Why don't you ask the homosexuals in the homosexual section for UFC. Straight Boxing men don't watch or wish to chat with it, on a Boxing forum. It's abit like walking into a BNP meeting asking for the local black gay bar.
I think channel 5 have the ufc event about 3 weeks after it happened , normally at about midnight on a monday (I think) I'm unsure if they have ever had a live event
It comes on 5 USA, they show usually just one or two fights from events about a month on delay. they also used to show Ultimate Fighter until ESPN got the rights. I think TUF and the videogames are what really made its popularity explode, but the DVDs have always been about (i used to see VHS too, my broither got UFC 1 on PAL VHS in the late 90s)
I think it's because the myths of 'karate black belt vs boxer' or 'judo vs taekwndo' etc etc built up over so many eras, when the UFC first started in the early 90s it was bound to be an underground hit. It is repeated on terrestrial here (channel Five) but even in the States has pretty much built from exclusive (and very restricted in availability) PPVs and figured out a ruleset that most athletic commissions will accept and which they can therefore broadcast in more states and make more money/explore larger fanbase etc etc etc (not a problem in Japan where it was more brutal and was massive for years, and became so bent it's now dead over there) Of course, Ali took part in one of the first ever 'MMA' matches, against pro wrestler Antonio Inoki, in an admittedly restricted matchup were Inoki won easily by kicking Ali, who refused to get down to the mat (Inoki wasn't allowed to throw him) in the legs from the seat of his pants in arguably the most boring 'fight' of all time! [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrXzH4WOUdc[/ame] Now more accessible, it features the cut and colourful characters many associate with 'fake' wrestling (and that's actually where modern MMA comes from, pro wrestlers like Masakatsu Funaki wondering if they could make more money if the fought without a script and importing top notch American/Dutch kickboxers in for 'grappler vs striker matchups, the hitters obviously decided to learn some wrestling/groundork to help them keep the fight standing and hey presto! Cross training starts really picking up some steam ;-)) whilst demonstrating many different styles clashes and having talent from all over the World. When you think of how admired the Martial Arts philosophies of Bruce Lee are, and the numerous 'martial arts actors' that have made it big based on strong physiques and supposed 'real life credentials', I don't think it's any surprise a Professional Martial Arts thing has kicked off, in fact I'm surprised it's taken this long to really get going. The UFC is not the name of the sport though, and until ten years ago they were minnows. What they've done can be mainly attributed to marketing and a fervent fanbase. They, except for a few stragglers still desperately trying to survive, are the sport of MMA. As I say, the UFC has built out from the underground. I remember begging my old man to buy me a video from HMV at about 11, just because it was 'Ken Shamrocks real fights!!!' Turns out the little guy in the gi was the most handy :yep You still get a lot of 'the cuddling is boring' nay sayers though. I appreciate it for what it is, and there are still many instances of other martial arts overcoming wrestling. Essentially MMA is now it's own sport; in ten years or so, everyone will know some grappling, stand up and subs. Whichever individual disciplines they choose to fill each box will make their style what it is, I think it will attract many of the 'next best athletes' coming out, the guys that couldn't quite make the NBA, NFL, Rugby or football, or who find boxing too restrictive a manner to unleash their aggression (or too complicated, confusing etc etc) because it's quite 'big' now. And yet the wages are still fairly small :think So fighters can't take the ****, for the better part, if they want to get paid.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqX8oR9QxOw[/ame] Matthew Franklin did as well atsch And people thought James Toney taking on a pure grappler was a new thing :yep
One night I was flicking through the channels and I saw UFC (past midnight) on Five. It's the worst sport that I've ever seen.
It has not exploded in Japan yet. While Pride was huge and K-1 also at certain times, UFC will always struggle to get big in Japan. Kiyoshi Tamura = one of the greatest pro-wrestlers ever
i can see car park fights up the local battle cruiser on a weekend....... UFC= unbeliveably ****ing cringworthy.
And not a bad fighter either :yep:good [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FRe5f5GbzE&feature=related[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsR-5CVXlRc[/ame]
But what of Mixed Martial Arts. You can't see that up the car park on a weekend, unless the blokes down your local boozer are all black belts in differing and varied disciplines or high level wrestlers :good