The UFC is designed for a very specific niche audience.

[Tommy Carcetti]

With that niche being "Stunted manchildren who need some outlet to cope after having found out professional wrestling is staged."

[RockRaven]

1. UFC is for people who think "Joe Rogan is like what if Sylvester Stallone and Elmer Fudd had a transporter accident"

is a compliment.

[Initech]

3. That sounds like something John Oliver would say!

[Initech]

2. I've been calling it the human equivalent of cock fighting.

[RussBLib]

4. That's about it

I figure the longer Trump is in the WH, the more likely we will start having “death matches.” It’s the logical extension.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/?m=1

[CrispyQ]

6. Oh yes, I can totally see this.

There is a big segment of America that loves punishing people, & the more humiliating, the better. It feeds their moral superiority complex. The white supremacists & evangelicals come to mind. It's sickening, & that I know some of them is sad & disturbing. I just want to scream at them, "What the fuck happened to you?"

"The Running Man," both the book & the original movie, used convicts as game show bait. It's one of the few times I thought the movie was better than the book, cuz it captured the game show feel & shallowness of America better, & frankly, I like Arnold in roles like that. Also, Richard Dawson as Killian, the game show host, was perfect casting. I see there was a new Running Man movie last year.

We've lost so much, so fast, it's staggering.

[woodsprite]

33. Isn't Trump supposed to have something like 'the hunger games'

With 2 athletes chosen from each state (or something like that)? Without the death part, of course.

[Llewlladdwr]

21. It really isn't though, is it?

Unlike cock or dog fighting UFC fighters choose to participate, and are well compensated for doing so.

[ananda]

28. Next thing you know they'll be making their fingernails...

into razor blades.

[SheltieLover]

5. For those attracted to redneck shit shows.

[Johnny2X2X]

7. I'm a lifelong boxing fan

So MMA was interesting to me, but not this UFC product anymore, it's not much different than Pro Wrestling. It's all hype and they have such a captive audience that they can sell any fight as being this great match when it's really just a washed up bum on one side and an overrated young fighter on the other. And it's getting bloodier and bloodier as the stand up game has taken over.

It's one man's production, Dana White, and he controls everything and everyone. I think it's gotten away from good competition and is now a freak show.

[Tommy Carcetti]

8. Say what you want about boxing...

...at least it has gloves, and in the ideal settings, protective headgear.

UFC just looks like drunk people brawling on spring break.

[Johnny2X2X]

11. Boxing is the sweet science

There's a strategy to boxing that is just fascinating and the implementation of strategies over 12 rounds can be beautiful to watch. They can spend rounds setting traps.

MMA is more unpredictable as it's more of a brawl and guys can wing a lucky shot. Some nights a guy just is off and gets beat, other nights he comes in out of shape and gets beat or overtrained.

But MMA went full MAGA and it's so political now. All these meatheads want to make political statements.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. Agree on all. Not to mention they have full on actual NAZIS competing.

Just more breads and circuses for the authoritarian coded mob.

[Johonny]

34. And its boring

What turned me off eventually was how dull so many matches were. Fighter styles clashed and the product didn't/ doesnt really work as promised. Now everyone trains more or less in the same style.

Boxing shows how rules actually enhance the sport.

[haele]

39. Laz used to like UFC when it wasn't Dana White...

He says it went seriously downhill when White completely took over and turned it fully into his own spectacle events backed by gambling interests instead of a more skilled, careful fighting sport.
Very few fighters get a shot at top card unless their managers or agents work for White or one of White's "stable" organizations.

Laz said he wouldn't be surprised if fights were being thrown at modern events.

[Johnny2X2X]

40. Yeah

I'm not sure it's the best fighters anymore because Dana White knows he's got such a captive audience that they'll believe him whoever he says are the best fighters. He's giving shots to the guys who are most marketable more often than not.

And my word do the fighters get screwed. They're on $100 Million events and the fighters are splitting like $5 Million for the entire card. There's numerous ex UFC champs who headlined huge events who are teaching grappling classes for $25 a session while living in their friend's basement. At least in boxing, the fighters make over half the money from a show.

[Llewlladdwr]

9. Y'all might want to open a window...

The snobbery and elitism are getting awful thick in here.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Who's your favorite? Bryce Mitchell or Sean Strickland? Or both?

[Llewlladdwr]

16. Don't have one myself...

Not really a fan, my sister and nephew follow it though.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. Are they trumpers into Nazis and wife beaters like Dana White (the CEO of UFC)?

[Llewlladdwr]

22. Nope, just a couple of regular folks who happen to like something you don't.

But you go ahead and feel superior.

Much like a snob might do.

[RussBLib]

14. I guess you like seeing guys....

…beaten to a bloody pulp. The bloodier the better?

I would expect that most here do not.

[Llewlladdwr]

18. Different strokes, right?

If you don't like don't watch. As far as I know all the participants are there of their own free will. If they want to fight and others want to watch what's the issue?

