"overkill"

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gmattson
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"overkill"

Post by gmattson »

Last night I watched the newest "caged" fights on CBS! I was channel surfing after the last match and found five channels with these matches featured. Anyone feel the promoters are killing the sport with too many organizations trying to 'milk' the cash cow?

The CBS production was childish. . . a crude attempt to add professional 'Rasslin' theatrics to a bunch of competitors who definitely didn't have the "Flair" of the "Hulk" or any of the rasslers.

The audience for the CBS show were boorish and reminded me of the spectators at the ancient gladiator death matches. They were booing a couple of fine athletes who were fighting a spirited but careful match. The crowds are now looking for blood and are demanding the privilege to turn thumbs up or down before a doctor or ref stops a match. (Which also happened to this middleweight match when one of the fighters caught a thumb in his eye)

Besides the middleweight match, the two women who fought were fantastic. Lots of technique and good fighting action.

Although I wasn't impressed with many of the street matches Kimbo fought, he certainly proved last night that he is an excellent fighter who is very serious about becoming a professional warrior. He is an "old warrior" though and had to be helped out of the ring by his handlers, which raises some questions about how long he will be able to stay active as a fighter.

I don't think this newest fight series will last. They will either be bought by the UFC or die from lack of interest. The only reason people watched (myself included) was because of all the hype over Kimbo. Unless they can get Kimbo or someone like him, to fight every week. . . watch for a return of "Dancing with the Stars"! :)
GEM
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Post by jorvik »

Well it is about money really, and if it doesn't sell then it won't survive. I always rate a wrestler over a boxer ( but only in these type of bouts), but wrestling is boreing to watch.unless you are a wrestler :lol: ...look at judo, every bit as good as BJJ but no hype or selling, and judo matches again are boring,if you have a good judo teacher you can pretty much learn the skill set of BJJ for a fraction of the price...then again Ueshiba is supposed to have thrown around judo dan grades.....so at the end of the day who really knows? :roll:
I have always reckoned Taekwondo to be the ultimate spectator sport
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TSDguy
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Post by TSDguy »

I didn't watch it, but even mainstream sports commentators were saying it was a stupid idea, and Kimbo makes it pretty much a circus. CBS isn't exactly known for being young and hip, so I'm not sure what they're trying to accomplish here. There is plenty of free UFC, old Pride matches, IFL and WEC on tv pretty much all the time, and they have top-tier fighters.

Don't forget, Pulver vs Faber for the title, free on Vs. tonight!
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

I think these myriad martial sport venues are still searching for an identity and consequently engaged in one-upmanship.

Early boxing and bare-knuckle fighting were brutal. There were no gloves in early matches, and they were fought in a kind of modified upper body Goju Sanchin posture. The longest boxing match ever fought took place in New Orleans on Apr. 6, 1893. The match was between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke, and lasted 110 rounds. At the opening of round 111, neither fighter could get out of his seat, and the matched was declared a "no contest." Wow... Burke retired, and Bowen died after losing his next 18-round fight (a KO).

So... We cleaned up boxing for prime time, and now the gladiator crowd thinks it's passé.

My sense is that the same happens with the various so-called "no holds barred" (MMA) venues. The fewer the rules, the more "genuine" the fight and the more brutal the outcome. The more they clean it up, the more it becomes something other than "real" fighting.

IMO we'll eventually see a resurgence of some of the classic fighting venues like the myriad grappling and striking arts.

- Bill
Last edited by Bill Glasheen on Sun Jun 01, 2008 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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TSDguy
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Post by TSDguy »

There is no reason to "clean up" the grappling or striking anymore than they have (broken bones aren't a big deal), but I can see someone getting killed or paralyzed by a slam. I really think it's a matter of time.
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Post by Joseph G Bellone »

Bill,

They already have started to "clean it up." There has been an evolution in the sport to make it more tolerable for a wider audience. Where the line of tolerance is will be determined by the market watching.

good training,
Joe

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Post by f.Channell »

The fight before Faber and Pulver last night was the best MMA fight I've ever seen.

The Faver Pulver match was great , but the one before, Torre and Maeda was awesome.

f.
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