hobo's powderkeg thread - yes its about MMA!

[Adam D]

Right guys, this thread is about Floyd and Manny..........only joking of course!

Having looked at the old 606 site, I used to notice that whenever anyone mentioned MMA, a lot of boxing fans jumped down their throats and amongst other things called it homoerotic at best.

Even on here, a few of you have already said that it deserves no place (or even mention) within the boxing thread. That I can understand if in the context of talking about it as a sport in isolation (although I do think that it has a place in a combat sport discussion, as well as PPV buys).

anyway, what is the point of the thread?

Why is it that a lot of boxing fans are so anti MMA?

Now I know that as boxing fans you may not like a lot of sports but MMA seems to be a real bugbear to some people. Its like a red flag to a bull for some of you. I am not wanting to get into which is better (I like both to be honest although I do prefer MMA) - I just want to know why some boxing enthusiasts refuse to acknowledge anything good about it at all and get so defensive over it.

From my experience the fans of MMA are usually quite level headed when it comes to boxing and its merits - I just dont understand why there is such a vitriol towards MMA from some boxing fans.

This article is supposed to garner debate - I know most will never change their minds. I dont expect a torrent of abuse for posting htis on the board as I think it is a topic worth chatting about. If you dont like the thread on here, then please ignore it! (like most of my other threads!).

For me I can see real skill in what some of these martial artist do. I agree that 99% of them would be owned in a boxing ring against average boxing talent, but I am still curious as to what you guys think.

Please try and answer in a civilised way!

[Rowley]

I don't care for it but that is a matter of personal preference. However where I have an issue with it always appearing on the boxing boards is is a different sport. I don't come on the boxing boards to discuss MMA, baseball, cricket, football or synchronised swimming I come on to discuss boxing, and whilst it can be a welcome distraction things going off on a tangent occasionally to have numerous threads on another sport just gets annoying pretty quick

[azania]

I'm not anti MMA. I enjoy watching it. I just prefer boxing. That's not to say MMA isn't exciting. Its just that I grew up on boxing. I appreciate the skills involved in MMA and having practiced judo for a couple of years and done some boxing, I appreciate the dedication of MMA practicioners. You wont get me criticising GSP for dry humping another fighter to a points victory.

[carefree]

Personally i dont mind MMA, iv never fought or trained in although when i was boxing out of Monster they had MMA guys train there as well and i have a lot of respect for them because of the training they go through (same as boxing so you can relate to it)

The thing i dont like about MMA is mainly the attitude of average fans and the "amatuer" guys who do it in gyms anthe like. It seems to atract a lot of idiots.

Now i dont box anymore as i play a decenet level of rugby union and when discussing MMA vs Boxing i liken it to Rugby League against Union - both a similar game, both have similar rules and require a smiliar level of fitness and training. but ultimatley completly different and less than 1% of pro's in either could compete at the highest level of both.

A lot of MMA fans/people that do it out the back of my gym usually come back with something along the lines of "yeah but if Georges Saint Pierre got in a fight with Mayweather ni the street he would batter him"........
Now, i could name 2or3 guys i play rugby with who if they got into a fight with David Haye in the steet they would beat 7 bells out of him - this usually renders there arguement uselss and i lose interest.

My thoughts on it are - A lot of MMA guys now are guys who started (and usually gave up/failed) boxing and then got into MMA.
99% of domestic level Pro boxers would beat a same weight MMA fighter if they fought 12 rounds under the Queensbury rules in a boxing ring - the mma guys are very easy to hit when stand up fighting and over 12 rounds i dont see an MMA guy winning save for a lucky haymaker.
and.... 99% of MMA guys would beat a same level/weight boxer in a cage - unless the boxer can keep the fight standing then they have very little chance of making it out of there.

I dont mind mma, it is intruigining i dont hate it or think it threatens boxing - Rugby league doesnt threaten Union and vice verca - some fans hate the other sport and some follow both!

[oxring]

Having done a lot of judo - I appreciate MMA a great deal - especially the groundwork sections - which are the most scorned by boxing fans.

I believe that MMA is less good to watch for neutrals - a boxing fight seems simpler to understand.

[JACKMAGIC]

I am a big fan of both boxing and MMA in equal proportions. I have also found the seeming malice that used to appear on 606 quite amusing!
Whereas I whole heartedly agree with therowley that a boxing board should be for threads about boxing, MMA utilises boxing for it's strikes, so it's not like posting a thread about golf in the boxing forums! In the same way, if there was a board for kickboxing or tae kwondo, I don't feel that an MMA post is horrendously out of place providing the post itself is with reference to the discipline of the board that it's being posted on.
As for the homo-erotic comments, it's a fair arguement; young muscler boys in hot pants sliding around together in a chain cage could be seen as a bit of a sausagefest, but each to their own. I'm openly straight and openly like watchng MMA as I appreciate the skill, training and discipline of the atheletes involved in the same way that I also appreciate boxing. It could be argued that there is quite a lot of sweaty hugging and neck nuzzling in boxing but whats the point?!
So going back to your original question Hobo, I'm afraid im just as bewildered as you are! As a boxing fan myself though, im glad you asked the question

[Rowley]

Jack appreciate what your saying but am guessing you would get short thrift if you posted badmington articles on the tennis section or baseball comments on the cricket boards, just because some sports share some common characteristics does not make them the same.

Scrapheap challenge shares some common ground with formula 1 but I can assure you the F1 boys do not care for the comparison (I know i've made it)

[Adam D]

the reason why I have posted this on this board is because I want to know why the hate is so intense by some.

