The males ages 18-34 demographic will always be at the core of the UFC’s viewership, but there’s a second graphic that’s also crucial to focus on: children.While some might scoff and be perplexed at directing the sport of fighting towards children, the…
The males ages 18-34 demographic will always be at the core of the UFC’s viewership, but there’s a second graphic that’s also crucial to focus on: children.
While some might scoff and be perplexed at directing the sport of fighting towards children, the shift in the UFC’s audience will happen organically over time.
Think about the majority of UFC fans. They are males ages 18-34. The UFC started to explode in popularity with the debut of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005.
The fans who were 18 when TUF debuted are now 25 years of age. As the passage of time continues, the MMA fans of yesterday will not only still watch the sport, but will also create the MMA fans of tomorrow by having children.
Having children be avid MMA fans might seem like an abhorrent thought to some, but sentiments like that will fade in time.
To the older generation(s) of Americans during the rise of the UFC, MMA was something weird, alien, “savage” and scary. They preferred boxing.
The current generation of youth will not have such ideological baggage when they are the next generation of oldsters. They will have grown up as MMA fans or at least exposed to MMA in some capacity. The sport will therefore have a baseline level of acceptance in society and having kids watch it won’t be seen as a grievous parenting error.
Thus, as time goes on and MMA fans plant their seed (or spread their legs), the number of kids who will see MMA by virtue of their parents being fans will increase. As this happens, the child demographic will become of greater and greater importance until it can no longer be ignored.
Given enough time and enough MMA fans having babies, the child portion of the UFC audience will increase, and the UFC champions of the day will become akin to what famous professional wrestlers were: cultural icons and heroes to children in every sense of the word.
In the clash between titanic heavyweights Junior Dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, the UFC would benefit more from the latter fighter winning. In fact, it’s crucial to the UFC’s success in Europe that Overeem does win. The UFC has had big plan…
In the clash between titanic heavyweights Junior Dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, the UFC would benefit more from the latter fighter winning.
In fact, it’s crucial to the UFC’s success in Europe that Overeem does win.
The UFC has had big plans for Europe.
First it conquered the UK (and Ireland) and turned the British Isles into a veritable MMA hotbed. It then used the UK as a springboard to Europe proper, holding shows in Germany and soon Sweden. The UFC also plans to expand the brand’s presence in Europe by holding events in Spain, Italy and France.
Part of succeeding in a new territory is having “home grown” fighters for the native fans to root for (or, to put it in more realistic terms, purchase tickets/tune in for).
If Overeem beats Dos Santos and captures the UFC heavyweight championship, this problem will be solved. The Europeans will have more than a notable fighter—they’ll have a UFC champion.
Overeem’s hypothetical victory will also help the UFC in Europe in other ways besides giving the organization a marketable European superstar. It’ll help them fill the roster with European fighters down the road.
As it stands now, there simply aren’t that many great European fighters for MMA fans across the pond to love and admire. The high-echelon European fighters in the UFC are Michael Bisping, Alistair Overeem and Alexander Gustafsson. Then there are some mid- to low-level Europeans like Stefan Struve, Vladimir Matyushenko, Alessio Sakara and others.
That’s quite a small amount of Europeans to stretch into several different European cards.
However, if Overeem wins at UFC 146, European youth will have an MMA champion to look up to, to daydream about being the same way American kids daydream about being Tom Brady or Peyton Manning (or perhaps even a jilted Tim Tebow).
Overeem’s win can and will popularize MMA in Europe, which will mean more people will train, which will mean the UFC will eventually have more European fighters to market there ,which will get more people to train. It’ll be a positive feedback loop that practically guarantees the UFC success.
However, that’s only if Alistair Overeem wins at UFC 146.
So when you’re watching the clash of the two powerful heavyweight strikers, know there’s more at stake than just the belt; the timetable of the UFC’s success in Europe is at stake.
If Overeem loses, the UFC will still eventually triumph but at a slower rate, while an Overeem victory will be the catalyst that finally makes the UFC and MMA a force in European sports.
Idealistic MMA fans view fighters as some sort of paragon for all athletes to look up to—as gods—but are they really?The answer is complicated. When asking this question about MMA fighters, it’s important to distinguish between what ki…
Idealistic MMA fans view fighters as some sort of paragon for all athletes to look up to—as gods—but are they really?
The answer is complicated.
When asking this question about MMA fighters, it’s important to distinguish between what kinds of MMA fighters.
There’s the weekend warrior/low-level journeyman who’s career highlight will be knocking out a below .500 fighter in King of the Cage (or worse).
Then there are low to mid-level UFC fighters. Who will achieve moderate success, but never capture the coveted 12 pounds of gold they call a title.
