MMA fans?

[CapnAwesome]

I talked about this a little in the guilty pleasures thread, but is anybody here a big fan of MMA? (The UFC) I don't think there is any sport quite so real as locking two guys in a cage and having them fight on another. I used to watch boxing but now I just find it to be boring. It's so base and yet so simple. Although the sport itself is incredibly intricate, with basically infinitely techniques that are used by fighters, everybody gets it. You don't have to explain all the rules associated with football or baseball (There are some rules of course, no nutshots, eye gouges, etc.) You put two guys in a cage and they fight. It is the ultimate sport. Also are the other fans as excited for UFC 182 as I am? Holy shit am I excited.

[bennyboy]

I think UFC has provided some of the most exciting fighting of my generation. However, ironically, it's also provided some of the most boring: 3 rounds of punched-out heavyweight dudes rolling around on the mat like panting lovers.

Overall, I can't say it's more exciting than boxing or kickboxing. However, it does some a more pure fighting form, and that means I can relate to the fighters more-- I end up sitting on the edge of my seat shadow-boxing, something I would never do while watching boxing.

[simplemoss]

Too homo-erotic for me ill stick with boxing thank you

[bennyboy]

-edit-

After that preview video, I have to say I'm also pretty excited about seeing the Jones fight.

[rexbeccarox]

I watch it when my friends (my two best friends are cro-males) are excited about it and want to go watch, but it really bothers me how two people can fuck each other up as much as the fighters tend to do. A fight I watched last year made me cry a little, much to my boys' glee. I swear, I balance them. They still want me along on man-cations, so I guess something keeps me around. It must be my love of football :p

[JuliaL]

In my youth my family visited Mexico and took in a -to the death- bullfight.
I was too young to be appalled.
With what we're learning about chronic traumatic encephalopathy in American and European football, it is sad to see healthy persons injuring themselves for money. I expect the participants are largely coming from communities without great hope for advancement. But would they do what they are doing if they knew what being a punch drunk ex fighter in their 30s meant? They might still. Early post adolescent males are not known for making good risk/reward judgements.

[Exian]

Man, 182 is actually kind of scaring me a little. You see trash talk all the time and most of the time it's for ratings or whatever; DC and Bones seem to really want to hurt each other. That press conference that went viral right before DC's injury (or was it Jon?) was unprofessional, I thought. Almost crosses the line.

That being said, I'll be damned if I miss that one.

I like how MMA gives these high-school through collegiate and olympic wrestlers some place to aim for professionally akin to football; as well as the combat sports not associated with school. How many times have you heard a fighter tell the story of how martial arts got them off the streets because they looked up to Chuck, Randy, or Silva?

And where else can you see men and women competing for the same thing in one night?

[Motleyy]

I talked about this a little in the guilty pleasures thread, but is anybody here a big fan of MMA? (The UFC) I don't think there is any sport quite so real as locking two guys in a cage and having them fight on another. I used to watch boxing but now I just find it to be boring. It's so base and yet so simple. Although the sport itself is incredibly intricate, with basically infinitely techniques that are used by fighters, everybody gets it. You don't have to explain all the rules associated with football or baseball (There are some rules of course, no nutshots, eye gouges, etc.) You put two guys in a cage and they fight. It is the ultimate sport. Also are the other fans as excited for UFC 182 as I am? Holy shit am I excited.

Who are you rooting for? Predictions? Have you ever done any of this stuff yourself? I've done some brazilian jiu jitsu and it's amazing. Please let Daniel cormier destroy Jon Jones

[Exian]

I'm cool with DC winning. I've been a fan of Jon Bones since he beat Bader but the press for this fight makes me lean towards DC, who I've also liked for a long time, including his commentary work.

On paper, I have DC's boxing and wrestling winning out, but I think Bone's strength is always under estimated by his opponents. They always seem surprised by how strong he is. I really want to see the Jones/Gustafsson II. I don't think that was settled.

[CapnAwesome]

I'm rooting for Cormier. He's college educated, and just generally seems like a nice guy. He's always nice to fans who meet him outside of expos and stuff. Plus I like his style of fighting and the fact that he's a freak athlete. Watching him slam 250+ lb Josh Barnett with ease was incredible. Jon Jones is maybe the most amazing fighter to watch and also a freak athlete, but he seems like a dick. I think Cormier would be a better representative for the sport.

I wrestled in high school and did some ju-jitsu and some boxing in my early twenties but decided that it isn't for me. I wasn't particularly good at it and I don't really like getting hit or being choked. Fancy that.

As for a prediction: Cormier by knockout. I think after spending time on his back Jon Jones might wilt under the pressure. Who knows though. Hard fight to call for sure.