Knock Down, Drag Out
30/03/19 08:05
I think I first tripped across a video or two on YouTube that caught my eye. Here were a couple of women beating the hell out of each other in a steel caged death match. These were sanctioned bouts by the UFC and by and large replays of a previous pay-per-view event. I think I was impressed with the brutality expressed by the fighters and the fact that they were women made it all that much more interesting. Not in a titillating way, mind you, but by virtue of the fact that women are finally carving out a place for themselves in a sport that has been historically dominated by men.
Maybe it surprises me and maybe it doesn't that women are just as capable as men when it comes to committing egregious acts of violence against their fellow "man." Make no mistake about it. MMA fighting is a blood sport. You may think that it is less brutal when two women are trying to knock each other out with their sharp elbows and bludgeoning knees but like everything else in life it is all relative. The objective is the same. You live and die by your ratings so you do what you can to inflict as much body harm as possible on your opponent. It's the penultimate zero-sum game.
I couldn't help but wonder about the backgrounds of these warriors. How precisely did one thing lead to another in these women's lives to the point where they wanted to beat the bejesus out of another human being? Were they deprived of compassion and caring as children? Did they perhaps follow the example of their older or younger siblings be they male or female? What father or mother wants to see their child in a ring fighting for their lives for the sake of a W in the win column?
I think I need to give the devil his due here. My views are probably altogether far too sexist and disparingly naive. Truth be told, women are tougher than men. If you start there, it's not a reach at all to see women in the ring competing against other women. Once you remove all considerations due to gender, you can start to appreciate aspects of the sport such as training, technique, strategy, and the will to win.
The better fighters possess what's known in the sport as a killer instinct but that only takes you so far. The good thing about MMA fighting is that there are a lot of ways to bring your opponent to submission. Getting a TKO is good, but not the end-all, be-all. I like to see their records, catch a glimpse or two of previous fights which the shows usually include, and then I like to size them up as they make their way through the cheering crowds from the waiting room to the ring.
I'm rarely ambivalent as to which fighter I might like to see win and that may or may not have anything to do with who has the better record. Records, as we all know, can be misleading. Like most red blooded Americans, it goes without saying that I like to root for the underdog. The man or woman who has the tougher hill to climb typically gets my vote. The man or woman fighting to get out of the ghetto regardless of nationality has infinitely more incentive to walk away with a win.
I feel more empathy than not for the older fighters who for lack of money for their next meal have to put their lives on the line in order to provide for themselves or their families. Conversely, I'm generally supportive of the younger fighters who have chosen this particular career path even with all the hazards inherent in the sport. I'm not sure why but I occasionally worry that women put their child bearing capabilities at risk when they endure round after round of abuse and destruction at the hands, feet, knees, and elbows of their opponents. It can and usually does get down and dirty.
In spite of the incessant terror and threats of bodily harm brought to bear in any given match, it is a testament to the human spirt and the dignity of the sport that when all is said and done it is the enduring respect that each of the fighters has for their opponent that rises above all else. No matter how much blood is spilled, no matter how much damage is inflicted, the fighters invariably embrace and celebrate their opponents when the final bell sounds. Win or lose, you thank your opponent for making you a better fighter, a better person, and for the opportunity to learn in the process. Good stuff.
Maybe it surprises me and maybe it doesn't that women are just as capable as men when it comes to committing egregious acts of violence against their fellow "man." Make no mistake about it. MMA fighting is a blood sport. You may think that it is less brutal when two women are trying to knock each other out with their sharp elbows and bludgeoning knees but like everything else in life it is all relative. The objective is the same. You live and die by your ratings so you do what you can to inflict as much body harm as possible on your opponent. It's the penultimate zero-sum game.
I couldn't help but wonder about the backgrounds of these warriors. How precisely did one thing lead to another in these women's lives to the point where they wanted to beat the bejesus out of another human being? Were they deprived of compassion and caring as children? Did they perhaps follow the example of their older or younger siblings be they male or female? What father or mother wants to see their child in a ring fighting for their lives for the sake of a W in the win column?
I think I need to give the devil his due here. My views are probably altogether far too sexist and disparingly naive. Truth be told, women are tougher than men. If you start there, it's not a reach at all to see women in the ring competing against other women. Once you remove all considerations due to gender, you can start to appreciate aspects of the sport such as training, technique, strategy, and the will to win.
The better fighters possess what's known in the sport as a killer instinct but that only takes you so far. The good thing about MMA fighting is that there are a lot of ways to bring your opponent to submission. Getting a TKO is good, but not the end-all, be-all. I like to see their records, catch a glimpse or two of previous fights which the shows usually include, and then I like to size them up as they make their way through the cheering crowds from the waiting room to the ring.
I'm rarely ambivalent as to which fighter I might like to see win and that may or may not have anything to do with who has the better record. Records, as we all know, can be misleading. Like most red blooded Americans, it goes without saying that I like to root for the underdog. The man or woman who has the tougher hill to climb typically gets my vote. The man or woman fighting to get out of the ghetto regardless of nationality has infinitely more incentive to walk away with a win.
I feel more empathy than not for the older fighters who for lack of money for their next meal have to put their lives on the line in order to provide for themselves or their families. Conversely, I'm generally supportive of the younger fighters who have chosen this particular career path even with all the hazards inherent in the sport. I'm not sure why but I occasionally worry that women put their child bearing capabilities at risk when they endure round after round of abuse and destruction at the hands, feet, knees, and elbows of their opponents. It can and usually does get down and dirty.
In spite of the incessant terror and threats of bodily harm brought to bear in any given match, it is a testament to the human spirt and the dignity of the sport that when all is said and done it is the enduring respect that each of the fighters has for their opponent that rises above all else. No matter how much blood is spilled, no matter how much damage is inflicted, the fighters invariably embrace and celebrate their opponents when the final bell sounds. Win or lose, you thank your opponent for making you a better fighter, a better person, and for the opportunity to learn in the process. Good stuff.