponent), upholding the notion of the sport as human cockfighting. Another situation that could hinder the progress of the sport would be a fighter dehumanizing his opponent after a victory or using obscene words or gestures in the cage. All of these actions could have a negative impact on a first time viewer, resulting in that individual believing many of the stereotypes and misconceptions associated with the sport.

This contract not only places a great amount of pressure on CBS and proElite, Inc., but also the employees of the two companies, the fighters and their agents, and all mixed martial arts supporters. Four good shows could takke the sport to the next level, allowing everyone involved in the sport to reap the benefits and four bad shows could hinder the progress of the sport and possibly destroy the momentum and popularity the sport has acquired in the past few years.

Valid and Useful: Mixed Martial Arts Resources

After writing two posts on mixed martial arts I have determined that it is extremely difficult to find valid, useful information on the sport when browsing the Web. Therefore, in order to aid my readers I have compiled a list of essential meta-sites (found in the linkroll), all of which meet the Webby Awards and IMSA criteria, that allow my blog to not only serve as a repository, but also serve as a resource. The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships sites (both are under the same ownership) present the reader with updates on recent events, outcomes of fights, and many informative stories from respected mixed martial arts writers. Although these sites are useful, they are a bit difficult to navigate through in comparison to the World Extreme Cagefighting site. The World Extreme Cagefighting site is similar in style and content to both sites, but is far easier to explore and more "user friendly". The Elite Xtreme Combat site appears to be simple and to the point, but having to scroll a good amount down the page to access the most recent stories can be frustrating. These four sites all share similarities regarding style, structure, and content, the only major difference being the fighters they write about, but the problem with all these sites is the bias they possess. All four fight companies have signed different fighters to contracts and naturally the sites promote their fighters in a positive way to help develop a fan base. The biases found in these sites make MMA News valuable because the fighters are evaluated on an even playing field which allows the reader to develop his or her own opinion, without the influence of any biases in favor of a particular company. Although MMA News is insightful and entertaining it is not nearly as professional and powerful as ESPN: Mixed Martial Arts. ESPN, with the help of Sherdog.com, has created a forum that gives the reader interesting fighter evaluations, updates on upcoming events, and informative stories without favoring a particular company. The problem ESPN faces is that, because it covers many companies and fighters, it is unable to focus its attention on the fighters that may not be as well known. Also included in the linkroll are several sites regarding sports management and mixed martial arts agents. Both BDAsports management and Sports-Management.com offer news and support for those interested in the field of sports management however, BDAsports management will be offering a blog and is much more visually appealing, using a unique background and professional font size and color, and possesses an impressive archive of previous articles. The Official MMA Agents Blogg deals more specifically with mixed martial arts agents and allows the reader to interact with highly regarded mixed martial arts agents like Ken Pavia (pictured above). Finally, I have included LAW.COM a site that offers legal news and information, but may be a bit complex for younger readers.

The #1 Contender: MMA in the Sports World

As the highly anticipated super fight between the Ultimate Fighting Championships middleweight champion (185 lbs.), Anderson "The Spider" Silva, and the Pride Fighting Championships middleweight champion (185 lbs.), Dan Henderson, to unify the two organizations and determine the undisputed middleweight champion of the world draws near, mixed martial arts is becoming more popular than ever and becoming an established contender in both the combat and mainstream sports worlds. This fight will not only decide who the undisputed middleweight champion of the world is, but could very well determine which man is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The fight will feature two of the most dangerous and entertaining fighters in sports today and, if the results are even close to the expectations, mixed martial arts may be solidified as a permanent contender in the mainstream sports world. Because of the growing popularity of mixed martial arts in anticipation of this fight and fights to come (Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra 2), this week I decided to explore the blogosphere to develop a greater understanding as to why mixed martial arts is the fastest rising sport in the world today. The first blog I found, "Mixed Martial Arts - MMA Explosion", is published by Cool Gadget and Tech Reviews. This entry explores some of the reasons for the rising popularity of the sport and also offers precautions for those looking to become active in the sport. The second blog I found, "Smacked Down", is published by Kit R. Roane at Conde Nast Portfolio.com. This entry discusses some of the rule changes that have led to the success of mixed martial arts and compares the pay-per-view revenues of the three main contenders in combat sports: boxing, professional wrestling, and mixed martial arts. I have left my comments on the two blogs below, but they also can be found directly on the author's blogs.