[RussBLib]

31. Of course

I’m guessing you also like power slapping. This is another Dana White special production. The more violent the better. We are being desensitized to hyper-violence.

And of course you have the “Fight Circus,” that features the “Ultimate Dick-Kicking Championship.” Just good, clean fun for barbarians. Try this at home, kids!!

Where does it end?

[Llewlladdwr]

37. I think it ends when our species goes extinct.

Homo Sapiens is inherently violent. We've developed strategies to suppress that, but even so some people just really want to fight. Physically fight. Would you be willing to consider that rather trying to punish or stop those folks it might make sense to create a vehicle where they could fight with like-minded individuals? To me that seems like a better option that respects individual freedom and choice.

[SamuelTheThird]

17. Snobbery to not want to watch people getting CTE

Face it, the sport is about sadism, whatever rhetoric about sportsmanship is bruited

[Llewlladdwr]

19. If you don't want to watch then don't.

I agree the sport is brutal and violent but sadistic? I don't see that.

[SamuelTheThird]

24. Youre watching people getting brain damage and cheering

How do you sugarcoat that?

Do you just put it out of your mind that people are getting serious brain damage?

Or do you say 'it's not me, who cares'?

[Llewlladdwr]

25. Let me guess, you're not a hockey fan either...

All contact sports carry the risk of injury. If the participants are aware of the risks and find them acceptable what's the issue?

[SamuelTheThird]

32. You didn't answer my questions

Do you just put it out of your mind that people are getting serious brain damage?

Or do you say 'it's not me, who cares'?

These questions contain (one of) the issues. Then there's the issue of billionaire sports owners getting wealthier off of the brain damage of participants, and the blood lust of viewers.

Sounds like your answer is "they know, so who cares if they get brain damage?'

[Llewlladdwr]

35. Well then, let me do that.

I don't have to put it out of my mind because it never enters it. I say to myself "Look, two adults voluntarily engaging in a consensual, albeit risky, activity for which they're being paid". If the fighters aren't concerned why should I be?

As far as billionaire sports owners yadda yadda yadda, are you proposing we shut down all professional sports? Because there's a risk of injury in any physical activity. The only way to keep the participants safe is to not allow them to play at all.

And here's a question for you. Why do you feel such a strong urge to protect people from themselves? Shouldn't people be free to engage in risky activities if they want?

[SamuelTheThird]

41. ok...

' If the fighters aren't concerned why should I be?'

Who says they aren't concerned? I saw a survey that the majority worry about brain damage. And well they should.

'As far as billionaire sports owners yadda yadda yadda'

What is that yadda yadda supposed to mean? I mean by viewing you're supporting right-wing scumbags who promote trump.

'Because there's a risk of injury in any physical activity'

Ok, it's only a few sports that have a high % of BRAIN DAMAGE. Give me a break

' Why do you feel such a strong urge to protect people from themselves? Shouldn't people be free to engage in risky activities if they want?'

Im saying there is something psychologically wrong with anyone who enjoys watching one man sitting on top of another repeatedly bashing their skull, very possibly inflicting serious harm to them. And it extends to an unhealthy, dumbed-down, regressive influence in society as a whole. I said nothing about legalities.

[Torchlight]

36. you make a rather ironic assertion.

[Llewlladdwr]

38. I am a complicated man...

[Melon]

13. Democratic voters watch UFC....

It’s crazy to me that DU labels a sport now Republican because the president hosted it. Just a really weird mindset. If he hosted a different sport in the future do we label all of those that watch it Republicans also. Everything this man touches per DU taints everyone and every class that ever enjoyed it. He controls too much in your heads.

[Llewlladdwr]

23. It's crazy, right?

And we wonder why the Democratic party struggles to connect with so many Americans.

[The Grand Illuminist]

30. War is hell

nt

[flvegan]

15. It's for folks who are entertained by actual violence, pain and suffering.

I'm not saying "violence" isn't entertaining. Grew up on Looney Tunes, graduated to pro wrestling, spent a lot of time watching the Die Hards and the Terminators over the years. Thing is, that's not real. None of it.

Liking actual violence isn't something for me to judge, it just is what it is. The more we accept and "enjoy" actual violence as a society, the more violent we as a society will be/become. To me, this "human cockfighting" is somewhere in the same realm as shooting animals for fun. Just my opinion.

Not sure what that says about those that do enjoy it.

[mzmolly]

26. This is the audience they already have.

I’m not sure what they think was gained from the spectacle.

[Klarkashton]

27. There is nothing fun or the least bit uplifting to the spirit

With that horrible shit. It's subhuman.

[The Grand Illuminist]

29. Originally...

The UFC was created to see which fighting system was the best in a series of tournaments. It was the main factor in the rise of Brazilian Ju Jitsu for which Royce Gracie won the tournament 3 times.