The MMA Debacle: for Fun or Sport?

                                        Roka Pics/Shutterstock: MMA is fun or sports?

The popularity of mixed martial arts has grown exponentially. Every day, more people are reeled into this sport, but there are still those who either have no idea what MMA is about or are not particularly favorable towards it. Still, shows like Ultimate Fighting Championship continue to thrive amidst the disagreements surrounding it.

There is one argument that has not been settled, and it has been floating around for quite some time. Is ultimate fighting a sport,an entertainment, or perhaps a bit of both? It’s a tad difficult to choose a correct answer, so one must examine this from a different perspective.

The Good and the Bad

                                  Nicholas Piccillo/Shutterstock: Mixed martial artists fighting

Non-sport enthusiasts would assume mixed martial arts is merely about two grown individuals battling it out inside a cage for fun. In away, this is somehow true— MMA is an extreme contact sport, and it has risks,

which is why it’s criticized by many.

There are those who even compare it to how gladiators used to fight in ancient Rome. Some also believe it is too violent to show on TV, which might negatively influence younger viewers.

Thankfully, ultimate fighting has evolved significantly since it first came out years ago. Now, there are specific rules in place that each contestant needs to abide by, such as no eye-gouging.

Adding more judges, refs, and even a weight classification has also brought a vast improvement to the exhibition’s overall quality.Everyone must follow the rules if they want to have the chance to participate.

The Best of Both Worlds

There’s no denying that part of the thrill of watching a cage fight is the intensity. Seeing two skilled fighters in combat is exciting, and therefore one can say that mixed martial arts is both a sport and entertainment. It can never be one or the other as the two go hand-in-hand.

                              A.RICARDO/Shutterstock: Brazilian mixed martial artist, Jose Aldo

When Brazilian mixed martial artist Jose Aldo beat America’s pride, Chad Mendes, the audience was in awe at Jose’s bravado and execution. They celebrated his win as if it was their own after Jose leaped into the exhilarated crowd. This is just one of the many instances where people get to experience fun and sport firsthand.

Truly, MMA has changed the game immensely— a wrestler and a jiu-jitsu ­master can go head to head, and spectators won’t mind at all! The power of combining sports and entertainment is an effective crowd-pleaser and business model. It won’t be going away anytime soon!