We all know, and likely acknowledge the fact, that in combat sports, it’s often the villainous persona that sells tickets. Honestly, I don’t have any qualms with a fighter attempting to market himself. MMA may be a sport, but there’s an awfully hefty load that goes into the process of creating great entertainment, and who can blame a man for aiming to increase his market value, even if at any and all cost?
I can roll with a gimmick. I ain’t mad, if you know what I’m saying.
However, there’s something rather special about those guys who enter competition, perform as though they aim to replicate a lion mauling a young wildebeest and never lose sight of the fact that they don’t need to act tough; they are tough.
It’s the men who showcase a genuine respect for their opponent and the men who don’t need a microphone to project anything other than sincerity that make this sport so special. Those aren’t primitive monsters in the cage; they’re men. Some just seem to express that in stronger fashion than others.