MMA fighters and fans have a contentious relationship, but this does not have to be. Both groups are at the very heart of the sport; they don’t need to hate one another, but love one another.
The origin of the conflict(s) between fans and fighters is complicated to pinpoint since it depends on what perspective you’re looking at it from.
From the perspective of the fighters, the conflicts arise because arrogant or otherwise uneducated fans are overly critical of their performances.
From the perspective of the fans, the conflicts arise because the egotistical fighters ignore that the fans pay their salaries or don’t provide an entertaining fight.
Of course, there might be other reasons as to why the fans and fighters can be at odds sometimes.
There is likely a tinge of jealousy involved; the fans could resent the fighters for having what they feel to be the “best” and “coolest” career while they have to labor at a menial desk job. Fighters get to have their dreams fulfilled (or at least partially fulfilled) while the fans don’t.
That is perhaps the biggest disconnect between the fans and the fighters.
The fighters generally occupy a better position than the fans, who watch the sport to escape the trials and triviality of their every day life. This might be the most speculative reason as to why the fans dislike or heavily criticize fighters, but it’s worth noting.
But why would fighters dislike the fans?
Aside from the fervent criticism and arm-chair quarterbacking that fighters must deal with from fans, fighters might not be able to handle the simple fact fans do, in actuality, control their fate.
An unfit, unmotivated, keyboard warrior controls the fate of a fighter who could beat up a whole squad of fans. They control the fighter through money and through opinion.
Jon Fitch is a great fighter, but the fans have ultimately controlled his career because they don’t like watching him; they won’t pay to see him. UFC management therefore picked up on that and proceeded to make Fitch’s career more difficult (read: trying at all costs to keep him away from the title as long as possible).
Fighters could not make money without the fans. It’s the money of the fans that drives the MMA business, not the bravery and skill of the fighters. With no fans, there’s no audience and no money. With no fans, fighters are showcasing their skills in parking lots, strip clubs and other sordid venues.
The whole issue of fighter vs. fan gets even more complicated when you include the media.
The media is the most maligned aspect of MMA (“unprofessional” bloggers, fan boys, mail-room clerks, and other insults are regularly hurled towards the media on forums and other havens for haters) but sometimes without reason.
Yes, it has its flaws, but members of the media only became so because they loved MMA so much that they didn’t want to live without it. They wanted to write about it (in any capacity) for a living.
The point the media serves is to act as a conduit between fan and fighter. Certain media members can also act as a lightning rod for the hatred of the fans through scathing editorials.
All three of these groups—the fans, the fighters and the media—are all a piece of MMA’s heart, yet, neither is solely at its core.
Like the human heart that is split in to chambers, just so the heart of MMA is split in to chambers.
The fans are passionate about the sport and separate with their cash so that it may grow, the fighters are at the base of the sport and provide inspiration and entertainment to the fans and the media acts as intermediates between the two.
Each group has its role to play in the MMA world and none is better than the other. The fans, the fighters and the media should all be of one mind—a mind of acceptance, tolerance and love.
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