News MMA = legalized dog fighting?

MMA = legalized dog fighting?

So I'm following my normal Wednesday morning routine when I get to LSU: park in the Ag Lot, walk to Union, pick up Reveille and Tigerweekly (local newspapers for LSU), and then proceed to Union computer lab. Well, I see in this week's Tigerweekly that their entertainment editor, Jason Andreasen, has published an interesting article titled:

"Mixed Martial Arts = Legalized Dog Fighting"

Now, before tempers flare up, let me try to summarize (their site doesn't have the article on it yet, so I have to type this out (at least paraphrase

quoted from Tigerweekly:

"Contrary to what that frat guy next to you says, "Ultimate Fighting" or "Mixed Martial Arts" is neither a sport nor anything but people beating the life out of one another.
Remember when everyone was up in arms about the Michael Vick fiasco? Remember how everyone rightfully pretended to vomit when they talked about dogs being driven to kill each other? Why don't we have the same reaction when we watch two grown men pummel each other until one is so bloodied and dazed that he collapses?
The obvious answer is that the "fighters" choose to step into the ring and get their faces beaten in. While this is true, and is a credible distinction between dog fighting and mixed martial arts (MMA), the two are still very similar.
It is the primal urges that make us almost not human and drive the ratings for UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) pay-per-view specials through the roof. These same urges drive fans of dog fighting and cock fighting to trailer parks and professional football players' houses. We want to see blood and fighters knocked unconscious by a roundhouse kick to the head, and we want to see someone standing over their bloodied body.
The fact of the matter is that the popularity of MMA is directly tied to the society that we live in on a day-to-day basis. You may have seen a primetime news special or two about "fight clubs" popping up all around the country with members being average guys who work at a desk all day long.
At night, they go to a buddy's basement, recite some macho garbage about there being no rules and attack each other with sticks, swords, and bare knuckles.
This is in direct correlation to the fact that they have no way to let their aggression out of to let their natural testosterone levels be exercised. Instead, they end up in a "fight club" one night and parked in front of a UFC fight the next.
As for the growing popularity of MMA, now the "worldwide leader in sports" has gotten in on the act. Let's face it: When ESPN calls something a sport, America calls it a sport. The fact that ESPN has been covering MMA events, even a little, gives them credibility in the sports world.
Instead of having a serious discussion about why this is barbaric and a sign of straight-up devolution, ESPN shows UFC commentator and comedian (yes, comedian) Joe Rogan yelling and carrying on about how graceful it is when Chuck Liddell (a popular UFC fighter) straddles another guy and relentlessly beats his face in. Seriously?
Of course, how could I rant and rave about how terrible MMA is without talking about boxing and professional wrestling?
First of all, boxing is a completely different animal. Boxing is regulated by various entities like the Nevada State Athletic Commission; meanwhile, MMA organizations run from such regulation. Furthermore, greats like Muhammed Ali were graceful and cunning while Tito Ortiz, a popular UFC fighter, just tries to beat someone's head in. There is no beauty, no poetry-in-motion.
As for professional wrestling, at least that is staged. The people who watch the E do it as much for the soap opera storylines as they do for the violence. It is scripted and choreographed. I would rather live in a culture that watches choreographed fighting rather than this barbaric and senseless human cock fighting.
The fact is that MMA, while it may contain different forms of martial arts, appears to be little more than an excuse to watch someone get the crap beaten out of them. You can try and tell me about how I don't understand the intricacies of the "sport," but I know what I see.
What I see is a bunch of steroid-using guys beating each other up with little or no restriction. You call that a sport? I call it human blood-sport, and I think that it is sad that is the fastest growing "sport" in the world."
-Quoted word-for-word from Tigerweekly issue 381 (Sept. 26-Oct.2, 2007)


I think he's sadly misguided and doesn't WANT to understand the sport. What are your thoughts on this?

i think stuff like UFC is nothing more than a hugfest.

the remainder, however? it's not like these men are forced into it...it's far more than "legalized dogfighting." it's brutal to watch, so i can kindof see that comparison, but i repeat: they're not forced into it.

boxing has been around for AGES. why wasn't this brought up then?

probably because once upon a time, dogfights were legal.

So as I am drinking my loverly green tea I am thinking to myself, how can these people do this to themselves, want to get beaten up unmercifully and live to talk about getting their asses handed to them. Not just MMA, but boxing and wrestling and fight clubs. But like Lil Bit said, they aren't forced into it. Just like the guys and gals who join the military only to go to Iraq and possibly get killed. No one forced them...they chose to go. You might think comparing the military and this fighting stuff is irrelevant, but it's just like anything you do in your life. You chose the path that you think will bring you the most glory, self respect, money, and everything else that may go along with your decision.

As far as that guy who wrote this article, at least he didn't write it and then didn't say he hardly knows anything about MMA. He probably had to rush this article out or something because of some unknown reason, he's a slacker, he didn't have any research done, whatever the case may be. But, then again, maybe he chose to be a douche and be uneducated about the subject he was writing about. Once again, he chose. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't knock the guy for being honest, it is his opinion believe it or not. Just like it's that guys opinion to call him a motherfucker. I don't think that was necessary at all. If you're that uptight about what you read, write an intelligent comment about Physics and stop with the swearing. You're on a school website for their newspaper...people need to chill out and take a moment for a little word that has a huge impact, RESPECT.

Maybe I'm not making any sense...let me know.

QFT!

Thanks for posting this on other boards. I want the word to get out!
BTW, a local forum I'm on is all up-in-arms about this. One of the mods is posting it on every forum he's on, plus several guys are emailing him like mad. This is actually pretty funny.

See I don't think that's right. Harassing the guy? Oh well, freedom of speech I suppose is what it is chalked up as.

I went to my first UFC event last Saturday. It was great.