There is a lot of corssover as boxing is a part of MMA.

Also, during a discussion around the decline in boxing, I cited that the casual fan had turned to MMA (which I still hold true)., I think casual viewers want to see spectacular knock outs and find that MMa is more explosive and gives them more of a fix in that capacity.

You are right, that a MMA appreciation thread should not be on a boxing board - this thread is trying to understand why this one sport alone, is so detested by so many boxing fans.

[JACKMAGIC]

@ therowley

Again I agree with what you are saying to a point. I'm definately not saying that the two sports are the same and agree with you that the comparisons you have made between other sports that share simularities would not go down well if they asll started posting on eachothers boards. The diffence I feel is that if I wanted to learn to play tennis, I wouldn't take up badminton to improve my skills. Ok they both use a racket and even a net, but having played both I vouch that being good at one does not make you good at the other (Trust me I am completely rubbish at tennis and only mildy bad at badminton). However, MMA fighters will have to study and learn the discipline of boxing so they can strike effectively. They will also study Muay Thia, ju-jitsu ect to again use the benefits of each discipline. Subsequently I still don't see the harm in an MMa post on a boxing board providing it's with reference to boxing.
Still, I do not think that that this article is aimed at you as although you are debating against MMA threads on boxing boards, you are not slating the sport itself or posting hate comments, which I think (correct me if im wrong Hobo) the article is trying to explore the reasoning as to why boxing fans seem to respond so violently. Boxing fans do not tend to get berrated in the same way by MMA fans.

[azania]

To be honest I dont think its hate. More like tribalism and loyalty to boxing. Much like the Pac/PBF issue. To like one it seems you have to dislike the other and many play up to that.

Having said that I'm an Arsenal fan and I absolutely detest Manure :yellow card:

[Guest]

Having said that I'm an Arsenal fan and I absolutely detest Manure

Doesn't everyone who doesn't live in Surrey!

[Rowley]

To be fair mate as an old time 606er the reason a lot of the hate comes is two-fold firstly there are spells when the boards are bombarded by MMA articles and as most boxing fans are not particularly interested in MMA having to plough through this and see decent articles about boxing relegated off the front page is frustrating.

The second reason is a lot of the MMA fans tend to write their articles from the perspective of boxing is dying mma is taking over etc etc. As committed and passionate fans of boxing these kind of articles will tend to get us on the defensive.

[Adam D]

To be fair mate as an old time 606er the reason a lot of the hate comes is two-fold firstly there are spells when the boards are bombarded by MMA articles and as most boxing fans are not particularly interested in MMA having to plough through this and see decent articles about boxing relegated off the front page is frustrating.

The second reason is a lot of the MMA fans tend to write their articles from the perspective of boxing is dying mma is taking over etc etc. As committed and passionate fans of boxing these kind of articles will tend to get us on the defensive.

that was what I wanted to know, to be honest.

I didnt realise that there were a lot of mma articles on 606 boxing. The infrequent ones I saw were usually greeted with a barrage of abuse! But if the MMa boards wummed the boxing boards at times, I wasnt aware.

Its refreshing to see that quite a few of the v2 posters actually like mma.

If a similar wumming situation happens on here - let the admin team and Oxring know and the threads will be deleted

[azania]

Having said that I'm an Arsenal fan and I absolutely detest Manure

Doesn't everyone who doesn't live in Surrey!

True :lol:

[JACKMAGIC]

Therowley thats a good comment, fairly made. There did seem to be a big influx of MMA support from half bothered boxing fans who as Hobo pointed out were just knockout hungry. I think serious fans of either sport focus a lot more on the technical side of things and the heart of the fighters involved. Some of the best fight have both fighters standing at the end.

[Imperial Ghosty]

I'm with you Jeff, I come on here to discuss boxing and boxing alone, if fans of MMA want to compare it to boxing then they've got their own board to do it on, the only exception being Toney getting spanked off Couture

[TRUSSMAN66]

I've got a guy who's stalking me on another thread WUSSMAN66 any chance of him being kicked!!

[Enforcer]

Done!

Sorry about that TRUSSMAN, we had him under observation straight away. Just wanted to double check he was a WUM before getting rid, he duly proved we were correct!

Please carry on this topic as before guys

[TRUSSMAN66]

Very efficient on here..Good stuff.

People are always afraid of change...However I can't say all this MMA stuff, cagefighting does anything for me. Just doesn't seem right to use your legs and wriggle on the floor. However I will say when I get to watch the TV in the lounge (usually if she's not in) I will watch it if it's on..

Boxing has a long heritage and a colorful history so I can't see MMA ever challenging it.

[Enforcer]

I'm a casual viewer of MMA and boxing, but I am more likely to watch a boxing match than MMA as there seems to be less chance of a dull fight.

In MMA once they get on the ground and go to submission style I find myself losing interest, though an explosive MMA match is more exciting than an explosive boxing match imo.

I can see what attracts and puts people off about both sports, but not being an ardent fan of either I don't find these issues too important.

[Bob]

What's MMA?

[Adam D]

What's MMA?

Mixed Martial Arts - UFC is the top promotion (or certainly the most famous). Some people call it cage fighting but some promotions use a ring.

[Bob]

What's MMA?

Mixed Martial Arts - UFC is the top promotion (or certainly the most famous). Some people call it cage fighting but some promotions use a ring.

So not boxing then......

Could go some way to explaining why threads about it annoy people on a boxing forum.

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