UFC 100

So I encountered my first MMA ever last night, catching it at one of the local bars. It was a unique experience to say the least. We unfortunately didn't arrive early enough and had to stand to watch the whole show. Now I know how those Johnny-come-latelys felt at Hooters when I used to go there to watch WWE PPVs. As for the actual show, the two middleweight fights that opened the show were decent, albeit for different reasons. The opener was a well balanced fight that saw both guys get in some decent shots and end in a split decision with the Japanese guy getting the nod. The other middleweight bout featured a vicious knockout punch by Henderson followed by a (unnecessary?) follow-up punch to prove a point. The welterweight title fight was a real snoozer with Georges St. Pierre doing a lot of grappling and basically biding time in order to retain his belt. The main event with Brock Lesnar was short and sweet with him earning a KO in the second round over Frank Mir, who was the only guy he had ever lost to before. Brock's postmatch antics have the UFC community all riled up, but I found them entertaining. Nice to see he hasn't forgotten everything he learned during his time with pro wrestling.

Overall, while I can see the appeal to some this just isn't my cup of tea. For me, there's just not enough payoff throughout the show to make it worthwhile. I also don't get how people can spend so much time looking to injure someone else only to then shake their hand afterwards. There's no appeal to me in trying to hurt someone for the sake of competition. But the biggest strike against MMA has nothing really to do with the sport and everything to do with its fans. Pro wrestling gets a lot of flack for its hillbilly fan base, but I think I prefer most of them to the testosterone-filled, Affliction shirt wearing meatheads and their put upon girlfriends that make up the audiences for these show. I'm glad I got to check this out, but I don't think I'll be watching anymore action from the Octagon anytime soon.