And then, at the very top, there are the superstars. The men like UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who will all be remembered forever in the sport’s history.
So what of each “caste” of fighter? Are even the lowest fighters of the low gods compared to the couch potatoes and miserable, lazy cretins of the world who haven’t exercised since PE class?
No. It’s hardly fair to call those fighters “gods.” Brave men who are doing something admirable—learning how to fight and testing themselves—yes, but gods, no.
What about the gatekeepers of the UFC, the men who will have the privilege of being in the world’s greatest fighting organization, but will never make it to the top through genetic limitations or other reasons, are they gods?
No. They achieve an intermediate level of fame that shames the common fan but fails to impress anyone outside of MMA.
However, some men from this level do have some level of lasting fame.
Fighters such as Duane Ludwig who have captured records (the fastest KO in UFC history, in Ludwig’s case) or a journeyman UFC fighter who has earned a knockout that will be viewed in highlight reels for decades to come will enjoy distinction for the rest of their lives.
What of the superstars? Surely they must be like gods, right?
Wrong.
MMA fans live in a bubble. More people would recognize Tom Brady or Peyton Manning over Anderson Silva or Jon Jones and the latter two could beat the former two up.
So no, not even the highest level of MMA fighters are the gods we as MMA fans make them out to be—at least not all the time.
But there are times when yes, the highest caliber MMA fighters are like gods.
Moments like Silva’s front kick to Vitor Belfort or submission over Chael Sonnen is when fighters are, for brief moments, living gods.
When they are in the midst of a fight and the movements of their tendons and sinews coincide with the impulses of their neurons to create art out of violence. When they reduce another supreme athlete to an unconscious, helpless pile of flesh and bone in front of hundreds of thousands to the awe of many and the horror of their opponent’s loved ones.
It is these moments that MMA fighters transcend simply being human and forever take their place among the legends, among the many “gods” of the sports world.
The future of MMA is here and it’s not Jon Jones or Rory Macdonald, it’s kids. Yes, Jon Jones is a 24-year-old phenom, but there are younger phenoms who will one day reach fighting age and destroy him. The recently posted Youtube clip of a fi…
The future of MMA is here and it’s not Jon Jones or Rory Macdonald, it’s kids.
Yes, Jon Jones is a 24-year-old phenom, but there are younger phenoms who will one day reach fighting age and destroy him.
The recently posted Youtube clip of a fight between youth female MMA fighter Aalijah Pineda and an unknown boy is proof of this MMA renaissance amongst youngsters, as is the fact that kids were present at the UFC 135 press conference—kids who train in MMA and have aspirations to fight.
There is nothing to malign here, there is nothing savage at work here. These are no gladiatorial games and the promoter of this kids fight is no Joseph Kony.
These are simply kids who are enjoying themselves while practicing the purest form of sports/competition known to man—and doing a damn good job at that.
This fight is a good thing.
It shows that the popularity of MMA is spreading, pervading all aspects of society like the other major sports do.
Kids compete in baseball, kids compete in football, and kids compete in hockey. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to compete in MMA as well?
Kids competing is a sure sign that MMA is establishing itself in the younger demographics. MMA’s popularity with kids will only expand as the 18 to 34-year-old males who became fans from The Ultimate Fighter begin to procreate and have MMA-obsessed children of their own.
The finest hour of MMA is approaching, and the little kids in MMA gyms will be its heroes.
The most important thing about UFC 135 wasn’t that Jon Jones beat Rampage Jackson, it was that kids were present at the pre-fight press conference and asked questions. Those kids have a story, and they were kind enough to share it with Bleacher Re…
The most important thing about UFC 135 wasn’t that Jon Jones beat Rampage Jackson, it was that kids were present at the pre-fight press conference and asked questions.
Those kids have a story, and they were kind enough to share it with Bleacher Report.
The two kids are Jaidyn Mueller and Dillon Thomas of Colorado, who have both been into MMA and martial arts for quite a while before attending the UFC 135 press conference.
“I think when I first saw it, my parents were watching TV downstairs and I decided to go downstairs and watch something with them and I started watching it and I started to like it,” Jaidyn, 10, said.
“I think I was probably about eight when I first saw MMA,” said Dillon, 11.
The children are fortunate to live in more enlightened times. When years ago kids would likely just train in a striking art, they train in MMA.
“I was four when I was training in Tae Kwon Do and I left Tae Kwon Do when I was seven,” said Jaidyn. “Then I started training at [Cecil] People’s Denver Karate when I was eight and every once in a while I’ll train at Grudge training center.”
Some might mock a gym run by Cecil Peoples, an infamous MMA judge, but Peoples was a legitimate full-contact karate fighter back in his day.
