I'll Hit It! 06.13.07

Posted by Don Abato on 06.13.2007

You wanted MMA to crack the mainstream barrier, you got it! Although he doesn't mean to play "Danny Downer" 411Mania's Don Abato points out all the other baggage that comes with the perks of breaking through to the other side of obscurity.

Depending on who you ask the sport of Mixed Martial Arts is considered mainstream or on the cusp of being so. The president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship recently said in an interview on NBCSports.com MMA shouldn't be considered mainstream just yet. But if you gaze through the many sports sections of newspapers across the country it seems there's a new columnist each day finally recognizing MMA as a sport, and some are even declaring "ultimate fighting" having replaced boxing as the combat sport of a new generation.

Dan Le Batard wears many hats in the sports world: Miami Herald sports columnist, radio talk show host for AM 790 "The Ticket" in Miami and contributor/commentator to many of ESPN's programs including Sportscenter, Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn. Mr. Le Batard recently wrote in one of his columns UFC, Pride and the other fighting organizations are not some fad or novelty like many anti-MMA groups argue. Le Batard went on to compare the recent press UFC recieved with the NHL's dismal Stanley Cup ratings on NBC, noting mixed martial arts has a better future than hockey.

It's hard to disagree with his point. He makes another observation which I should have realized but never made:

"All the more amazing, this has risen without much help, climbing over protesters. The WNBA has all manner of support and advertising and hasn't found its footing. Things like Arena Football and the XFL had millions of dollars behind them. How many fringe sports leagues have failed in our town alone? Sports don't just spring out of the ground, even with obscene amounts of financial backing. But this one has."

We are entering a crucial period. The sport has to continue the positive momentum built so far. Sure, the journey up the slope is hard work, but keeping a foothold will prove to be an even heftier task. Aside from building on each experience, the community must "mature" as well. Things are going great, but all it takes is one major scandal to disrupt the climb to the top.

Palm Beach Post staff writer Charles Elmore wrote an article this week about the differing opinions regarding MMA. When comparing the safety record of boxing and MMA he cited the 1998 death of a fighter in an unsanctioned fight in the Ukraine. Trying to use the 1998 case as a point of argument against MMA's safety record is really "digging" considering the story behind the fatality. It's important to note Douglas Dedge(the athlete who died) could not get medical clearance to fight in any North American event and had to go overseas in an unregulated match to get a fight, going against the advice of doctors. Compare this to boxing's record. According to a January report by the Journal of Combative Sport, there have been more than 500 boxing-related deaths in the past 50 years.

MMA is one fight-related death away from losing everything it has gained so far. The increased popularity carries a price: more media attention and scrutiny. An octagon or ring related death can have very detrimental effects. You better believe there are people waiting to "pounce" should something like this happen. We should all applaud the effort of Zuffa to get the sport regulated in every state to make the playing field as safe as possible.

When I say the MMA community must "mature", I mean to say you all have to get used to the idea of more intrusive press. Fighters, coaches, promotors and high ranking officials will now have to deal with the same news environment the NFL, MLB, NBA and NASCAR currently deal with. The press pool can be really persistent, especially during times of scandal. When things aren't going well the writers and television reporters will ask all the questions you don't want asked. And there'll be no such thing as, "I'll talk the press but no questions about "the bad stuff." The professional atheltes in the other sports don't get excused from the media microscope, and neither will our stars.

Believe me, I come from the world of mainstream sports media. My peers make it a point to hold teams and players accountable for winning, and more importantly hold them accountable as public figures and role models. The press pool has to do it because there are sports editors, news directors and general managers demanding it get done. Defending the sport against the doubters will always be a task for MMA fans and professionals. But in the not too distant future be prepared to talk X's and O's with beat writers and live reporters on a higher level than the current MMA. I'm not meaning this to be disrespectul to the current folks who cover the sport for a living. Let's face it, there's a huge difference in defending yourself on a podcast and doing so against Dan Patrick in front of a national audience.

When something bad happens in or outside of the cage or ring, expect the story to take on a life of its own. Yes, this is only the begining. Take notes from the other leagues on how they deal with their scandals and prepare. MMA is going to have to deal with it at some point or another. Despite the best efforts of good men, a good portion of the public still think this sport is a spectacle and sensationalism will help help keep that notion alive. When the "media circus" comes, they pitch their tents and settle for a long and gruelling time.

And I already see a potential spark coming. The internet is already running wild with speculation over Chuck Liddell's condition going into his title fight with Quentin Jackson. Was he in rehab or not? One thing could lead to another and before we know it the UFC has it's first nationally covered scandal. This could be one of those situations I was talking about, and believe me it'll stick around for a long time. Or it could be nothing. Journalism cliche warning: we'll just have to wait and see.

*Courtesey to Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post for cited articles.*