I don’t watch a lot of soap operas, but when I was little, I couldn’t ignore the fact that there was a doll that came to life on “Passions” – and I know a lot of people could not couldn’t ignore it either, because it was a very popular show. MMA is getting to be a little like that. People like popular talking points, people like drama. Okay here’s another example to get my point across – So I was hanging out at a local bar that I go by after work and I was talking to the bartender, and I was asking her if she liked MMA and she said, “no, I don’t like MMA but, I like Conor McGregor, because he talks a lot of shit”, and I said, “You don’t like his karate style? You don’t like his left hand? You don’t like how quick he is? Do you only like his talking game? and she said “Yes, I just like how he disrespects people and the whole back and fourth.” She went on to tell me that her favorite pro-wrestler was The Undertaker, and that she doesn’t really like wrestling either, but she enjoys the pageantry of it all – This is what the casual fan is. Back when I was 14, I didnt care about about Soap Operas, I didnt care anything about the story, all that I was focused on, is that a doll named Timmy came to life.
People that only care about the pageantry dont care for 2 seconds that a fighter is a world BJJ champion or a World Muay Thai Champ, they only care about the fly shit they just said.
These people care a lot about personal gossip. They want to know what celebrities fighters go out with, they want to know what beef they have with other fighters, and if they’re not active on social media, its like they don’t exist. Chuck Lidell is an all time favorite for fans like these.
MMA needs the casual fan because the casual fan evangelizes the MMA message. Hardcore fan talk to other hardcore fans
How to know you’re a casual fan
- You don’t want the fight to go to the ground at all. You think it is boring/gay when fights are going on on the ground.
- You have no idea what is happening when a legit jiu jitsu match is taking place. You also don’t want to know what is happening when a jits fight is going on.
- You have no respect for the fighters well-being or state of mind in a fight and you treat them only as entertainment
- You want to see blood
- You only watch the main card
How can the casual fan grow to be a regular fan
- Be able to recognize different skills that fighters have, be able to recognize when fighters use their smarts to win a fight.
- Realize that losing is not the end-all be-all and that fighters have many ways to improve themselves.
- Do not care about the personal lives of the fighters.
- Realize that combat is the true expression of human Art.
- Realize that there are great fighters in other organizations and that fighters from lower promotions can beat UFC champions.
As fans of combat, people need to realize that humans have different facets to there lives. Someone can be good at playing the piano and bad and driving a car, Someone can be a low down dirty thief and be a great dad to their kids. Someone can be a fantastic wife and a shitty boss, all at the same damn time. Greg Hardy has had a rough time in the court of public opinion, but the man has face melting power and fast hands, and he is a legit prospect – Appreciate art for what it is, and leave superfluous information out of the equation.