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Even on the heels of a record-breaking UFC event in Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, the elite mixed martial arts promotion remains a red-headed stepchild to many in the Australian media.
UFC’s Melbourne premiere was an unabashed success. The company set a new personal-best attendance record, sold the largest gate in Etihad Stadium history, and put on a show that company president Dana White claims is “trending” towards a million pay-per-view buys.
And all the top dogs in Australian media flew into Melbourne to cover the fights. The Roar shared media space with international and local journos between USA Today, Fox Sports, News.com.au, ESPN and a bunch more.
It’s safe to say that Ronda Rousey’s stunning knockout loss was the talk of the town on Sunday, but not everyone was impressed.
Noted UFC critic ‘Buzz’ Rothfield slammed the event, giving it a 1/10 rating in his weekend sporting review.
“Seeing two women violently belting the crap out of each other is not my idea of sport,” The Daily Telegraph reporter said in his column.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Peter FitzSimons wasn’t singing the UFC’s praises either, calling it “nothing more than appalling brutality”.
USA Today and MMA Junkie scribe John Morgan, who flew into Victoria to cover the UFC’s media week, was astounded by the amount of unfavorable press the sport receives Down Under.
“There’s been a lot of negativity,” Morgan said on his podcast, The MMA Road Show. “We’ve seen columns in major newspapers that basically remind me of 1994 in the United States, where it’s like people questioning whether this sport should even be allowed to happen.”
Morgan isn’t wrong either. The sport of mixed martial arts – and yes, it is a sport – has never been truly accepted in Australia.
The surprising part is, boxing is given a complete pass. FitzSimons, who authored a slam piece against the UFC, was happy enough to write about last Wednesday’s boxing match, which was highlighted by Anthony Mundine getting used as a withered punching bag for almost 11 rounds.
It wasn’t “appalling brutality” when the 40-year-old pugilist hit the deck three times in as many minutes, then was given the green light to get bashed for another eight frames.
Why is that perfectly acceptable, but the UFC is treated like a barbaric bloodsport?
Is it because Sunday’s double main event featured highly trained women fighting for cash, prizes, and gold? Is it because fighters are allowed to kick, knee and apply submission holds? Or do the old school journalists just dismiss the UFC’s brand of mixed-rules fighting as a passing fad?
Now don’t get me wrong, this sport isn’t for everyone. Two half-naked men or women fighting in a cage will probably never be the world’s biggest sport, as UFC boss Dana White has predicted.
And seeing Rousey get floored by a head kick, then smashed with a pair of hammer fists in a semiconscious state will make many turn their head and perhaps even the channel.
That’s perfectly fine. Like I said, it’s not for everyone.
Disliking the UFC is okay, too. But let’s not treat the sport like a circus inhabited by bloodthirsty animals.
Olympic gold medalists have tested their mettle in MMA fights, so have former NFL players, champion boxers, and even an ex-English cricketer.
These athletes deserve the media’s respect, even if they will never have their acceptance.