The topic of MMA becoming an olympic sport has been a huge topic for combat sports fans everywhere recently, especially with the popularity of the sport rapidly rising. UFC President Dana White would love to see the MMA in the Olympics eventually.
There are currently a handful of combat sports that are represented in the Olympics. Some of them include, wrestling, boxing, karate, and judo, while others have just been added that could end up making appearances in the 2024 or 2028 Olympics. Those sports that have been added include sambo, kickboxing, and muay thai
White believes that the sport would bring tons of viewership to the olympics in general if it is added. He is a supporter of the cause, but with that being said, White isn’t going to be on the frontlines fighting tooth and nail to make it an Olympic sport.
Dana White cited the viewership drop as a reason that the Olympic Committee should grant MMA the recognition of being an Olympic sport.
“I think it should be an Olympic sport already,” White said Wednesday during a UFC fan Q&A. “It’s not my job. It’s not what I’m looking to do. I’m not pushing to turn this thing into an Olympic sport. I agree with whoever said that, yes. And not to mention the fact that one of the big problems the Olympics is having right now, is viewership. You want viewers? Put MMA in the Olympics. ” (Transcribed by MMAJunkie)
It would be amazing to see all the fighters represent their respective countries, and it would be fun to see how many fighters would be represented in each weight class. It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that Russia would run the slate and take gold in the competition.
How do you feel about MMA possibly becoming an Olympic sport?