"Mixed Martial Arts - MMA Explosion
Comment:
I truly enjoyed your argument explaining the rapid growth in popularity of mixed martial arts and its emergence as one of the more popular sports in today's world and have a great respect for your insights. I thought the idea of mixed martial arts as a forum that allows us to develop a greater understanding of which fighting style is supreme was very interesting and accurate. Mixed martial arts is the ultimate full contact combat sport in which fighters are able to display their expertise in many different fighting styles and the sport gives sports fans and analysts the opportunity to determine which fighting style is supreme. As a university student and mixed martial arts fan I would like to see statistics displaying the success rates of the different fighting styles, for example the success rates of submission fighters or strikers. I also enjoyed your description of the sport. As you said, mixed martial arts is much more than just lifting weights, it is a "raw and vital application of their [fighters] strength, their speed and their stamina". I believe that many sports fans, without any knowledge of mixed martial arts, believe that the fighters are just street fighting, "gym rats" without any discipline or respect for their opponent, which is why informative blogs like yours are a major reason for the positive growth of the sport. I also agree with the warning you have given to those looking to become active in mixed martial arts. If an individual truly wishes to become active in the sport he or she must understand that in order to participate in this sport you must be dedicated and mentally, physically, and emotionally tough. Different from sports like basketball or soccer, you can not participate in this sport without any training or dedication and expect to be successful and, more importantly, safe.

"Smacked Down"
Comment:
First I would like to thank you for your well researched and informative opinions on the recent success of mixed martial arts. I completely agree that the rule changes are a huge factor in the success of the sport and I believe people who believe the rule changes have made the sport less real or raw are incompetent. I found your statistics regarding The Ultimate Fighter very interesting. The fact that the reality show receives more attention from 18-34 year old males than the NBA playoffs and Nascar leads one to believe that the sport is no doubt a contender in not only the combat sports world, but the mainstream sports world as well. I also found the pay-per-view revenue totals for the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), the leader in mixed martial arts business, very interesting. Despite being ignored by most major television networks and newspapers and receiving far less financial backing than boxing or professional wrestling, the UFC was able to earn a staggering $222 million in both 2006 and 2007, close to, and at times eclipsing, the totals of HBO (the main boxing pay-per-view provider) and World Wresting Entertainment. This just shows that the fans of mixed martial arts are loyal and true, going out of their way to find out the time and location of upcoming events. I am anticipating a huge year for the UFC with fights like Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson, Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra 2, and Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin on the horizon and I truly believe that this could be the year in which we see mixed martial arts dominate the combat sports world.

Mixed Martial Arts: A Fight With Politics

Last week truly was a "super" week with Super Bowl 42 featuring a historic match up between the New England Patriots and New York Giants taking place on Sunday and the nationwide primary elections to determine the republican and democratic presidential candidates on "Super Tuesday". After the ballots were counted the presidential candidate frontrunners for the Democratic Party are Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and for the Republican Party are Mitt Romney and John McCain. While researching these final presidential candidates I came upon Senator John McCain's views on the sport known as mixed martial arts (MMA). In 1995 Senator McCain made an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live" accompanied by Marc Ratner, who at the time was the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, in an attempt to embark on an a systematic course of aggressive anti-mixed martial arts activities. During the interview McCain claimed that mixed martial arts was barbaric human cockfighting and that the sport “appeals to the lowest common denominator in our society”. These statements are very well known in society today and even more so in the mixed martial arts world, however what is not as well known is McCain's ties to boxing, mixed martial arts number one rival. McCain's wife, Cindy McCain, inherited one of the largest Budweiser, who at the time was a major sponsor for the sport of boxing, distributorships in the country and McCain was also known to have received copious gratuities from boxing promoters over the years. One can argue that both of these ties to boxing are strong enough to make an attemptattempt to destroy its only legitimate rival.

