Sports fans being sports fans, we have to take two major factors that distinguish the MMA subculture, and therefore its fans, in the wild world of sports.
First, modern MMA practically grew up with the Internet boom beginning in the 1990s.
Second, MMA is a macho combat sport that allows for more painful ways to finish a fight compared to boxing. (Yes, in MMA’s path to worldwide growth, we can’t help but refer to and learn from the more established sweet pugilistic science.)
Now back to the first fact. With the Internet, fans of the approximately 18-34 male demographic got a venue to express themselves to the fullest—from the nicest to the meanest ways that online communication allows—more often than not behind the armor of fictional usernames.
And the moderators, more often than not, are either pretty liberal or sleeping on the “job.” (That being said, I’m all praises for our very alert and beautiful Bleacher Report content moderators, ensuring that we engage in a more, er, acceptable and decent manner. They also moderate the comments here, right?)
With the Internet, the few—emphasis on few—rotten eggs troll, flame, and curse to high heavens, naturally attracting the most attention and eliciting the strongest reactions. But they are, of course, just taking their cue from Dana White, albeit with a lot less flair and intelligence.
The expression of profundity or bluster from the older fans of the older professional sports were more restricted, via the more antiquated media of print, radio and TV.
Now we move to the second factor. The Village People were two decades ahead of their time when their song “Macho Man” became a hit; it was the UFC they had prophetically in mind all along while belting and swaying to that song.
This is the song that must have secretly inspired Dennis Hallman to wear those revealing purple Speedo swimming trunks in UFC 133. Hairy Dave Herman used it as his walk-in music in UFC on Fuel TV, and he was man enough not to attribute his TKO loss to Stefan Struve to the ’70s song.
Yes, this sport is about beating up the other in order to become the alpha male atop the ring. And it could get real nasty.
Want a prime example of really breaking the limits and showing the most macho stuff that a human being is made of? Watch Miesha Tate versus Ronda Rousey, again and again.
MMA fans know and try to be consistent with the Zeitgeist of their sport outside the ring. And a few—again, emphasis on few—act and speak like Johnny Bravo with a meaner streak. Yeah, a la Johnny Bravo, however they’re built.
Some gullible and laughable idiots even believe literally and mimic all the gritty MMA macho words and slogans hook, line and sinker.
“In my place, a blah-blah-blah like you gets a slap in the face.”
“Pain is nothing more than weakness leaving the body.”
Take a walk…
They’re the toughest guys on the block, looking for blood and destroying the contrarians via keyboard attacks. But they are, of course, just taking their cue from Dana White, albeit with a lot less flair and intelligence.
Not to worry, though, as yours truly cannot remember an instance when MMA fans resorted to riots in outrage or celebration or both…yet. Unlike those from the more gentlemanly sports of football (soccer, for the layman) and basketball.
I don’t remember an instance of any fan stripping naked and attempting to streak inside a ring. (Good luck!)
And, I stand to be corrected, but have any of our top MMA athletes ever been stalked? (Again, good luck, to the prospective stalker.)
There will be MMA fans, and there will be MMA fans. And though some of the more “extreme” among us seem to be better off admiring the sport, its athletes, ring girls and other personalities behind bars or in psychiatric wards, many are really just being naughty and having fun.
After all, this is “just” sports!
In parting, want to guess in what institution’s basement I’m writing this from? (“Incidentally,” the UFC “Just Bleed” guy in the primary photo was sentenced to prison “for receiving stolen goods and is due for release this 2012.”)
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