4tal Kombat: MMA with The Strung One Posted by The Strung One on 01/17/10
There was a point in the not too distant past where I said to myself, “I’ll always be a wrestling fan”. I grew up saying my prayers and taking my vitamins, idolizing figures such as Hulk Hogan, The Dynamite Kid, and Bret “The Hitman” Hart, among others. I saw it all through the years, and how things changed, it all stayed the same. Wrestling was just so much fun! So where did it all go wrong? No, I’m not going to get into the problems facing pro-wrestling, this is a mixed martial arts column, but I am going to focus this writing on why so many wrestling fans are turning to MMA and not looking back.
I’m beating a dead horse by saying it, but MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. There are Gyms popping up all over the globe, and each one of them is filled to the brim with men who are hungry to test themselves. Mixed Martial Arts is, in essence, perhaps the purest sport in the world, pitting man against man, a throwback to ancient Rome. Two warriors face to face, both with the same objective in mind; to have their arm raised in victory. Unlike wrestling, each and every single match has ramifications. Rematches are not handed out so easily. You have 15 minutes to prove you belong and where you belong on the totem pole.
Every fighter has the same goal in mind, and that is to be the champion, but to get there you not only have to win, but win in fashion. For instance, let’s look no further than Lightweight contender, Gray “The Bully” Maynard. His record is ten wins, zero losses total, with eight fights in the UFC. Despite his flawless record, he has not shown he has been able to finish, with his last six victories coming by way of decision. Frankie Edgar, who was defeated by Gray Maynard in 2008, is next in line for a title shot against BJ Penn. Fight making choices like this are just going to make MMA action that much more exciting to watch.
While pro-wrestling is scripted, a wrestler really does have his work cut out for him. In WWE, talent work 300 days a year, working with the same people, it is no wonder matches are cookie cutter with wrestlers getting too comfortable with their routine. Never mind the storylines in pro-wrestling; everything has become very predictable from the moves performed to the outcome of the matches. Unpredictability is exciting, and fans are finding it in MMA. Fighters only fight two to five times a year, but in between those fights they are refining their skills and learning new tricks of the trade. Fighter A can defeat Fighter B on any given night. Funaki is never going to beat John Cena.
Mixed Martial Arts attracts athletes with the urge to compete. Pro wrestlers Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley have crossed over, as well as former pro boxing, basketball, baseball, and football stars from Ray Mercer, to Jose Canseco, to Herschel Walker. And with them, they are bringing new fans to the sport of MMA. While mixed martial arts isn’t in direct competition with pro-wrestling or similar combat sports such as boxing, MMA’s growth is undeniable, and it’s popularity is quickly on the rise.
However, if MMA isn’t in direct competition with wrestling...why haven’t I looked back?
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