An Elite Disappointment

I originally didn't want to have to make this post, but after hearing things on the radio toight, I felt I had to. For those who don't know, I've slowly been becoming a fan of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) - what is widely referred to as Ultimate Fighting - except that Ultimate Fighting Championship is just one of the promotions of MMA. I think the best in the sport are some of the best-conditioned all-around athletes, and the sport is very much a thinking-man's sport.

However, last Saturday, CBS finally brought MMA to prime-time network television. This was supposed to be a huge event for MMA because it's finally making it into the "mainstream". The sport has been relegated to B-channels and pay-per-view (at best) for years, and while it's gaining in popularity, has not had the widespread coverage that other sports have had - regardless of whether or not their "stock" is up or down.

Unfortunately, just about the worst thing that could happen to the sport did. Rather than get A-list fighters, CBS got a deal with EliteXC, which basically qualifies as a "C-league" of MMA. Whereas in the UFC, to be a descent fighter you have to have some amount of grappling ability to succeed, EliteXC is largely filled with "brawlers" The end result is that fans of MMA were not entertained, and those who had the idea that MMA was about just plain fist-fighting without rules, got pretty much exactly that.

If you're not a fan of MMA but the idea of it interests you, I hope you get a chance to see some better-class MMA. While I'm happy it's made it to prime time, those who thought it was just about brawling were proven right when CBS brought the scrubs to prime time. If you'd like to see mixed martial arts that take not only brute-force strength, but skill and speed as well, take a look at your listings on your B-channels (Versus, Spike TV) for UFC or WEC.