Australia was treated today to the first UFC event to be held in this country - UFC 110 - at Sydney's Acer Arena. The cherry on top was Channel 1 showed the event live on free to air. The fight card was enticing and the actual boughts themselves were fantastic - with some comebacks, some quick finishes and some good tactical fighting.

The best fight of all saw a local from Geelong take on a highly fancied pro from the US...and win!

UFC is the fastest growing sport in the world - absolutely exploding in popularity, but there are many who still believe it's a no-rules contest between barbarians. This used to be the case, but hasn't been for some years now. What I'm curious about is how fellow D&Rs feel about UFC?

If those who wish to participate are responsible sober adults then it has got bugger all to do with anyone else.

Of course the usual soft cock, do-gooders, whingers and nanny staters will be crying into their half shot lattes.

I don't enjoy watching boxing but I enjoy watching the bouts on UFC.
I was starting to watch it today but visitors turned up.

I find the idea of boxing and "fighting" repulsive. I also find it hard to accept that our society has this contradiction that its OK to fight as long as its called a "sport" but on the otherhand, if you were to undertake such a fight in any other public place you'd be locked by the police. As the likely result is the injury, both short and long term of the participants and society is expected to pick up the tab for the care of those participating in this so-called "sport", I think society has the right to stop it. Blood sports aren't pretty. Nor are they particularly dignified. They hark back to Ancient Roman spectacles. They appeal to the bloodlust and the thrill of the observers. Ban the lot, I say!

Spoken like a true passive-agressive wimp

cybacaT

I find such sports just pointless, but I get its derivation, many can't control their animal instincts so they focus them in fighting events. Unlike wimp boy I don't get repulsed, but bored. I like aggressive sports that have a strategy / teamwork (like Rugby) as an objective, but watching someone mutilating someone (which is the objective) else just makes me yawn.

There is an innate difference between an organised fight event where males match the strengths of their mind and body and a common street brawl.

Brian is showing the usual intolerance of the mindless left for something he doesn't comprehend.

Intellectually castrated males like Brian would like to turn all males into spineless effeminate metrosexuals who blubber every time they break a fingernail.

You are a pathetic excuse for a male.

You can participate in fights, as long as they are consensual. But the police or other people would go and break up any such fights.

UFC - 'Ultimate Fighting Championship' has only just arrived on Free-to-air TV here in Sydney with the introduction of the new Channel ONE.

I've been recording and watching these Thursday night one-hour UFC programs, diligently.

I find them interesting from a number of different perspectives, not the least of which is the psychology of the combatants themselves.

Their antics after just winning a fight is an entertainment all of its own. We saw 'Machita' crying like a baby -- with his mouth WIDE open just like a baby in a pram!

Others go nuts with triumphant bloodlust... making throat-slitting motions at the camera.

It's a zoo, there's no doubt about that. But I respect the skill and the sheer guts of those guys stepping into the 'octagon' knowing that they'll probably receive a painful beating even if they come out the winner.

UFC has of course sounded the death-knell for the wrestling business, which has always been a sham and a charade.

I love Bruce Buffer's dramatic announcing style! Makes me laugh every time.

This MMA (mixed martial arts) entertainment is here to stay.

It seems that every second man in Brazil is a black-belt martial arts specialist.

I had a hunch there might be a range of opinions on this one...

Personally I like to see people put to the real test. Many sports test speed, endurance, skills - and UFC tests all of these at the same time.

The analogy I have is back from my hunting days. It was ok hunting doves, rabbits etc...just ok. But it went to a whole other level when I was walking through scrub hunting large feral pigs with a single shot rifle - because they had a decent chance of getting me and doing damage, so the adrenalin sharpened my skills. Similarly, I much prefer playing rugby to soccer as there is an element of danger to mix in with the skills.

I can only imagine what it's like for a UFC fighter to go up against guys who can not only take a severe beating and keep going, but know 100 different ways to stop you themselves. I'm mildly impressed by boxers and their skill level - they pale in comparison with UFC fighters who box, kick, grapple, wrestle, lock and throw. UFC is impressive stuff and it's no wonder it's the fastest growing sport in the world.


To balance the debate though, I don't see UFC as a positive thing for our society. People watch it and then think they can pound away in a real-life fight, when in reality many people can't take more than 1 or 2 big hits before they're stopped. The old days of knocking a bloke down and then leaving matters settled are no more - the UFC and similar fighting teaches guys to finish their opponents - don't stop until they're unconscious. That's not good...

Couldn't agree more, so I suggest that we have contests where skill can beat sheer brawn and where a steady nerve counts.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let us bring back Duelling; we could have differing grades, from Basic using single shot duelling pistols as of yore. Advanced 1: revolvers, with sub-categories of Traditional Duelling stance or 'quick draw'. Advanced 2: semi-automatic pistols, with sub-categories of military, pocket, or target. Other disciplines could be sub-machine gun, rifle, shotgun etc., the possibilities are not limitless but extensive at least.

Then we could also have Duelling With The Sword; here again there are many, many possible categories from Bronze Age to the Roman Short Sword and all the way to the more extreme modern conceptions of the world of Fantasy.

Let us have blood and gore for entertainment but let us at the very least bring some technology into it and make it more in keeping with the modern and enlightened age in which we dwell. We might also get rid of some of our less desireable criminals by forcing them to fight in the arena, the grade of contest could be made to fit the crime.
Perhaps as a warmup to the man contests we could have all the contestants try their skill at the 'Running Rock Spider' event, using their weapon of choice.

UFC is, I'm afraid, rather un-gentlemanly and so I must agree with Brian.

cybacaT

You seemed to have left out a test of aggression and violence

If you want to see these on display I can suggest some suburbs of Sydney to visit, they might even ask you to participate, although the average street fighter may not have the endurance these pro's might have.

If you really want an adrenalin rush try taking on a feral pig bare handed.

When ever I have been pig shooting I carried a shotgun with solid shot in it and a big knife for back up.

You're probably right, but unlike cock-fighting or dog-fighting, the contenders are totally at liberty to quit at any time of their fighting careers.

As for watching this sport -- there's always the OFF switch.

The same can be said for Child Pornography and with an equal lack of validity.

Every weekend there's more biffo on the Footy paddocks of Australia than you'll see in a month of Sundays on UFC.

You'd better watch out, otherwise Analogue will call you all sorts of nasty names! Oooohhh, I just can't bear to think about it!