The problem with McCain's claims against mixed martial arts is that at first glance they appear to be true. Mixed martial arts is an intense battle in which two fighters compete, testing their physical, mental, and emotional strength, and to a first time viewer this competition can come across as brutal and borderline barbaric. However, true believers in the sport feel that one should not determine his or her opinion on the sport without being well informed.

The Styles
Mixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport in which many different fighting techniques are used including different styles of striking and grappling. Most fighters fall into three categories: a stand up specialist, a clinch specialist, or a ground specialist. A stand up specialist possesses expertise in boxing, kickboxing, and/or muay thai and will most likely look to damage his opponent with his fists, elbows, knees, and feet. A clinch specialist possesses expertise in freestyle wrestling, greco roman wrestling, or judo will often times look to damage his opponent via the clinch (a standing wrestling position), takedowns, and throws. A ground specialist possesses and expertise in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and/or wresting and will usually look to damage his opponent with submission holds and by maintaining ground control. Because of the many different fighting styles and strategies found in mixed martial arts a fighter must perfect his style and study and practice the many other styles to become a well-rounded, successful fighter. To McCain's dismay, these fighters do not just enter a ring or octagon without any strategy and pound each other like barbaric Neanderthols, instead they spend years studying the many different styles and strategies found throughout the world in hope to become a renaissance fighter, versed in all combat styles as opposed to boxers who only have to focus on one form of combat.

The Fighters
Mixed martial arts fighters tend to be discipline athletes that continue to have the desire to compete after there careers in their previous sports have come to an end. Unlike in boxing where the story seems to always be "I grew up in a tough neighborhood and had to fight for survival", these fighters are usually college educated men that have a great respect for the sport, their opponent, and themselves. In boxing one often witnesses the two boxers taunting one another or participating in un-sportsmanlike "trash talk" leading up to, during, or after the fight. Not to say that men competing in mixed martial arts do not share any similarities with boxers or never engage in un-sportsmanlike activities, but it is quite rare to see a mixed martial arts fighter embarrass or bring shame to his opponent before, during or after the fight. These men respect one another for having the courage and strength to participate in the sport and, usually, display that respect with their actions and words. This attitude found amongst mixed martial arts fighters destroys McCain's statement that the sport “appeals to the lowest common denominator in our society”. As was stated previously these men tend to be college educated individuals with great discipline and respect for one another and the sport, an attitude and lifestyle that would not be found amongst the lowest common denominator in our society.

The Facts
John McCain is entitled to his opinion on the sport; however he has developed his opinion without assessing important facts and establishing an understanding of the sport. Given McCain's opinion on mixed martial arts, it appears that he has probably seen very few mixed martial arts events and while watching the event may have allowed his bias and allegiance to boxing to influence his opinion of the sport. What McCain sees as violent and brutal actually is a much more safe sport than the one he supports. Based on McCain's opinion one would believe that there have been a great amount of deaths caused by competition in a mixed martial arts event, when in fact that idea is far from the truth. Since 1890 approximately 1350 people have died from injuries sustained during competition in boxing as opposed to the 1 death caused from injuries sustained during competition in sanctioned mixed martial arts events and since 1998 there has been approximately 70 deaths caused by injuries sustained during competition in boxing and only 1 death caused by injuries sustained during competition in a mixed martial arts event. Though competition in mixed martial arts events has not been in existence nearly as long as boxing, one can not deny the facts which eliminate the validity of McCain's argument and prove that mixed martial arts is not nearly as brutal as people think.