Also, the gym doesn’t teach just karate.
“One of their Senseis…trains at Grudge pretty heavily and has a few fights under his belt, Conner Cordova; he took Arianny Celeste to prom. He has this massive love for MMA. It wore off on the Karate school. Instead of doing lots of karate, they practice lots of MMA,” said David Mueller, Jaidyn’s father.
It was the Karate school’s love of MMA that ultimately brought the kids to the press conference, as well as a surprise from UFC president Dana White.
“One day, it was a school day and it was one of these things where a small group of kids at this karate school go to train at grudge with coach Trevor [Wittman], and they’ve really taken this love to MMA and we all just decided that we were gonna go down and meet the fighters and go to the press conference,” David said.
“When we got there, we just said, ‘They’re probably gonna open up to the audience for questions, just raise your hand and be polite and respectful.’ When it came time…I don’t know if they summoned up the courage or if it was just the way they are, but they were just the two kids who asked the questions,” he said.
The questions (Dillon’s involving how to get into the UFC and Jaidyn’s involving being the first female UFC fighter) earned the attention of Dana White, who sent Burt Watson to Jaidyn and Dillon’s party.
“Burt came over and was like ‘Before you leave, Dana wants to talk to you guys,’ and they brought us into this side room,” said David.
And getting backstage wasn’t the only cool part; the fighters were quite hospitable and kind to the kids.
“While they were waiting, the fighters were coming down from the stage. A lot of them came down and they were really into the kids. They were really respectful of these kids and interested in these kids. They were taking time to meet all of them and shake their hands and remember their names,” he said.
But the most amazing thing was meeting the man himself, Dana White, who was impressed with the kids. Impressed enough to give free tickets to the entire group.
“Dana Came into the room and he was super-impressed with these kids, especially the ones who asked questions. He just couldn’t believe that they had the courage to do that. He asked if we were all going to the event. We told him we were going but these guys aren’t. He said, ‘How many are there?’ He said, ‘You’re going to the event, I’ll give you 15 of my personal seats’…It was the most amazing experience,” David said.
What does this all mean in the grand scheme of things?
It means that MMA is growing to the level that even kids can learn and appreciate it, and the fighters can appreciate and love the presence of kids.
This is quite an important face when you consider the fact that MMA was practically on life support a decade ago, before FOX and before The Ultimate Fighter. Kids certainly weren’t watching then, but they are watching now.
In fact, they are doing even more than watching; they’re training and aspiring to be fighters themselves.
“One day, I know I will be the first female UFC fighter,” Jaidyn said.
“Watch out, here I come,” Dillon said.
Will we see Dillon Thomas and Jaidyn Mueller in the UFC in a decade? Time will tell. But the most important fact of the matter is that kids all over the country (and perhaps world) are training now, and it’s these kids that will bring MMA into its golden age.
The UFC welterweight division is paralyzed. The only solution is to create an interim interim welterweight championship. Is this for real?No, but it’s actually not a bad idea considering the state of the 170-pound weight class in the light of inte…
The UFC welterweight division is paralyzed. The only solution is to create an interim interim welterweight championship.
Is this for real?
No, but it’s actually not a bad idea considering the state of the 170-pound weight class in the light of interim champion Carlos Condit’s proclamation that he’d wait the entire year without fighting just to get a shot at the true welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre.
The whole point of an interim title is to enable the division to continue while the champion is hurt or otherwise incapacitated/unable to perform his duties as champion. But since Condit is refusing to defend his interim title, it’s worthless and pointless; it belongs in a trash can.
Thus, partially as a joke and partially as a legitimately good idea, an interim interim title should be created while St-Pierre is injured and Condit is waiting for the Canadian to return.
There is a logjam of contenders at welterweight and Condit sitting on the sidelines is perpetuating it.
There’s the dominant Jake Ellenberger (who is the most deserving contender and I’ve made my thoughts known as to why) who is deserving of a shot at Condit—or at the hypothetical, facetious interim interim belt.
Then there is Martin Kampmann, who is coming off a thrilling win over Thiago Alves. There is also the winner of Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck, who will deserve something more than a waiting game.
Condit’s decision to wait is a great business decision as it means he’ll be guaranteed a higher-profile fight, but that decision is causing long-term harm to the welterweight division.
An interim interim belt is obviously a little ridiculous and will never happen, but it’s really not that bad compared to seeing the interim belt collect dust on Condit’s shelf, only to be thrown out by the winner of Condit vs. St-Pierre.
The males ages 18-34 demographic will always be at the core of the UFC’s viewership, but there’s a second graphic that’s also crucial to focus on: children.