MMA in the Olympics

[jesterx7769]

Problem with MMA is it is just now becoming widely practiced.

 

Ping Pong, Badminton etc. are things people have been doing for YEARS, even BMX has been going on for awhil but it is only now getting recognition (I belive this was only snowboarding second time in the winter olympics that just happened? not 100% though) who hasnt played ping pong or volleyball or never had the chance to? Unless youre in a third world country you have those options, MMA, not so much, kinda hard to go fight intelligently in a cage, where anyone can hit a ball around on a beach and not get injured, but lessons from Iceman and Maverick might help

 

so basically I view MMA as the "X Games" were when they first started. People thought they were wild, rebellious, no talent needed, stupid young kids, and now Shawn White makes millions and his on good morning america. Once MMA becomes more accessible (which it is growing of course) more people will accept it. I say its at least 10 years from seriously considered as an Olympic sport which will of course us amateurs which Im okay with (remember they also try to adhere to Title 9 type guidelines meaning men and womens events are equal in number)

 

Also agree with you on that PP, UFC is trying to go more mainstream which means putting more matches together for PPV buys and entertainment more so than quality of an actual match. I dont think its grunge yet, but things could go down hill in a hurry and MMA is on its way to becoming a celebrity reality show, of course I dont mean to be harsh b/c its obvioulsy not there right now (Obama wanting to get involved anybody to fight Bush? Thats where the line will be crossed )

[brashleyholland]

Don't laugh, they are more "real" then MMA. It's only a matter of time before MMA follows wrestling and becomes "sports entertainment" rather then a sport.

 

If you mean by having fake fights, then no, not in a million years. Fixed fight have, and will happen, but MMA (by which I'm assuming you mean the UFC) will never hold scripted fights instead of real ones.

 

If you mean by promoting fights for their exitement factor/marketability, then various promoters have been doing that for years in MMA and decades in boxing.

 

The UFC are takeing a more 'wrestling' orientated approach to promoting events, but they a running a wrestling-like monthly PPV business model, backed up by TV shows.

 

There are tons of guys in Eastern Europe and Brazil, with 9-7 records who would wax alot of UFC talent. Trouble is they're grinders, fighting other grinders (hence the 'poor' records) and don't make for great TV like you're clean cut All-Americans or mohawk-sporting berzerkers.

 

On a similar note, you wouldn't believe the talent that gets turned away from TUF try-outs for being A) too good and B) not having enough personality for TV.

 

In that sense again, it's 'entertainment' over sport. If thats how the sport has to be to sell itself then fine. That's why we don't see amateur wrestling, Sambo, Judo, Mundials etc on prime time TV, or blowing pro wrestling out of the water on PPV sales.

 

If anything, the UFC takes the best parts of pro wrestling (drama, promotional techniques, story telling) and adds the competition aspect that WWE/TNA is lacking. The more they do that, the better.