Don't Boo the Fighters: Why MMA Fans Suck Sometimes

Americans want what they want and they want it now. The abundance of fast food places and the fact that even coffee and donut shops have drive-thru's now all contribute to this "I want it now" culture. People going in the "15 items or less" line at the grocery store when everyone knows they have 20 items in their cart is just another wonderful example of this. Watching the fans at a mixed martial arts fight is also another good way to see this culture in action.

On at least one fight per card or show, you will hear the fans booing loudly at a couple of strikers who aren't wildly attacking their opponent or the crowd will be booing at a couple of fighters who seem to be deadlocked on the ground not providing enough action for the blood-thirsty animals known as MMA fans. The thing that pisses me off about people booing is that these fighters are going out there and fighting as a job, not simply for your entertainment. Are you entertained by the fights, yes, most of the times, but this is a competitive sport that puts food on many fighters' tables.

The fact that you don't often see some crazy maniac running in throwing punches without defending himself is because these losers don't even make it to the big time shows like the UFC because they are douches and usually end up being the ones who get knocked out. Yah, it might be mildly entertaining, but if you want to watch someone run blindly into a fight only to get immediately knocked out, tune into WWE to satisfy your craving for such ridiculousness.

Fighters need to work to defend themselves as well as being on the offensive. This is why you'll sometimes see two fighters who seem to be stuck in a stalemate, but really are just defending themselves and looking to strike when there is an opening. Booing doesn't motivate them to start fighting and acting ridiculous because they know that once they do that, they'll be the one laying flat on the ground most of the time.

Also, when fans are booing because most of the action is on the ground, this is just showing their immaturity. I have to admit, I used to be the kind of fan that only enjoyed the punches and kicks that were part of an all out brawl. I hated seeing submissions and people in the guard or side mount. But, as I matured with regards to knowing what the difference was between full guard, half-guard, triangle chokes, figure fours, etc. I began to really enjoy the complexity that comes along with being a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter, or other types of submission-oriented fighting styles. If the fighters truly aren't doing anything or making any progress, then the refs are trained to stand them up. Let them make the call, don't make it for them.

I hope these fans start to learn that it is more than just a street fight. These athletes train and get themselves in top condition and study to be able to defend against a myriad of fighting styles. Please don't boo. This will only encourage the lay fan to think that ridiculous fighting is the only thing that is exciting, and the sport won't ever grow in popularity.