Magic, MMA and Elephants=Great Circus Show

I wasn't going to put together a story today as quite frankly there is no piece of news out there that I felt needed my opinion. That changed for me in an instant as I saw Jeremy's notes headlined by the result of an MMA fight. When I write on this blog, I take stories I feel passionate about and insert my opinion where I see fit. When you're as opinionated as I am, that might be difficult to do as some days there may be no story in particular that gets your juices flowing. This MMA story is intriguing to me in another way, as I am passionate about my dislike for the sport. I have long been a fan of the sport of boxing and feel real men fight on their feet in the ring with a pair of gloves on. I have no interest in seeing two barefoot men rolling around the ring and straddling each other like 2 children playing on the living room floor. Needless to say it's childish and comes off as a joke to me. I feel it's comparable to Vince McMahon's WWE. Actually, let me rethink that, as the E in WWE stands for entertainment, something MMA simply can't offer me. Let's take this weekend's events as an example. The "sports" most feared fighter, and I use the word sport only to satisfy any of their fans who might be reading this, Fedor Emelianenko lost for the first time in 10 years to a little known fighter by the name of Fabricio Werdum. After knocking Fabricio down with a right hand, Fedor began to pummel his opponent. Fabricio, with his back to the canvas, caught Fedor's arm and twisted it, causing the huge upset. As soon as the hold was released, the former champion Fedor looked as if he'd yet to fight, while the truth being much different. When I watch the world's best go 12 rounds in the ring, I see a victor and a loser. I see one man take the title and I see another lose it. When these warriors go at it in the ring they have 12 rounds to decide whether they'll be the aggressor, or the patient defensive boxer. Point being, that in my opinion, the victory is earned and you won't get over on a much more dominant fighter by applying a silly little arm bar. Every now and then, will a Hasim Rahman land the perfect punch on a superior fighter, as was the case against Lennox Lewis? Yes, of course. I am just saying I'd rather see men fight toe to toe, hand to hand, then to see guys rolling around the canvas applying this lock or that submission hold. I rather a man's power decide the outcome to a fight, even if it may be 1 lucky shot, then to see a grappler use an angle to defeat a 'game' fighter. I've seen Floyd Mayweather Jr. Outclass to many guys and seen a smaller Manny Pacquiao outmuscle his much bigger opposition, making it difficult to put these fighters on the same page as I would those wrestlers. I'll go a little further and say MMA is the WWE without the predetermined endings and the storylines. Three weeks ago I was in Yankee Stadium to see Miguel Cotto lift the WBA Super Welterweight Title from the grasps of Yuri Foreman. Yuri showed great heart as he attempted to fight much of the fight on one knee, and even though the crowd was heavily in favor of Cotto, it was apparent Yuri earned their respect as he did mine. At the end of the day, it was a great sporting event to attend. Entertainment, you wouldn't find at those circus shows put together by Dana White, president of the UFC. I've never been but if I did, I'd expect either Hulk Hogan or King Kong Bundy to walk down that isle. I wouldn't consider either of those gentlemen sportsmen. But hey, that's just me.